head to head
vs
Killer Instinct (2013)vsStreet Fighter III: 3rd Strike
Killer Instinct (2013) leans Execution (Grand Arena); Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike leans Reads (Competitive PvP).
Killer Instinct (2013)Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
Axis by axis
Execution9 vs 9
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads9 vs 10
Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike leans harder on reads: Parry is a pure real-time read against an adapting human - the defining mechanic
Variance1 vs 1
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization7 vs 6
Killer Instinct (2013) leans harder on optimization: Instinct activation timing and optimal opener routes are well-studied
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.