Spelunky 2 builds upon the unique, randomized challenges that made the original a classic, offering a huge adventure designed to satisfy players old and new.  

• A new bigger world with all new areas, monsters, traps, and items
• There will be an extra dimension added by allowing players to access a second layer behind the normal field. The second layer might contain treasure rooms, hidden passages, and other special places.
• Multiple routes through the game will add variety and give players more ways to personalize a run.
• Look and ride mounts that have special abilities. Enemies may ride mounts as well.
• New NPCs that you can help, hurt or ignore to make each run feel even more like a unique story.
• Improved lighting and special effects are paired with richer visual and audio design.

Reviews

Even if I prefer the original game and its simplicity compared to Spelunky 2, I’d still argue that you’re getting one of the best roguelikes of all time here. That core theme of learning that I ranted and raved about in the original Spelunky review is right here front and centre, it’s just a little harder to parse with so much going on. If the worst thing anyone can say about Spelunky 2 is that it’s just a tiny bit less perfect than Spelunky, I think that’s a pretty good outcome.

Nintendo Insider  

While Spelunky 2 is not quite the landmark the original game was, it carries with it the same spirit of exploration and challenge. Part of me wishes it was maybe a little more lenient, especially in the first area, but that’s also not necessarily what Spelunky is all about. This is an immaculately designed game dripping with secrets and traps. It might not be for the faint of heart, but at least now with the glory of online co-op, the faint of heart can be dragged kicking and screaming to the City of Gold.

NintendoWorldReport