I can't keep my original game from dividing into two different games!

I have playtested my game again and found that it wants to be two different games:
One an adventure game where the players fulfill their scenario while trying to stay alive mildly affected by the opponent's friends
The other a death match using your friends and select cards at select times.
Death match was a lot more fun for my brother and me but, the adventure game was more nostalgic of the survival shows on tv (& the Oregon trail II).
I'm using the same board game, but the cards make all the difference. Originally I had the idea of having different levels of gameplay, but once the cards became too powerful it was a death sentence to try to complete a scenario when the other was out to destroy you.
I'd like to keep the two ways together but I'm thinking if I disneyesque the original way it's more marketable than if I darken it up with a card laden cutthroat way. Of course, does it even matter? Playing Parcheesi kind or celebrity deathmatch? Am a wasting my time worrying about that? My idea for the deathmatch way includes simplifying the survival basics into one bar. However to change the game from survival basics: water and food into one life source bar is a huge step from my original concept. Really it's that bar that is a major idea from keeping the game from splitting into two.