Building comparison
head to head
GumshoevsSuper Mario Maker
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is variance, and it is a single point.
Gumshoe
Execution · Pure Mechanics
A light-gun arcade shooter testing fast, accurate aim against waves of hazards.
Super Mario Maker
Execution · Pure Mechanics
Player-made platforming gauntlets where precision execution meets unseen level design.
Gumshoe leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Super Mario Maker leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
GumshoeSuper Mario Maker
Axis by axis
Execution8 vs 8
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Gumshoe
Light-gun aiming and fast reflexes decide survival
Super Mario Maker
Community kaizo levels push platforming precision to extremes
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Gumshoe
Enemies follow fixed arcade patterns, no adaptation
Super Mario Maker
Levels are static once built; nothing adapts
Variance2 vs 3
Super Mario Maker leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Gumshoe
Diamond placement and enemy spawns add minor chaos
Super Mario Maker
Unknown user levels are hidden information until attempted
Optimization3 vs 4
Super Mario Maker leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Gumshoe
Learning level layouts gives a modest edge
Super Mario Maker
Mastering tool tech and level conventions is learnable
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.