I don't have a problem with "linearity" if the game itself isn't also repetitive, if that makes sense. PiT followed the same structure repeatedly for most areas: one area divided into three to four subsections, then a miniboss, then another sub-area with the same structure, then a boss. And yeah, I know that can be said about most Zelda games and other Mario RPGs, but the areas in PiT almost seemed like they were deliberately designed to easily appear in small chunks on the top screen of the DS. Even with pieces of the Cobalt Star constantly getting scattered and stolen, I feel like SS and BIS still had a more varied, madcap story/overworld/dungeon structure that benefits the tone and style of the series better. Can't speak for Dream Team, though, unfortunately.