head to head
vs
CaravanvsEarthBound
Caravan leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); EarthBound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
CaravanEarthBound
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 2
EarthBound leans harder on execution: Rolling HP meter has very mild timing implication
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance5 vs 4
Caravan leans harder on variance: Random events and unknown prices punctuate every journey
Optimization7 vs 7
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.