Exactly. The end user experience is so finely polished that only Nintendo could pull it off. I initially got it as a really fun collectable, but after using it I was immediately hooked. Settings are easy to change (what few you have anyway), the save states are easy to manage... the filters and sorting are good ect.... From a guy that's made front-ends for the better part of 15 years I can tell you that their particular interface, as Spartan as it is, just hits the mark really well. It's something that a youtube video can't capture.
I'm glad they are aping the look via Attract Mode, and I'm sure I'll be using that for a future project now, but my guess is it won't be nearly as easy to setup and maintain.
Btw definately do the mod and enable returning to the menu by pressing down+select. It makes the thing instantly more enjoyable and you don't have to install any extra games. You can also add some neat functions like auto fire and ect....