head to head
vs
TheoTownvsZoo Tycoon
TheoTown leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); Zoo Tycoon leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
TheoTownZoo Tycoon
Axis by axis
Execution1 vs 0
TheoTown leans harder on execution: Placing tiles carries no timing or precision demand
Reads0 vs 0
Even - both lean on reads about the same.
Variance1 vs 1
Even - both lean on variance about the same.
Optimization9 vs 8
TheoTown leans harder on optimization: Balancing zoning, budget, and traffic is the whole game
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.