head to head
vs
Comix ZonevsDeathsmiles
Comix Zone leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Deathsmiles leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
Comix ZoneDeathsmiles
Axis by axis
Execution8 vs 8
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 1
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization5 vs 6
Deathsmiles leans harder on optimization: Item counter and rank route choices drive scoring
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.