Honestly, I think the reason many video game adaptations fail is that they try to convert stories that are too embedded in video game mechanics over to a more realistic style.
I know many people want an adaptation of things like Bioshock, but beyond the cool aesthetic, that game is as cartoonish as any Mario game thanks to the main character being able to shoot fireballs, electricity, and use telekinesis.
A realistic adaptation of that wouldn’t look right. Whereas with the Shantae series, it just naturally lends itself to a cartoon.
