The two biggest names in Nintendo’s roster are Link and Mario. The two headline some of the biggest franchises in the world. With that in mind, if the two were forced to do battle, which one of them would come out on top? Let’s dive deeper into these characters to figure out which of the two is the strongest.
10 Mario: Power-Ups
The suite of power-ups that Mario has accrued over the years is nothing short of legendary. If Mario is getting ready to take on Link, he’s going to bring every single one to the battlefield. Whether it’s growing to a massive size, shooting fireballs, or getting his froggy suit on to swim around real fast, Mario’s got all sorts of power-ups to take Link down.
9 Link: Sword Capabilities
Link and his Master Sword are no joke. When it comes to swordsmanship, he simply can’t be beat. He has the speed, the technique, the right weapon, he’s incredible. This is one area where Mario is going to be in trouble. If Link can get within distance of Mario, he’s going to go down very quickly.
8 Mario: Flight
Then again, would Link even be able to catch Mario? Many of his power-ups give him the unique ability to be able to fly. With this in mind, Mario has the mobility area of their fight on lock. He can move around the battlefield far quicker than Link would be able to move, meaning that he’d have trouble getting in close enough to strike him down with his Sword.
7 Link: Items
Then again, there’s a good chance that Link might never even need to get in close enough to strike Mario with his sword, as he has many other weapons that will come in handy in times like this.
A bow? Bombs? Maybe a hookshot? Whatever the situation calls for, Link will likely have some sort of solution to take on Mario, he can even use his slingshot to take him down if he’s flying above the battlefield.
6 Mario: Experience
Mario has been on countless journies, and every single version of Link only really ever goes on a single adventure or two, as most games in the series feature a new Link. This means that no matter the Link that Mario is facing, he’s going to have experience over him. There’s only one Mario, and he’s going on all of his adventures, and he’s been at it for years now. He just has more knowledge than Link does.
5 Link: Sheikah Slate
Breath of the Wild’s Link has a device called the Sheikah Slate that allows him to use various abilities. These include summoning ice blocks out of water, picking up any magnetic item, or, you guessed it, literally freezing time on a specified object. This means that Link could freeze time on Mario himself, a surface that he’s standing on, or use the Sheikah Slate in any other way that will benefit him in the battle.
4 Mario: Cappy
Mario could really easily take control of the battle if he were to do something like… well… maybe, possess Link?
Yup! If Mario can knock Link’s cap off of his head, then he is free to possess Link and use his abilities, or just make him go away. This would be a very quick way to end the battle. Link would have to do everything in his power to make sure his hat stays on his head.
3 Link: The Triforce Of Courage
Link’s Triforce of Courage grants him incredible abilities that enhance his strength quite considerably, making him a force to be reckoned with. This is generally a passive ability that simply ups Link’s strength, meaning that Mario is going to need to work twice as hard if he has any hopes of taking down his enemy.
2 Tie: Their Steeds
Yoshi and Epona both have their strengths that will be very useful to Mario and Link respectively when the battle goes down. While Yoshi has the ability to float for small distances, one hit and he’s off, leaving Mario without an ally. While Epona doesn’t have Yoshi’s mobility, she’s going to be a lot more durable during the fight. They both have very unique advantages that will help their owners out, and this area of the battle ends up in a tie.
1 Winner: Mario
Mario would win a battle against Link, even if it is by a close margin. While Link has many skills that are going to be useful in the fight, Mario’s many power-ups and his ability to literally possess Link are going to be key in his victory. While he could easily lose if he lets his guard slip for even a second, Mario has the mobility to keep Link at bay and then take him out once he’s ready to take his shot at securing the win. While it would be close, Mario would take the win.
NEXT: Super Mario Characters Sorted Into Their Hogwarts Houses
