head to head
vs
Donkey Kong Country ReturnsvsSuper Mario Bros.
Donkey Kong Country Returns leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Super Mario Bros. leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Donkey Kong Country ReturnsSuper Mario Bros.
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 0
Donkey Kong Country Returns leans harder on variance: Hidden puzzle pieces, fixed once found
Optimization5 vs 5
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.