head to head

Metroid II: Return of Samus cover artvsSuper Paper Mario cover art

Metroid II: Return of SamusvsSuper Paper Mario

Metroid II: Return of Samus leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Super Paper Mario leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).

EXECUTION4 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION7 /10
Metroid II: Return of SamusSuper Paper Mario

Axis by axis

Execution4 vs 4

Even - both lean on execution about the same.

Reads0 vs 0

Even - both lean on reads about the same.

Variance2 vs 1

Metroid II: Return of Samus leans harder on variance: Disorienting unknown caverns until mapped.

Optimization7 vs 6

Metroid II: Return of Samus leans harder on optimization: Hunting all 39 Metroids is methodical route work.

Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.

full breakdown

Metroid II: Return of Samus

full breakdown

Super Paper Mario