head to head
vs
Adventure PopvsSteamWorld Dig
Adventure Pop leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); SteamWorld Dig leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Adventure PopSteamWorld Dig
Axis by axis
Execution3 vs 4
SteamWorld Dig leans harder on execution: Digging and platforming need modest precision
Reads1 vs 0
Adventure Pop leans harder on reads: Opponents don't adapt to your strategy meaningfully
Variance4 vs 4
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization6 vs 6
Even - both lean on optimization about the same.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.