Building comparison
head to head
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksvsThief
Neither is harder. They score identically on all four axes, so the difference between them is in kind, not degree.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A touch-controlled DS Zelda about puzzling through dungeons and driving a train across Hyrule.
Thief
Optimization · Pure Optimization
Planning stealth routes around fully mappable guard patterns.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Thief leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit TracksThief
Axis by axis
Execution4 vs 4
Same score on execution - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Stylus combat and flute playing are forgiving
Thief
Movement timing matters but shadows forgive imprecision
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Phantoms patrol on fixed rules
Thief
Guards patrol fixed routes with mappable vision cones
Variance2 vs 2
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Unknown layouts only until explored
Thief
Patrol layouts are scripted-but-unknown on first entry
Optimization7 vs 7
Same score on optimization - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Rail routing and tower puzzles are the core
Thief
Route planning around guard patterns is the whole game
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.