I prefer MM to any Zelda title after it (yes, including WW and TP), but OOT is the cream of the crop for me. That game was like my defining moment as a gamer.
But yeah, poor timing sucked. Least it wasn't as bad as Paper Mario. Though Paper Mario was one of the best sellers for the month it came out, even with PS2 titles being out. I'm surprised it's not on the VC, actually. Much better than OoT, so I don't see why not.
I'm probably in the minority, but I wouldn't mind a long break from the next Zelda game. Give the developers a long time to work on the next one and as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
I agree. Although I am not the biggest of Zelda fans, I do believe that the only way the series can be revitalized is to retire the franchise for a while.