While many LEGO pricing decisions are egregious, this one is surprisingly fair. Build quality is also much better. Looks more like what it's supposed to be, colors are more uniform, and the treasure chest isn't just a brown crate
That absolutely does count for something, and with the first set you can tell that there just wasn't as much thought put into the animals. The crab looks more like a red dot with legs holding scissors, and same for the shark's underdesigned fins and splotchy coloring in some portions like the tail
The newer one feels less like a cartoonish playset, and more like it could have been designed by a genuine marine biology enthusiast with an affinity for sleek shaping techniques
Neither sets are bad for their prices