head to head
Neither is harder. They score identically on all four axes, so the difference between them is in kind, not degree.

Execution · Pure Mechanics
Comic-panel beat 'em up notorious for punishing health drain and tough fights.

Execution · Pure Mechanics
A remixed arcade shooter testing reflex precision and learned scoring-chain systems.
Comix Zone leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Space Invaders Extreme leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Comix Zone
Brutal one-life brawling demands clean play
Space Invaders Extreme
Rhythm-paced dodging and precise shots at high speed
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Comix Zone
Enemies follow fixed attack scripts
Space Invaders Extreme
Invader formations are scripted patterns
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Comix Zone
Everything is placed and scripted
Space Invaders Extreme
Power-up rounds vary slightly between runs
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Comix Zone
Panel routes and item use are memorizable
Space Invaders Extreme
Chaining flicker patterns and fever modes is deep score tech
A matching score does not mean a matching test. Two games can both sit at 10 on execution and demand completely different things of you - which is why the reasoning above matters more than the number beside it.