I found 3rd edition vastly superior to 2nd edition in most ways, I mean I never really enjoyed playing Warhammer or any of those other games where instead of being able to use maths, you were reliant entirely on tables. At least Thac0 used maths, but the saves were just dull in comparison to 3rd edition.
Multiclassing has also improved vastly, though I think 5th edition does it best - especially with giving cantrips to casters that scale with character level, as well as the average player gets 2 or 3 attacks per round instead of the good old 10 for dual wielding fighter/monks with kamas from 3rd or the insanely weird 7/2 2nd edition used. Makes combat feel better. Also the way in which you are able to create builds with purposes more easily in 5th than previous editions where you accomplished this through feats in 3rd, or just didn't accomplish it in 2nd because of the class limits, the insane requirements for Paladins and the fact the edition felt it necessary to make men stronger than women.
Also Neverwinter Nights was so much better than Baldurs Gate so even in video games 3rd edition did better than 2nd.
