Yes, this is typically what people mean when they say a game has "aged", but it gets the point across.
Once a mechanic has been drastically improved upon, and players grow a tolerance to it, older games do seem to "age" in a poor way. What was once tolerable, accepted, or even fun no longer is due to innovation and tolerance.
I don't think it's necessary to look at it as players being "spoiled" or that they "expect" things they shouldn't. That almost makes it sound like you are calling people entitled for not enjoying games with dated mechanics.