The original games have this more earthy atmosphere to them, well as earthy as googly eyed cartoon apes and crocs can inhabit at least, I think the pre rendered visuals lent themselves well to this look giving the visual backdrops something that looked faintly true to life while not detailed enough to really go all in on that realistic look.
I think Retro's more stylised take on the environment focused settings was the right path to follow with the increase in visual quality since the original trilogy in order to have the settings fit in with the Kong characters, following the SNES style path in the present makes me think of cartoony Kong's sauntering across photo-esque depictions of the Grand Canyon or something that would look kind of jarring.
All that said the first DKCR does have a few points that veer a bit too closely to a more stock cartoon style that leaves something to be desired, mainly the Beach setting with the basic wildlife designs not helping the case.
Tropical Freeze bridged the visual gap quite well, its enemies more distinct and stylised, some stages can really strike that classic DKC style more than some may be willing to admit, the backgrounds of Baobab Bonanza and Rickety Rafters in Bright Savannah are a solid blend of Retro's art direction and that natural look. Autumn Heights in general is just fantastic with a picturesque European countryside combined with scatterings of an Owl civilisation that ramps up the more you ascend up the mountains by which point you've got beaks chiselled into the mountainside and platforms through a series of almost chapel like wooden buildings suspended in the skies by their attachment to the mountainside.
Really it's not too dissimilar from DKC2 which has a moody aesthetic hand in hand with a rather fantastical one, murky marshlands exist alongside sky high bramble patches, dense forests one second and the honey coated interiors of a giant hive the next and it works as they tie enough visual elements together across these stages (such as the woods eerie vibe and the brightly shining crystals in the mineshafts).
Where was I going with this? oh yeah, DKCR despite some great visuals doesn't hit that same sort of mark as DKC1 and 3 in particular, I do however find Tropical Freeze to have made more strides towards that more classic style while retaining its own, it's like getting the best of both worlds with the scenic progression of each individual stage unique to Retro's games and the tourism like feeling of the SNES games. All that said Crocodile Isle is still the location to beat for atmosphere, as for the attention to detail Retro's games easily take this.
As for the Gameplay I have little hesitation saying that Retro have a better formula going on especially at the base level, it lends itself to more satisfying and precise platforming as well as scenes of spectacle that don't throw these elements out the window. What it is currently lacking however is that which DKC2 (and in some cases 3) still hold onto as what I'd consider a defining strength of the SNES games, firstly the secret hunt and bonus room aspect, that JC guy (ugh) summed it up pretty well, Retro have got down the secret placement down but when their bonus rooms immediately make me wish I was just back in the stage then it falls flat, that and less is more when it comes to those puzzle pieces.
Second is gimmicks, it doesn't have to be a bad word at all, DKC2 leveraged its animal buddies well to creating gameplay variety within the platforming and has a lot more notable stages with unique elements to their design (even more evident in 3, even when it drops the ball). Retro touch upon this at times with the likes of Scorch N Torch, Dynamite Dash, Switcheroo and Treacherous Track to name a few and really it just makes me want to see more like it if they ever go in for a third game complete with more animal buddies.
When it comes down to it Retro's games don't entirely step on the toes of Rare's games, it picks up bits and pieces from them and heads in its own direction leaving merits to both parts of the Country series, so it's not too surprising that some may still much prefer the style of the SNES games even in gameplay.
Still with the way some speak damningly of Retro's visual style you'd think it was Jungle Beat levels of throwing out the Country from Donkey Kong.