head to head
vs
CupheadvsDonPachi
Cuphead leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); DonPachi leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
CupheadDonPachi
Axis by axis
Execution9 vs 9
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 2
DonPachi leans harder on variance: Patterns fixed once memorized, minimal randomness
Optimization6 vs 6
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.