I know when it came out everyone discussed it and compared it to the older version. I looked at mine, but I no longer own the old one. Anyway, I got one for my niece today and while the box says 3+ years I found it very difficult to play with the toy with her. The hats and saddles were tricky to strap on to where I had to do it and anytime she tried to open up the parlor it would snap open and something would come loose. Maybe my brain is foggy but was he old one this bad? Totally not a toy she could play with without help.