They pretty much nail two elements that more or less plague modern Zelda games: Sidekicks talk to much, and do we really need a pop-up message when we find rupees, ammo and mob loot? The annoying part about the messages is that while you only get the message the first time you find a specific item the damn thing resets next time you play the game...>_> WHY!?

Quality? I disagree. They've jumped leaps and bounds when it comes to quality. Bigger budgets, realism, story telling, voice acting, voices at all actually... The games now are able to multi-task and are many layers deeper than before. Compare the story of a game like Mass Effect or Bioshock to Mario? Just going from castle to castle looking for an idiot female whom gets lost and/or kidnapped easier than... Anything really.

The whole point of Zelda originally, was to be an "adventure" game, for players to explore the land and find things out for themselves. If it had had directions and hints all over in-game, that would have totally destroyed that sense of mystery, exploration and discovery.

games these days are all about the $$$, why do you reckon their so simplistic. its all about the mass market

Better cinematic elements/horsepower does not = better game. That's like saying all movies today are better because of better picture quality, sound, and special effects.

No regenerating health = no buy. I don't like non-realistic games.

my old systems is the only reason i keep my old tube tv in the back. they dont look as good on the hd tvs now. but every once in a while i will get bit by a retro bug and play through some favorites.

Which of these elements are actually connected to what is needed for a game: "Bigger budgets", "realism", "story telling", "voice acting"?  The first can get you more, but how many of the other things are actually part of a game?  You know a game, a think you actually PLAY to try to complete something, and the experience of DOING something is found enjoyable through challenge and novelty of experiencing something new.  Those things which differentiate games from other things people craft.

How about different in nature?

And that is why Wolverine is such a boring character.  He is too much like you and I.  Well, except we don't have adamantium.