head to head
Diner DashvsRatchet & Clank: Into the Nexus
Diner Dash leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery); Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
Diner DashRatchet & Clank: Into the Nexus
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 6
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 1
Diner Dash leans harder on variance: Customer arrival mixes add mild run-to-run noise
Optimization7 vs 6
Diner Dash leans harder on optimization: Seat-matching and action-chaining strategy is the real scoring engine
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.

