I'm about to beat it, I think. Your description is pretty apt. Actual graphics and missions and whatnot are very reminiscent of the 64 game, but

these gyroscope controls. There's no reason they couldn't have made that just a control option and gave people plan ol controls where you move and aim with just the sticks. There are some rare moments where things click and I can see what they were going for with the two screen thing, but most of the time it is just annoying. They expect you to move your ship with left stick, control your speed with right stick, and aim your cursor using the gyroscope. And on top of that they expect you to jump back and forth from watching the TV and the gamepad. That is never going to not feel clunky.
So yea, wait for a sale. This is Nintendo, though, and that may never come. First run prints of the game come with a disc copy of StarFox Guard (has it's own game case and everything) which may end up being rare. That game is pretty cool, though. Just a little tower defense game, but one of the better uses of the gamepad.