I think people need to understand that the Retro Studios of today is not the same as the Retro Studios of 10 years ago. The company has long since moved on from being the studio born out of Iguana's ashes, intended to make first-person games. Some of the key Metroid Prime designers have since left the company, others have joined who are likely more skilled in other areas, and in general, their role as a Nintendo first-party developer has changed.
Also, I take issue with the idea that Donkey Kong Country, one of the great platforming series in gaming, is somehow beneath Retro Studios, as if they are a mighty god of game development who is only allowed to make games that alter the very composition of the Earth. In my view, Tropical Freeze looks like an excellent 2D platformer, and hardly a 'waste of talent.'