Building comparison
head to head
Mario Bros.vsRolling Thunder 2
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Mario Bros.
Execution · Pure Mechanics
An arcade test of jump timing and enemy-flipping precision on a single screen.
Rolling Thunder 2
Execution · Pure Mechanics
A cover-based run-and-gun testing precise shooting and pattern memorization.
Mario Bros. leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Rolling Thunder 2 leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Mario Bros.Rolling Thunder 2
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 8
Rolling Thunder 2 leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Mario Bros.
Precise jumps and bump timing under crowding enemies decide survival
Rolling Thunder 2
Precise shooting, cover-jumping and timing carry every stage
Reads1 vs 1
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mario Bros.
Versus mode adds light human interference, enemies are scripted
Rolling Thunder 2
Solo/co-op - enemies follow scripted spawn patterns
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mario Bros.
Enemy spawns vary slightly but patterns are quickly learned
Rolling Thunder 2
Enemy appearances are fixed once memorized
Optimization4 vs 5
Rolling Thunder 2 leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Mario Bros.
POW block usage and enemy routing have known best lines
Rolling Thunder 2
Learning spawn points and weapon management is the meta-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.