I know what you mean about that one jet, but apart from that - and it doesn't happen every time - I can't think of any "unfair" elements in the game. Generations, at least on PC, has it's issues as well; sometimes the controls don't respond, things can be missed if you don't react at the exact right moment, and so on. However, I feel that those instances are very small when compared to the overall quality of the game which, IMHO, is the best Sonic game since S3&K.
I feel similarly about Generations DS. It has it's faults but I think it's the best handheld Sonic game in some time, probabley since Advande, albeit it's been a while since I played the Rush games. But I'm with you in regards to Colours DS, Pharaoh, it is rather meh.