The improved register count must make it much less claustrophobic for students. It's not just the same ISA but with wider words.
Looks like I'm mistaken on terminology though. x86 includes the 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit ISAs of that family, and doesn't refer specifically to the 32-bit generation.
scaring people away w x86 cruft right out the gate is no good for anyone :-)