I think the problem with successful video game cartoons is that it's so much easier to watch than to play. You can watch the show through all its additional characters, padding, inconsistencies, and when you're done, you can just substitute the knowledge of the games' canon with that. Because more people are too lazy to play the games than not. That's right, some people are too lazy to do the thing you do when you're at your laziest. Pat yourself on the back.
Yes, I am absolutely talking about Pokémon, the anime is like a big Iron Ball chained to the games' collective ankle, dragging it all down with its stigmas. But I mean, also imagine if the Mega Man cartoon were much more popular, ran for twenty seasons with no character development, and everyone today thought Proto Man was evil.