Perfectly put. I didn't really like the "realistic" style that they were going for in OoT and MM. WW was a refreshing return to the cartoony look of the original Zelda game. I still think WW had its problems but, in my opinion, it was the best Zelda game since Link to the Past.
Furthermore Mario Sunshine, which was a pretty good game, just didn't innovate on the theme enough (as Mario 64 did) to make it all that memorable for me. Mario 64 practically changed my life

while Sunshine was just a fun game.
Nintendo has been shooting themselves in the foot for a while now. Cutting the GC price to $99 is the best thing they've done in a long time. Continuing to ignore the potential of online gaming--and pushing this crazy "connectivity" garbage instead--may, ultimately, be their undoing.
Nintendo is better than they've ever been, as far as making games goes. Both GBA Metroids are better than any of the others (2D). Wind Waker is the perfect evolution in the 3D Zelda era. Sunshine could have been better, but it was a nice expansion of Super Mario 64. Luigi's Mansion was nothing special, but it was a good piece of software to show off what the Gamecube could do when it was first release. Pikmin is one of the most original games I've ever played (and one of my favorites), and I can't wait for the sequel. They've been very smart as to who they've partnered with. Retro did an absolutely incredible job with Metroid Prime, and now are owned 100% by Nintendo. Letting Namco handle franchises like Donkey Kong and Star Fox is a smart move, because they are a very established 3rd party capable of making jaw-dropping games, and have a very close relationship with Nintendo now (TriForce). It also allows Nintendo to publish more franchise games than they could do if they made all of them in-house.
Bottom line - I think Nintendo is doing great and can go nowhere but up from here. I've been a fan since I got my NES in 1985, and that's not going to change any time soon.
ok I'd like to add my disgust about final fantasy'd crytal cronicle's multiplayer. WHY THE HELL DO YOU REQUIRE 4 GBAs TO PLAY MULTIPLAYER?!! I just played this game over a buddy's house and I can't believe it. Sure it's a clever idea but to REQUIRE it? I personally would have loved the normal controller in my hand, it's not fun to controller a 3d character with a d-pad. Also I don't like having to look up and downfrom the tv screen to the gba. Also the fact that one person has to carry a bucket rather than fight isn't the least bit fun. This game feels like a challenge to see how much gamers can put up with. Don't get me wrong, it's fun but setting up and everything you have to encounter while playing is annoying as hell, and the bosses are incredibly easy. This is another blow from nintendo that making me want to spit in their face. Good game.. but I guess for them.. a better scam than a game.
gc = $100
ffcc= $50
4 gbas w/ link cables = $320, or 4 gbasp with link cables= $480
all together thats $470 - $630 to play this things multiplayer and that doesn't even count the batteries that the gba eats up while playing this.
One thing that has changed since N64 is Rare's dealings with Nintendo. Behind many of the "classics of n64" are handywork of Rare Ware.
Little games like
Goldeneye
Donkey Kong 64
Killer Instinct
Banjo-Kazooie
All outsourced, not the inhouse development teams working on them.
Lately Rare has been making titles for XBox. I think turning to Sega as a game developer was brilliant, they have a excelent design team.
The other side of the coin is, that it take much more work to create the 3d emersive titles than the 2d titles of the past.
Combind this with the beating it's taken in the market, making a huge 3d emersive game on a strange consept is a gamble that many game companys shy away from. So they go with the money makers, what is tried and true, thier core character sets. The problem there is a need to make the old new. While many will resist any changes to the a series, if not enough is changed then it will be forgotten by many. Oh well, thats my thoughts on it.