On paper it is better than the first game but the lack of accessibility on the level designing does keep it around the same level, if not a little worse.
It's far better than the second game, only because I was actually able to build my own levels so easily. Even my friends who never touched a Wii U were able to make levels, there is something about it the second game wasn't able to capture.
I will be the one to say it, it's better than Galaxy. While are a lot of collectables (and some rely on annoying methods) I had no issue getting all the moons and felt happily rewarded after getting them all.
Did I like the game, I guess. It felt that it ended right as I was getting engaged into the gameplay and story. But at the same time, I had little desire to explore the world or the characters. It's a weird game.