Building comparison
head to head
Mario Bros.vsSuper Mario World
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is reads, 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.
Super Mario World
Execution · Pure Mechanics
Precise jump execution across fixed levels with secrets to memorise.
Mario Bros. leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Super Mario World leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Mario Bros.Super Mario World
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 7
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mario Bros.
Precise jumps and bump timing under crowding enemies decide survival
Super Mario World
Perfect inputs trivialise every jump, spin and cape flight
Reads1 vs 0
Mario Bros. leans a little harder on reads, though the gap is small.
Mario Bros.
Versus mode adds light human interference, enemies are scripted
Super Mario World
Scripted Koopas adapt to nothing
Variance2 vs 1
Mario Bros. leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Mario Bros.
Enemy spawns vary slightly but patterns are quickly learned
Super Mario World
Levels are fixed; nothing hidden survives one playthrough
Optimization4 vs 4
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mario Bros.
POW block usage and enemy routing have known best lines
Super Mario World
Secret exits and route knowledge add a modest solvable layer
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.