Titles like Mario Galaxy come to mind. These are "AAA" experiences just as much as you will find on next-gen systems when you're picking up the next Naughty Dog game, for instance (in my mind).
Problem is, Nintendo has actively gone against the AAA strategy for the better part of a decade or more.
Eh, I disagree. By using "aaa" I'm assuming you mean production value right?
Mario Galaxy 2 was released in 2010, and despite people's disdain for motion controls/guidance*, Nintendo spent a long time developing Skyward Sword and incorporated many of the Wii's "casual" features into a large adventure game.
Despite the hate for Metroid: Other M, its budget is anything but low. Additionally Kid Icarus Uprising is another example. They also just funded Platinum's most expensive game (an original ip) which is bombing spectacularly. Mario Kart 8 and Smash Bros will have "aaa" polish/budgets.
I agree that other titles re-use assets and are no doubt made on smaller budgets, but I don't think every title merits the "aaa" strategy. If more dev companies appreciated this, less of them would have to pack up shop, thanks to essentially trying to play the "dick-waving" game with other dev houses, when they simply couldn't compete from a financial/publisher backing point.
*Let's not beat around the bush, the hand-holding complaint can be leveled at pretty much every "aaa" game (be it in the form of assist messages, or linear, scripted sequences and so forth.).
