Building comparison
head to head
E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialvsThe Sims
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The infamous Atari 2600 adventure that is trivial once its obscure rules are known.
The Sims
Optimization · Pure Optimization
An open-ended needs-and-money system that rewards efficient scheduling.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Sims leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialThe Sims
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 1
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Clumsy pit navigation, little dexterity
The Sims
Clicking menus has no physical ceiling
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
No adaptive opposition
The Sims
Sims run need-driven scripts, not minds
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Item locations vary per game
The Sims
Event rolls add flavour, all quickly mapped
Optimization5 vs 6
The Sims leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Knowing the obtuse zone rules solves it quickly
The Sims
Need scheduling, career grinding and money loops are solvable
A matching score does not mean a matching test. Two games can both sit at 10 on execution and demand completely different things of you - which is why the reasoning above matters more than the number beside it.