Building comparison
head to head
Mark of the NinjavsSteamWorld Dig 2
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is optimization, and it is a single point.
Mark of the Ninja
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Solving fixed 2D guard layouts through precise sound management and upgrade-optimised routing.
SteamWorld Dig 2
Optimization · Practiced Mastery
A mining metroidvania about digging efficient tunnels, hauling ore, and compounding upgrades.
Mark of the Ninja leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); SteamWorld Dig 2 leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Mark of the NinjaSteamWorld Dig 2
Axis by axis
Execution5 vs 5
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mark of the Ninja
Precise ledge timing, sound-cone avoidance, and kill windows demand input
SteamWorld Dig 2
Light platforming and digging dexterity
Reads1 vs 1
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mark of the Ninja
Guards investigate noise on scripted logic; no player profiling
SteamWorld Dig 2
Scripted enemies only
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Mark of the Ninja
Guard placements are fixed per level; no RNG disrupts routing
SteamWorld Dig 2
Procedural ore pockets add mild run-to-run unknowns
Optimization8 vs 7
Mark of the Ninja leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Mark of the Ninja
Distraction sequencing, upgrade paths, and ghost-score routing are solvable
SteamWorld Dig 2
Dig routing, resource economy, and upgrade ordering are 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.