Building comparison
head to head
Super Mario WorldvsYar's Revenge
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is variance, and it is a single point.
Super Mario World
Execution · Pure Mechanics
Precise jump execution across fixed levels with secrets to memorise.
Yar's Revenge
Execution · Pure Mechanics
A remake of the classic Atari shoot-em-up.
Super Mario World leans Execution (Pure Mechanics); Yar's Revenge leans Execution (Pure Mechanics).
Super Mario WorldYar's Revenge
Axis by axis
Execution7 vs 7
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Super Mario World
Perfect inputs trivialise every jump, spin and cape flight
Yar's Revenge
precise dodging and shooting reflexes
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Super Mario World
Scripted Koopas adapt to nothing
Yar's Revenge
fixed enemy patterns, not adaptive
Variance1 vs 2
Yar's Revenge leans a little harder on variance, though the gap is small.
Super Mario World
Levels are fixed; nothing hidden survives one playthrough
Yar's Revenge
minor randomness in enemy fire
Optimization4 vs 3
Super Mario World leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Super Mario World
Secret exits and route knowledge add a modest solvable layer
Yar's Revenge
minimal systems beyond scoring
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.