head to head
vs
DownfallvsEarthBound
Downfall leans Optimization (Systems & Chaos); EarthBound leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
DownfallEarthBound
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 2
EarthBound leans harder on execution: Rolling HP meter has very mild timing implication
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance4 vs 4
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization6 vs 7
EarthBound leans harder on optimization: Status effects, rolling HP strategy, and Franklin Badge usage are solvable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.