Building comparison
head to head
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue TeamvsToeJam & Earl
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team asks more than ToeJam & Earl, and the gap is optimization.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
Variance · Systems & Chaos
Turn-based resource management through randomly generated dungeon layouts.
ToeJam & Earl
Variance · Pure Chaos
Laid-back co-op roguelike about funky aliens opening mystery presents on randomized Earth levels.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team leans Variance (Systems & Chaos); ToeJam & Earl leans Variance (Pure Chaos).
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue TeamToeJam & Earl
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 2
ToeJam & Earl leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
Turn-based grid movement - no twitch demands
ToeJam & Earl
Slow exploration with light dodging of Earthlings
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
Wild Pokémon follow simple deterministic AI
ToeJam & Earl
Earthlings wander on scripts, never adapt
Variance6 vs 7
ToeJam & Earl leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
Random dungeon layouts, items and encounters each run
ToeJam & Earl
Unidentified presents and random levels dominate runs
Optimization6 vs 4
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team leans clearly harder on optimization.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team
Team building, item management and type matchups carry runs
ToeJam & Earl
Present knowledge and level routing reward experience
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.