I don't have difficulties in at the moment, but across all stages the lowest ceiling height is now higher than it used to be, so it's easier to jump over stuff. And in general stages just have fewer hazards now, as I think it's more fun to find the optimal path and finish quickly than to have to be super careful. (Also, puddles go away after being slipped on once...)
However, there is also an arcade mode that lets you play all stages in order, with bonus games happening every few thousand points, like a regular arcade game. But in this mode, there's no grace period and slips always cause you to fall like in XXX. I'm still kind of messing around in my head if there will be lives or not, but because of the general reduction of hazards I think it's pretty fun, because you have to pay attention to one specific part of the level rather than be cautious all the time.
I've considered making