head to head
vs
Mark of the NinjavsSteamWorld Dig 2
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
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads1 vs 1
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance2 vs 2
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization8 vs 7
Mark of the Ninja leans harder on optimization: Distraction sequencing, upgrade paths, and ghost-score routing are solvable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.