head to head
vs
Princess Peach: Showtime!vsShenmue
Princess Peach: Showtime! leans Execution (Light / Casual); Shenmue leans Optimization (Practiced Mastery).
Princess Peach: Showtime!Shenmue
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 3
Shenmue leans harder on execution: QTEs and light brawling demand modest timing
Reads1 vs 0
Princess Peach: Showtime! leans harder on reads: Scripted enemies
Variance1 vs 2
Shenmue leans harder on variance: First playthrough leans on not knowing schedules and clues
Optimization2 vs 5
Shenmue leans harder on optimization: Clue order, NPC schedules, and move training are fully mappable
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.