head to head
vs
Ghosts 'n GoblinsvsRolling Gunner
Ghosts 'n Goblins leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Rolling Gunner leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Ghosts 'n GoblinsRolling Gunner
Axis by axis
Execution9 vs 9
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 2
Rolling Gunner leans harder on variance: Patterns are fixed once learned, minimal randomness
Optimization6 vs 5
Ghosts 'n Goblins leans harder on optimization: Weapon choice and route memorisation are mandatory
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.