I think a lot of those reviews are done in comparison to what else is available. Like maybe this game wasn't bad, but other games had similar gameplay AND were aesthetically pleasing, so what's the point, in their eyes?
I agree though, gameplay comes first, even if I do enjoy the spectacle of great graphics and such.
The time limits weren't so bad to me, it was the length of time spent waiting for events to happen that got really grating. But the dark story and masks kept me going.
Yeah, I had been past the last four dungeons for quite a long time, it was the mask hunt holding me up.
Yeah, I saw the AVGN episode for that one. It doesn't bother me with save file games when the hardest part is at the end, but those NES classics? I don't know if I could do it. Luckily, at the time we still had those in the house, I sucked enough I never had to get that frustrated. Yup; "aim low, stay happy," that's my motto. 
The time mechanic actually has a cool development story behind it, it's basically a really creative way to deal with time constraints on the developers themselves, but its execution can be iffy to say the least, I agree. But at the same time I think it's really creative, and if they would just get rid of the parts where you have to wait ten minutes DOING NOTHING I think it might shoot up to being one of my favorites, but alas that's not the case.
I will fully admit, it is the most original of the Zelda games. If they added an option to skip certain sections where you have no choice but to make Link wait for too many minutes at a time, I might even have it as my favorite 3D Zelda. Only that's not the case, but I definitely appreciate what they were going for.
I never even played much of Banjo Kazooie except a couple times at the neighbors', let alone Tooie.
It feels great, but at the same time, the ending wasn't as epic, because I essentially created years of artificial hype by not beating it.
I love the 3D Zeldas, but this one has always been the black sheep to me, and a lot of people.
I enjoyed Minish Cap quite a bit as far as the 2D ones, but never got very far in A Link to the Past.
Sonic CD is a 2D platformer, I think you mean Sonic 3D? Or they do?
I spell video games as one word all the time, but I stopped myself just for you. lol
How far does it delve into the drug-induced antics of the Atari guys? I still wish Hunter S. Thompson could have followed them around or something.
Can't blame you too much, that art does look nice.
