It is more than just nintendo "Saying so".

*It's about the SAME CHARACTER.

*It takes place IMMEDIATELY AFTER.

*It is a NEW ADVENTURE (with a completely different story I might add) starring said SAME CHARACTER.

I guess I just don't see the logic in saying it isn't a sequel. It's a new story about the same character from a different game in the same time period.

I DO understand your point about the other zelda games, timelines, retelling of the same legend and stuff. That part makes sense and I understand. But MM takes place immediately after OOT, doesn't follow the traditional zelda storyline but is about the same Link immediately after OOT. Hell, it even directly refers to the events of OOT as leading up to it, and continues that characters path.

What would it need to make it a sequel? Be called Ocarina of Time 2?