head to head
vs
Balloon FightvsGalaga: Demons of Death
Balloon Fight leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Galaga: Demons of Death leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Balloon FightGalaga: Demons of Death
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 8
Galaga: Demons of Death leans harder on execution: precise aim and dodging in fixed shooter
Reads1 vs 0
Balloon Fight leans harder on reads: A couch rival adds light prediction; birds don't adapt
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization3 vs 3
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.