The game still has this balance/inflation problem though, which strangely makes the previously huge unbalanced nature of some of the early cards less powerful.

Over time, the amount of utility for mana cost with the current sets has increased, which means the overpowered cards of the past are 'relatively' less powerful. On the flip side it renders a ridiculous amount of cardboard never-competitive playable again. 2/2 Grizzly Bears with no abilities for G(1)?

First turn Savannah Lions used to be huge.

For my starting era (late Revised / late Dark) first turn Kird Ape was about the best you could do with the R/G dual-tap land, or maybe something involving Sol Ring.