head to head
vs
Ape Escape 2vsMario Bros.
Ape Escape 2 leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Mario Bros. leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Ape Escape 2Mario Bros.
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 7
Mario Bros. leans harder on execution: Precise jumps and bump timing under crowding enemies decide survival
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization3 vs 4
Mario Bros. leans harder on optimization: POW block usage and enemy routing have known best lines
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.