Donkey Kong Country 2 for GBA is a great improvement as a game in general as well as a port with respect to the first title. It is one of the best platformers with one of the best soundtracks of the SNES era.

To sum up, the changes it brings with respect to the SNES version are more or less the same of DKC on GBA. The graphics and music have been compressed so the quality of these is a bit lower, but in compensation have been implemented quality of life improvements such as being able to save at any time (which considerably reduces the original difficulty of the game), a screen that shows you the statistics of the levels that are a great addition if you like to complete games at 100% and alters the movement a bit making the gameplay in my opinion is slightly better by making the characters feel more agile and lighter to control. Finally, there are also a lot of new spirtes (like the world map, which was redone and is more detailed) which I won't say look bad, but I think they clash a bit with the original sprites.

Extra content is also implemented, in the addition of 2 mini-games and a new collectible in the levels, which will be necessary to obtain to complete 102% of the game. These are a helicopter mini-game (which is a bit frustrating) and an ostrich racing mini-game. Both minigames are pretty easy to be honest, and feel too simple really, no big deal. As for the new collectible, it's some golden feathers and to my surprise they're very well placed throughout the levels, so they're not always in plain sight, but they don't get to be too hidden either, and to tell you the truth, it's an addition that I liked because of how it made me explore the levels and pay more attention to them in general. And the above also applies to the photo collectible, which returns from the first DKC for GBA.

Speaking of the game itself, it's fantastic. Donkey Kong Country 2 is an improvement over the first one in every way; better level design, better scenery, better music, better everything. Although the first DKC had good levels and good design in general, the levels here are more memorable, bigger and more entertaining, and the bonus sections are also more worthwhile, because compared to how simple and repetitive they were in the first DKC, now they are small segments with small challenges that give us a coin that serves to unlock secret levels. It is, without a doubt, more satisfying to complete 100% and a game that overall feels much more solid and fun than its predecessor.

Conclusion
A game worth playing either in its Super Nintendo version or in this version, which although it has changes that may not be to everyone's liking, they were decent enough to justify a re-release.

One of the best 2D platformers of its time brought the GBA.

Its obviously not as good as the SNES version but its actually a good port. The physics feel slightly different but the game is overall, easier. But the QOL changes are nice, especially since you can check collectables in levels. Its too bad this is all only exclusive to the GBA port.

As for the colors, I get what its going for with the Analogue Pocket's "Original GBA Filter". Its not perfect but it makes the colors look more normal even if there is a brown tinge to it. This game was obviously designed with non-backlit screens in mind and will look awful on modern displays.

Pros: Finally, a portable DKC2, you can play one of the best SNES games on the go. Some added features, like a new collectible on every stage, and more involved minigames like Expresso Racing or Funky's Gyrocopter shit. There's a neat new boss fight in the final world, that's a plus... You know what, I gotta be honest...

Cons: It's all pretty bad. The new minigames, not fun, not well made, even though I respect them bringing back Expresso the ostrich, even Candy Kong shows up in Swanky's minigame here. And the problems that permeated the DKC GBA port, are all still here as well, and maybe even worse, killing the moody vibe of the SNES original. Washed out backgrounds, smudged sprites, a worse looking worldmap, worse sound effects and music, the new boss also looks pretty crummy despite being a badass giant red dragon Kremling, and even the new story and ending cutscenes take away from the excellent vibe of the original (just one look at the 100% ending screen compared to the SNES original is all I need to say about that, really)

What it means to me: DKC2 was never my favorite DKC, so this one meant less to me than it would to most others, but, this was still the first time I ever had DKC2 portably, and so that was something. Eh, I dunno, as a big DK fan, I mustered up the ability to complete it back in the day anyway, it's mid.

First time I've actually managed to finish the game and it was with this version. It has some mandatory QoLs that I was annoyed to find out there wasn't on the SNES (keeping track of all Kremlin bonus coins) and just like most (if not all) the SNES classics that have been ported/"remastered here: it is way more lighted alright. Could feel slightly bothersome if you play it on a different hardware, but for GBA as always it makes sense.

It's still a classic gem of my childhood, so I'm biased. But the visuals obviously don't look as good as the original game. It's still a great way to play it for first timer and not.