Character wise, I feel that Mario makes a game great whereas Link is in great games. Growing up with a Super Nintendo coimbined with Mario was quite simply the epitome of entertainment and gameplay perfection. I just had to give it to the P-wingin' plumber.

Very difficult choice, however I'll have to go with the Zelda franchise.

Damn it, I love both franchises, though they are in different genres so it makes them hard to compare as with previous franchise showdowns.

With that said, every game in the Legend of Zelda franchise has been an excellent title, you know that if you buy a Zelda game you're going to have a great time, though the same can be said for the Mario series, however I get more enjoyment out of Zelda.

Jumping on heads = win. It'sa perfect!

I went with Mario, as not only is Mario 64 my favorite game ever(finshed four times with all 120 stars) I've never bothered to play the handheld Zeldas while I've played and completed most of the Mario ones(excluding the DS ones cause I don't have a DS).

That said I'm not sure I'd ever go without either so it's a bit redundant.

If it wasn't for Mario there probably wouldn't be any Zelda. I've had too many fond childhood memories of Mario to be overshadowed by Link. Mario games tend to me more accesible towards the public and thanks to it's brightly coloured games you feel more at home. With so many different genres of Mario compared to Zelda's one-line adventure, it's guaranteed that there'll be something for everyone, especially in multiplayer.

Considering both series incllude games from my list of most over-rated games of all time (Mario 64 + Ocarina of Time) this was a tough one,

However the fact that of the two franchises only one of them contained a game that made my 'best game of any given year' list... I have to give the award to Zelda.

Windwaker remains my favourite game of 2005.

Zelda = win. The Mario franchise is fantastic, but the only Mario game I can say I enjoyed thoroughly was 64, whereas with Zelda, there's been Ocarina Of Time, Majora's Mask, Windwaker and now, Twilight Princess, the latter I am now really enjoying.

Go Link, go!

*Rips hair out* *grows back* *rips out again*

Mario 64 is god, Mario gets my vote. :)

I went with Zelda. Mario games are fun, yes, but Zelda is like an experience.

And come on. I've had a massive crush on Link since I got my Nintendo 64. It would be like cheating on him at this point if I voted for Mario.

Ocarina of Time is why im a walking video game encyclopedia so zelda

*refuses to vote*

:(

*holds Bro's LCD screen ransom with a razor blade, vote otherwise the screen gets it*

:P

Very though choice, but in the end I went with Mario only beause of fond memories when growing up. ;)
If you asked me the same question now had I not grown up with Mario games, I would choose Zelda. Now that I'm older I appreciate Zelda games more as they're more in-depth than your typical Mario game, and honestly after Mario Sunshine I hope Nintendo can get back on-track and give us a great Mario game with Mario Galaxy.

If you vote for Mario now, it'll tie the results which'll prove you love both games equally :D ....kinda

Mario 64, all the Mario Karts except double dash, Mario party, Mario Tennis were all great favourites of mine, so I vote Mario. I tried to get into Zelda but its not for me.

Mario Sunshine kicked arse, I swear I'm the only one who thinks that.

As for the poll, Zelda for me. Mario as a franchise is fantastic but unlike most Nintendo fans I haven't been as fond of it as they have, while with Zelda it's always been a blast from start to finish for me. So it wins.

Although let's not mention Twilight Princess eh? (or moreso, how I still haven't touched it since reaching the Domain)

Argh, go and play it already! :P

^ but... but...

Pinata...

So...

Addictive.

Yes I know. You'll have to be strong ;)

Mario Sunshine was indeed awesome :)

I haven't played TP properly yet, so I can't comment however on that matter.

Hell no.

I still consider it the best platformer ever made.

Mario 64 can bite my tuckus.

Yeah I loved Mario Sunshine too, great game :D

Sunshine was alot of fun, but the most enjoyable parts were the classic ones with all the blocks, partly because they reminded me of the bowser runs from SM64 :D

I guess Sunshine isn't as hated as it seems to be then, which is good to know. Whenever I read someone talk about how it sucks or whatever and then remember my experience with the game, I become dumbfounded. But each to their own I guess.

I only ever played about 15min of Mario Sunshine on my brother's Gamecube before giving up. Didn't like it as much as Mario64, perhaps I should give it another go since I've got a Wii? Even though I hate the thought of using a Gamecube controller..

It's a great game slashy, you should give it another go, you can probably get it for pretty cheap these days :)

My brother owns the game and if I asked he'd probably give it to me so why buy it in the first place? :P Plus he doesn't use his Gamecube anymore so I could borrow it for as long as I want, same with Zelda Wind Waker, Mario Kart DD, Metroid Prime and Eternal Darkness