head to head
vs
The Incredible MachinevsThimbleweed Park
The Incredible Machine leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Thimbleweed Park leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
The Incredible MachineThimbleweed Park
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 1
Even - both lean on execution about the same.
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance0 vs 1
Thimbleweed Park leans harder on variance: Deterministic puzzles throughout the game
Optimization9 vs 8
The Incredible Machine leans harder on optimization: Each contraption is a solvable logic puzzle
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.