Building comparison
head to head
Kingdom RushvsThe Incredible Machine 3
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Kingdom Rush
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The genre-defining cartoon tower defense with crunchy upgrades and fixed waves begging for perfect solutions.
The Incredible Machine 3
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A physics puzzle of engineering Rube Goldberg contraptions to solve fixed goals.
Kingdom Rush leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Incredible Machine 3 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Kingdom RushThe Incredible Machine 3
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 1
Kingdom Rush leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Kingdom Rush
Light micro of hero and rally points
The Incredible Machine 3
Placing parts is untimed, no dexterity needed
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Kingdom Rush
Wave compositions are fixed and previewable
The Incredible Machine 3
Solo puzzle, nothing to predict
Variance1 vs 1
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Kingdom Rush
Almost fully deterministic waves
The Incredible Machine 3
Physics is deterministic, no randomness
Optimization9 vs 9
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Kingdom Rush
Tower placement and upgrade routes are solvable
The Incredible Machine 3
Engineering a working contraption from parts IS the game
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.