Death Battle: Mario vs. Link

Ray: Nintendo has spawned all kinds of extraordinary heroes, but none stand out in their pantheon of champions more than these two.

Steel: Link, the legendary swordsman of Hyrule…

Ray: And Mario, resident hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.

Ray: I'm Ray and he's Steel, and it's our job to analyze the arsenals, skills, and abilities of Nintendo's two golden icons to see who would win a DEATH BATTLE.

MARIO…
Height: 5'1"
Weight: 163lbs
Home: Mushroom Kingdom
Affiliates: Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser
First Appearance: Donkey Kong (1981)

FEATS…
Rescued an entire galaxy
Saved various kingdoms
Defeats a variety of villains

Ray: Mario first appeared in the classic arcade game known as "Donkey Kong" and, since then, he has been a huge hit. He is the hero of choice to the inhabitants of his home, the Mushroom Kingdom, and no task has really proven too difficult for him as he has saved his world and many others like it.

Steel: For someone of a pretty short stature, Mario is actually quite the triathlete. He's most known for his jumping ability, but can crush solid brick with his bare fists and is quite the superb swimmer, too. See? White men CAN jump!

PHYSICALITY…
Jumps several feet
Good with flips and wall jumps
Punches can shatter brick
Can lift and throw very heavy objects
Expert swimmer
Competes in several sports

Ray: Mario's biggest asset in a fight is his number of powerups. He has used many in his journeys through both his home of the Mushroom Kingdom and various parts of his galaxy.

Steel: Most of these are in the forms of mushrooms. While an average one increases his health (or height in some cases), others give him special abilities. The Rock Mushroom turns him into a stone juggernaut and the Mega Mushroom makes him grow to massive sizes and smash anything in his way.

MUSHROOMS…
Normal Mushroom
-Increases health and stature
Rock Mushroom
-Turns into a giant stone boulder
-Crushes enemies underneath
Mega Mushroom
-Turns Mario into a giant colossus
-Destroys most enemies and terrain

Ray: Mario also gains powers from flowers as well. The famed Fire Flower gives him pyrokinesis and the Ice Flower give him projectile-based ice powers.

Steel: Talk about Flower Power…

FLOWERS…
Fire Flower
-Shoots fireballs
-Various other pyrokinetic abilities
Ice Flower
-Fires enemy-freezing snowballs
-Can walk on water by freezing it

Steel: Mario also has a ton of costume- and wardrobe-based abilities often based on animals or various other forms of clothing. The Tanooki Suit allows him to fly and turn into a statue. Hehehe…look at that thing. You'd expect him to get sued by PETA for wearing that.

Ray: Um…yeah.

TANOOKI SUIT
-Allows the user to hover
-Can turn wearer into a statue
-Statue form stops when user moves

Steel: Mario's also got a ton of stuff in the wardrobe to give him super powers. While many upgrades give him flight, the most reliable is his trusty cape. It also doubles up as a weapon, too!

Ray: The Vanish Cap momentarily makes Mario invisible to enemies and intangible to most things that would harm him. Though, he can still die by drowning, being crushed, or falling from heights. Why this is still remains a mystery.

Steel: The Metal Cap turns Mario's whole body into indestructible, living steel. He weighs a good deal and is slightly slower, yet he still retains his agility.

WARDROBE…
Cape
-Gives Mario flight capabilities
-Can reflect projectiles and strike enemies
Metal Cap
-Turns Mario into indestructible steel
-Heavy, yet still mobile
Vanish Cap
-Turns Mario intangible
-Makes him Invisible to most enemies

Ray: Mario can usually only use one power-up at a time, but the one exception is the Starman. With it, Mario becomes completely invulnerable and can destroy most enemies with a single touch for about 15 seconds.

Steel: Yeah, but they're fifteen seconds of GLORY!

STARMAN…
-Born from the stars
-Grants Mario invulnerability
-Increases Speed
-Lasts 15 seconds

Steel: It seems Mario likes to relive the old days of fighting girl-kidnapping gorillas because he usually carries a hammer that can smash through almost anything.

HAMMER…
Mario's oldest weapon
Can crush almost anything
Mario has utilized it as a projectile weapon

Ray: Large or small, goofy or terrifying, no enemy has proven too much for Mario and no task has proven too difficult for him to handle.

Steel: Except for keeping track of Peach! She's been kidnapped and taken to Bowser's castle so many times that she probably has her mail forwarded there. In fact, I think she's scheduled for another kidnapping sometime this weekend…

Ray: Mario really isn't much of a strategist, preferring to take enemies as they come and deal with them quickly when they arrive.

Steel: He likes to go at his own pace, but hey, do what you feel does you best if it gets the job done.

Mario: It's-a me! Mario!

LINK…
Height: Around 5'7"
Weight: 145lbs
Home: Hyrule
Affiliates: Princess Zelda, Ganon
First Appearance: "The Legend of Zelda" (1987)

FEATS…
Reincarnated for over 10 generations
Saved Hyrule and various other lands
Defeated dark lords, demons, and monsters

Ray: When evil rears its ugly head, Hyrule's choice champion is Link. He has saved Hyrule and many other lands like through over ten generations, being reincarnated each time.

Steel: He's proof that you can't keep a good man down, that's what he is. Anyhoo, Link is bonded to the spirit of the Hero, a legendary figure that hailed from the heavens and defeated the Demon King eons ago. They are identifiable by…pretty much the same appearance each time.

Ray: Like Mario, Link is a very superb athlete and knowledgeable in many different subjects. He has proven his ability in mounted riding, boating, hand-to-hand combat, and is able to run long distances without stopping for a rest.

PHYSICALITY/TALENTS…
Expert swordsman
Practiced wrestling and boxing
Runs long distances
Can perform backflips and rolls to evade
Rides horses, giant birds, boats, and trains
Extremely sharp reflexes

Steel: Of course, what people remember most about Link is his sword skills.

Ray: Link's traditional weapon is the Master Sword, which was crafted by a goddess named Hylia to defeat powerful demons. It is the Blade of Evil's Bane, repelling any malevolent force, and can easily bat away energy-based attacks.

Steel: He can even shoot beams from it, so long as he's at perfect health. Even when he isn't, he can always call on the Skyward Strike to unleash energy discs at his enemies, and his Spin Attack can draw in magic to quadruple its spin radius.

Ray: The Master Sword is indestructible and it can further its ability with the use of three different medallions.

MASTER SWORD…
Double-Edged
Indestructible
Crafted by Hylia
Repels evil
Reflects energy-based attacks
Powerful energy attacks
Utilizes Three Medallions
-Bombos: Emits fire
-Ether: Emits ice
-Quake: Creates earthquakes

Steel: As good as Link is with his blade, it's not the only thing in his vast arsenal. He must have some deep pockets because of the stuff he takes with him on his adventures. The boomerang can sever ropes and vines as well as stun enemies long enough for Link to get an advantage over them.

Ray: Link makes use of many bombs, some of which can scale walls and work underwater, and is also an expert archer, able to shoot arrows from horseback and combine his arrows with magic and even aforementioned bombs.

Steel: WHOA! Exploding arrows?! I gotta get me one of those, and maybe one of those Hookshot/Clawshot things, too. With them, Link can pull items towards himself or use them as a zip line to scale vast areas. I'd never have to leave my couch if I wanted the remote…

WEAPONRY…
Boomerang
-Can attack multiple foes
-Stuns enemies
-Comes right back when thrown
Bombs
-5-second fuse
-Bombchu scales walls and moves
-Water Bomb works underwater
Hero's Bow
-Regular Arrows
-Fire Arrows
-Ice Arrows
-Light Arrows
-Silver Arrows
-Bomb Arrows
Hookshot/Clawshot

Ray: When weapons aren't enough, Link can always rely on armor and equipment to aid him. While he does wear a chainmail shirt under his tunic, his best defense is usually a good shield. The Hylian Shield was created by the thunder dragon, Lanayru. This shield is completely indestructible, able to withstand any blow given by an enemy even if that enemy is notably bigger than he is.

Steel: And yet, there exist creatures that find the shield tasty. At least they get iron out of it…

Ray: The Mirror Shield is a special, glossy shield that can reflect energy-based attacks, be it fire, ice, or even simple sunlight. It can't bounce solid projectiles back, though.

Steel: The golden gauntlets let him lift ginormous pillars, though they do jack squat to his punching power. He also has three different kinds of boots…Elves and the Shoemaker, anyone?

Ray: The Iron Boots make him immovable even to the mightiest Goron, the Hover Boots allow him to momentarily walk on air, and the Pegasus Boots increase his running speed.

EQUIPMENT…
Chainmail shirt
Golden Gauntlets
-Grants him superhuman strength
-Does not increase punching power
Special Boots
-Iron Boots
-Hover Boots
-Pegasus Boots
Shields
-Hylian Shield
-Mirror Shield

Steel: Link is also no stranger to magical items. The Magic Armor makes him invulnerable so long as he has a steady supply of rupees at his disposal. Considering all the rupees he's taken from enemies or found in grass, I bet he's willing to part with it!

Ray: The Roc's feather increases Link's jumping ability, allowing him to maneuver around his enemies and cross sizeable gaps.

Steel: Din's Fire creates a ginormous fireball that will incinerate wood or enemies and Nayru's Love will keep him safe so long as his magic level doesn't run out. He can even see invisible objects with the Lens of Truth.

MAGIC…
Magic Armor
-Makes Link invulnerable
-No health will be lost even if he's tossed around or struck
-Uses Rupees
Roc's Feather
-Increases Jumping Ability
Din's Fire
-Creates a sphere of fire
Nayru's Love
-Creates a protective diamond field
Lens of Truth
-Allows Link to see invisible objects/enemies

Ray: Link is bonded to the Triforce of Courage, a part of the sacred Triforce that he, Princess Zelda, and Ganon are connected to. His lineage has maintained this connection for generations and he has triumphed over the forces of evil time and time again.

DESTINY…
Connected to the Triforce of Courage
Bonded to Zelda and Ganon
Repeated countless times

Steel: Link is humble, brave, and one heck of a puzzle solver. He's able to identify even the smallest of weaknesses in anyone and exploit it to take his enemy down. That being said, Link's sword skills are not that impressive in comparison to other game heroes.

Ray: Indeed. Link often relies on his vast arsenal to take out his enemies, and not quite as much as swordplay. That being said, he is still a formidable warrior intent on protecting those he cares for and his homeland.

Steel: What hero wouldn't?

(Link draws out Master Sword in "Smash Bros. Brawl")

--

Ray: These two golden icons of Nintendo have been sized up and they're finally ready to fight for the title of "Nintendo's Crown Hero".

Steel: So, what're we waiting for? It's time for a DEATH BATTLE!!!

--

Out on a vast plain, a lone warrior wandered across the expanse. His green tunic, blonde hair, and pointed ears recognizable to many. It was Hyrule's champion, Link.

Just behind him, a large, green tube emerged from the ground and with a "glug-glug-glug" noise, there emerged the Mushroom Kingdom's hero, Mario. The Italian plumber hopped down and Link turned to face him, drawing his Master Sword and Hylian Shield.

Today, two legends would fight, but only one would remain standing.

The fight was on…

FIGHT!!!

Link made the first move, sprinting to cross the distance between himself and Mario, and swung his sword in a horizontal slash. His attack only hit air, though, as Mario jumped clean over his head. The minute Mario landed, Link followed up with another slash only to see Mario backflip out of its reach.

Mario fought back and threw a solid punch aimed at Link's face only for his hand to hit the steel face of Link's Hylian Shield. He recoiled, clutching his hand, but quickly ducked under another slash aimed to take his head off.

Mario jumped back a good distance, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a flower the color of open flame. His shirt and hat turned white while his trousers turned red. He pointed his finger at Link like he was holding a gun, then unleashed a barrage of fireballs at Link.

Link rolled away from a few, then swapped out his Hylian Shield for a glossy, silvery shield with a red outline. When one fireball hit the face of this shield, the coat began to flash a bright red. Link's shield took the barrage of fireballs until about the tenth one.

Link aimed the front of his shield at Mario just as the energy stored within the shield was at its limit and a worm of flames erupted from the surface. Mario jumped over the blast, landed behind Link, then seized him by the tunic, spun him around three times, then tossed him like a paper wad.

Link cried out in surprise, landing on the ground and catching himself in mid-tumble. Mario, wanting to finish this fight, gathered all the fire he could in his hands, thrust both forward, then unleashed a spiraling blast of fire at Link.

Link acted fast, took out his bow, knocked an arrow, and aimed it right at the oncoming inferno. The arrow glowed bright blue before Link let it loose.

Right when the arrow touched the fire, the flames crystallized into solid ice before plummeting to the ground and shattering into millions of tiny pieces.

Link acted fast, raising his sword skyward as blue energy gathered inside of it. When the blade had turned electric blue, Link unleashed two slashes, each creating an energy disc in an "X" formation.

Mario yelped, then slid under both attacks before pulling out another item. This one was a blue flower in comparison to the red fire flower. When Mario absorbed this one, his white clothes turned sky blue. He threw a hand forward and a ball of ice flew from his palm.

Link raised his Mirror Shield again, catching the ice attack just as he did the fire one, his shield glowing white instead of red. Mario, though, was on to him this time. He quickly closed the distance between himself and Link and hit him with a ball of ice.

Link was encased in a block of ice, which Mario proceeded to pick up and toss like it was weightless. The block of ice slid across the ground until it ran into a tree, sending Link sprawling to the ground. Catching his breath quickly, Link took out his bow, enchanted a freshly-knocked arrow with a red hue, then fired.

The minute the arrow flew from Link's grasp, it burst into flames. When it hit Mario, the plumber burst into flames, his ice upgrade vanishing and returning his clothes back to their normal color.

Mario reached into his pocket again, this time pulling out a mushroom with what looked like a boulder on its head. His traditional shirt and hat turned into jagged stone, turning him into Rock Mario. Mario jumped into the air, rocks gathering around him until he turned into a stone sphere. And with a "whoa", Mario rolled towards Link at what could only be described as near-terminal velocity.

Link wasn't worried, though, for he quickly hopped in the air, his normal boots being replaced by a pair made entirely of metal, and put away his sword and shield, revealing his golden-plated gauntlets. Link held up his hands as Mario's rolling form made his way toward him.

Mario was expecting to crush Link underneath his stone form like a cockroach, so one could imagine his surprise when he actually stopped in his tracks. Link's hands had a firm grip on his stony surface and hadn't even budged an inch. The combination of the Iron Boots' weight and the strength given to him by the Golden Gauntlets had halted Rock Mario.

With a roar, Link took a firm hold of the giant, spherical boulder, adjusted his footing, and tossed Mario behind him, sending him rolling away.

Mario dispelled his rock form, growled in frustration, then turned into the stone juggernaut again before charging.

Link didn't stand his ground this time, rather he took out his bow and knocked an arrow with a smoking arrowhead. He let the arrow loose and, when the arrow hit…

BOOM!

The juggernaut exploded in a shower of pebbles and Mario flew forward, screaming as his power-up flashed out of existence.

Link took his sword and shield in hand, dispelled the Iron Boots, then sprinted at Mario. He leaped clean into the air, his sword aimed down for the kill. However, Mario rolled away and Link ended up stabbing the ground. Link jerked his sword free from the ground and was about to swing at Mario when the plumber took out a yellow cape and swatted Link with it, flipping him the other direction and leaving him swiping at the air.

Mario proceeded to spin like a tornado with his fists outstretched, barraging Link with a hail of blows before landing a solid punch to Link's midsection that sent the Hero of Hyrule flying backward. He got to his feet in time to see Mario performing a similar attack to his own. The plumber sprinted towards him, then sprang into the air and pulled back a fist, ready to punch Link into next year.

Link mirrored Mario in return, rolling away to avoid the attack before lashing out with his sword only to see Mario duck under it.

Mario pulled out a new item, this one a set of colored particles gathered in the form of a hat, then put it on his head and…disappeared.

Link looked back and forth for his enemy, eyes and ears focused for anything that could give him. He didn't have much time to think, though, because an invisible object collided with the side of his face, sending him tumbling across the ground. Link got up, his tension even higher now.

Then Link got an idea. He took out what looked like an ornately-designed magnifying glass and fastened part of it to his eye. And in an instant, Link's invisible adversary became known to him with just enough time for Link to avoid getting his nose broken by a punch.
Link ducked away from a punch and swung his sword in retaliation only to see his blade pass right through the transparent Plumber. How Mario had landed a solid blow on him was anyone's guess.

Link performed an agile backflip away from Mario, then gathered power in his Master Sword and planted the tip into the ground with a grunt. The second the blade's tip came in contact with the ground, a tremor pulsed through the earth and was enough to shake Mario up until he fell on his seat. Apparently, he was still vulnerable to changes of footing in his Vanish form.

Soon enough, the Vanish cap's abilities wore off and Link took that moment to remove the Lens of Truth and advance his attack on Mario, who took out another item, this one looking like a small, stuffed raccoon.

In a puff of smoke, Mario was clad in a raccoon suit complete with ears and a tail. He focused and, in yet another puff of smoke, had transformed into a statue just as Link swung his blade. The Master Sword's silver surface bounced off Mario's stone form and the plumber took advantage of the situation by turning back and smacking Link across the face with his tail.

Link staggered back and swung again only to see Mario take off and, for some unknown reason, fly off into the distance. Mario was about to come in for a dive bomb when he screamed and lowered his altitude enough to avoid an arrow.

Link fired another arrow, shooting at him like he would a gamebird, but Mario would either move to evade the arrow or fell out of range. Link, not wanting to waste more ammunition than necessary, took out a boomerang and tossed it at Mario.

The angular projectile whirled through the air until it hit Mario square in the head, downing him before spinning back to its master.

Mario's raccoon costume vanished the minute he hit the ground and when he got up, he saw Link perform a sort of dance before hitting the ground with his fist. Mario's eyes went wide as he saw a fireball emerge from where Link stood and expand outward, incinerating all in its path. It was the flame of the Goddesses: Din's Fire.

The plumber took out a metal hat, placed it on his head and the minute it touched his head, Mario's whole body had turned into living steel. He didn't move, even as the wall of fire engulfed him.

The super plumber got up and advanced towards Link, glowing bright red, but still very much alive. Link's immediate instinct was to put up his shield, but when Mario's fist collided with its surface, it almost knocked Link off his feet. He stumbled, then quickly rolled around Mario's next punch and got up behind him before pulling his Roc's Feather out and jumping clean over Mario's head on his next punch.

Mario got an idea. He moved at Link, as though ready to jab him. However, Link was in for a nasty surprise when Mario jumped, fist extended, and nailed him right in the gut, causing a stream of coins to emerge…for some reason.

Link fell to the ground in a crumpled heap, then saw Mario jump into the air to attempt to land on him, feet-first. He closed his eyes in concentration as a red energy flashed from his tunic.

Mario landed on Link with the force of a cinderblock being dropped from a five-story building, but he found it odd that Link's body did not crumple and, in fact, remained pretty intact. The evidence came when he saw that Link's clothes were no longer green, but red with gilded plates of armor.

This was the Magic Armor, armor that would keep him safe from harm at the cost of a steady supply of rupees.

It was fortunate, then, that he had at least two-hundred rupees on him.

Link seized Mario by one of his ankles and actually threw the steel plumber off him with the help of his Golden Gauntlets. Mario may have been very heavy in this form, but it wasn't anything that his gauntlets couldn't take.

The Metal Cap wore off, but Mario still had a few tricks up his sleeve. From his pocket (which had to be at least as deep as Link's) emerged a colossal mushroom that was orange with red spots. The minute it touched Mario, the plumber grew into a fifty-foot colossus.
Link's initial response was any human's: sheathe his sword and run. But Mario's new stature meant that every step he took was at least ten of Link's. He caught up to Link in no time, raised his foot, and brought it down on Link like the hero was a bug.

What Mario didn't see was that Link, with the aid of the golden gauntlets, was actually holding up his foot and preventing himself from getting crushed. With a mighty grunt, he pushed and pushed harder against Mario's foot, then actually lifted enough off him so that he could free his hand, pull out the Master Sword, and bring it stabbing up into Mario's shoe.

Mario yelped at the sudden pain in his foot, hopping up and down while clutching the foot that Link had stabbed with his sword.

Link got clear of Mario's form, which was now big enough to create small tremors in the ground, but saw that he hadn't averted Mario's attention for long. Mario had noticed and given chase.

Link clicked his heels and a pair of white-feathered wings appeared on the sides of his boots. With a quick buildup, he dashed away as fast as the Pegasus Boots could carry him.

It was a close chase, though, as the hero was only barely outrunning Mario. The plumber was only a close second to Link in speed, but that was fading fast as Mario was returning to his normal size.

Mario stopped to catch his breath and Link seized his chance. He stopped, then realized that his wallet was almost empty. He did NOT want the magic armor on while he was broke. With a quick flex of concentration, the armor vanished in red light, leaving Link in his traditional green garb.

Using the Pegasus Boots again, Link charged Mario with his sword outstretched only to see him evade it with an agile flip to the side. Link screeched to a halt, then took out his Hero's Bow and knocking a bomb arrow and firing.

Mario pulled a yellow star with beady, black eyes from his pocket and the minute he touched it, his whole body flashed with bright colors. When the bomb arrow hit him, Mario sprinted from the smoke, completely untouched.

Link fired a second and third bomb arrow only to see similar results as the first one, then it clicked in his mind that this wouldn't go anywhere. Not wanting to find out what would happen when he touched Mario, he performed another magic dance, this time putting his hand over his heart. In a burst of blue light, Link was encased in a blue energy crystal.

Mario pulled back his fist and threw it right into Link's midsection. The blow sent Link tumbling across the ground like a skipping stone and, with a dull "thud", Link lay on the ground.

Mario nodded in satisfaction, but his eyes went wide when he saw Link get back up, completely unscathed from his attack. Nayru's love was shielding his body from harm in a manner similar to the Magic Armor. Mario could pummel Link and toss him around and still to no damage whatsoever.

Mario's Starman wore off faster than he thought, but Nayru's love was still in full effect. Mario would have waited it out, but Link was soon in his face, sword raised. Mario ducked under swipes as well as back away, jump over, and sidestep.

Mario seized an opportunity when Link took a downward swing, grabbing Link by the collar and tossing him backward. He hit the ground hard, but still got back to his feet and kept his weapon in hand.

Nayru's love dissipated and Link knew that now was the time to finish this and finish it NOW. He took out his boomerang and lobbed it at Mario only to see him jump clean over it.

Mario took a hammer from his deep pocket and swung just as Link swung his sword at him. The hammer, being heavier than the sword, smashed the blade right out of Link's hand. The indigo-hilted blade landed a full ten yards from Link. Should he run to get it, Mario would easily catch up and attack.

Link, instead, opted for keeping his shield up. The Hylian Shield took whatever blow Mario could dish out with his hammer, even when Mario spun like a tornado and rained repeated blows on it.

WHACK!

Link's Boomerang made its return trip, hitting Mario right in the back of the head. The blow was enough to stun Mario and Link seized his chance.

The hero took from his vast arsenal, a gauntlet-shaped device with three claws and aimed it at his fallen blade. With a pull of the trigger, the claws shot out on a long chain towards the hilt of the Master Sword. On impact, the claws closed shut and the chain retracted, pulling the sword out of the ground and landing it just in front of the hero.

Link put away the Clawshot and picked up his sword just in time to see Mario come out of his stunned state and attempt another hammer shot. Link put up his shield again, but actually pushed suddenly. The result was that Mario's attack both bounced off the shield and the face of the shield hit Mario right in the face, stunning him once again.

Link positioned his sword behind him and, with a roar, spun in a full three-sixty-degree circle with his blade extended. A wave of blue energy flew from the circle and knocked Mario flat on his back. Link acted swiftly and jumped after him before Mario could recuperate. In midair, he put both hands on the hilt and aimed the sword down.

The Master Sword embedded itself right in Mario's abdomen, a dark stain appearing on his shirt and overalls. The plumber emitted a choked cry before finally slumping down to the ground and remaining motionless.

Link removed his blade, then sheathed it on his back before striding off into the distance. One less rival, one more victory for him.

K.O.!!!

--

Steel: Close call and BOY, was this a good one!

Ray: Both Mario and Link's arsenals proved evenly matched, matching each other move-for-move. However, Mario's power-ups do have a flaw. His power-ups disappear after one use and he tends to lose them if he gets hurt. Link's arsenal doesn't disappear after he uses them, giving him more options than Mario's.

Steel: Even when Mario was using his power-ups, Link demonstrated his problem-solving nature by finding their weakness and exploiting them, even items like the Giant Mushroom, Metal Cap, and Starman.

Ray: And, with their arsenals out of the question, Link has an advantage of range and defense. The Hylian Shield was able to defend him from whatever Mario could dish out and the Master Sword easily doubles Link's arm reach.

Steel: That means he's got twice the reach of Mario with that sword. Mario has no defense other than his agility and no regular weapon than his fists. Soft and fleshy is NOT a good combination here.

Ray: The winner is Link.

LINK…
Impressive array of weapons
Armor could stand up to Mario's stronger forms
Could easily find the weakness of Mario's power-ups
Hylian Shield was an excellent defense
Master Sword more than double Mario's own reach
Arsenal doesn't deplete as fast as Mario's

MARIO…
Impressive use of power-ups
Stronger in terms of physicality
More agile
Not a strategist
Not enough defensive power
Close-range area smaller than Link's
Arsenal depletes too fast

Steel: Next time on DEATH BATTLE. We're going down below the streets to see who's the King of the Sewers. Stay tuned!