Building comparison
head to head
Metroid II: Return of SamusvsThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Neither is harder. They score identically on all four axes, so the difference between them is in kind, not degree.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Optimization · Pure Optimization
The Game Boy expedition that turns Metroid into a methodical extermination checklist deep inside SR388.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Definitive top-down Zelda spanning light and dark mirrored worlds.
Metroid II: Return of Samus leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
Metroid II: Return of SamusThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 4
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Cramped Game Boy combat against Metroid forms.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Responsive combat and boss dodging, moderate demand
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Creatures follow fixed behaviours.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
All enemies scripted
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Disorienting unknown caverns until mapped.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Secrets unknown until found
Optimization7 vs 7
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Hunting all 39 Metroids is methodical route work.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
Two-world puzzle structure and item-driven routing
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.
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