head to head
vs
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed KingvsPokémon Shining Pearl
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Pokémon Shining Pearl leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed KingPokémon Shining Pearl
Axis by axis
Execution0 vs 0
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance3 vs 4
Pokémon Shining Pearl leans harder on variance: Encounters, catch rolls and damage ranges add bounded RNG
Optimization7 vs 7
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.