head to head
vs
Mario Bros.vsPuss!
Mario Bros. leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Puss! leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Mario Bros.Puss!
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 7
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 0
Mario Bros. leans harder on reads: Versus mode adds light human interference, enemies are scripted
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization4 vs 3
Mario Bros. leans harder on optimization: POW block usage and enemy routing have known best lines
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.