head to head
vs
Super Mario 64vsWonder Boy in Monster Land
Super Mario 64 leans Execution (Practiced Mastery); Wonder Boy in Monster Land leans Execution (Practiced Mastery).
Super Mario 64Wonder Boy in Monster Land
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 7
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 2
Wonder Boy in Monster Land leans harder on variance: Hidden coin spots and secrets until memorized
Optimization5 vs 6
Wonder Boy in Monster Land leans harder on optimization: Gold routing and gear purchases have known optimal lines
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.