I don't really know what it is but this game never really hooked me like the first Donkey Kong game. It's still a pretty solid arcade platformer, and the "vine climbing" mechanic adding here is definitely a good addition... but I dunno, I feel like I always just preferred the more straightforward platforming of the original. Plus the second stage never really sat well with me with the moving platforms and vine things going up and down while moving left to right.