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[CosmicComet]

Does Mario include Mario Kart, etc? If so, that. But Zelda vs mainline Mario I would say Zelda has had higher highs.

I think the higher highs are equal.

Mario 64 was a landmark title and Ocarina of Time is just legendary altogether.

But lower lows goes to Zelda for sure.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Hard choice but I have to go with the fairy boy. A Link to the Past is too special for me.

I think the higher highs are equal.

Mario 64 was a landmark title and Ocarina of Time is just legendary altogether.

But lower lows goes to Zelda for sure.

Mario is Missing vs Zelda CDI.

I think their lows are equal too.

 

[Codes 208]

Mario is mindless fun and sometimes collectathoning

Zelda is goddamn zelda, i will happily take every console equivalent of zelda over its mario counterpart: (ie: OoT and MM > SM64. WW and TP > SMS)

Well, except the ds and wii. The ds zelda games are shit and the og nsmb and sm64ds are actually pretty good and id take smg1 and 2 over skyward sword. BUT THOSE ARE THE ONLY EXCEPTIONS

 

[Lakos]

Mario.

 

[OldBoyGamer]

Yeh I’m gonna echo what others have said. Both series offer some of the best games experience of their time and beyond. Both have brought me so much joy. Too close to call.

Oh and WW is a masterpiece. Especially the WiiU HD version. Hell just sitting here thinking about individual games in both series and it’s easier to call out the non masterpieces. Says it all really.

 

[AREYOUOKAY?]

Two game series where I would be okay if they just kept reusing the SNES and N64 game engines over and over again for new games because that's how timeless they were. They both keep trying to add new things or reinvent themselves to make things different yet I'm fine with the same old things.

 

[Ezquimacore]

All I know is Miyamoto knew what he was doing.

 

[Ezquimacore]

Mainly the early 3d ones , dont get me wrong fucking awesome games at the time, but i fired up the old N64 a couple of years ago and OOT did not look or play like the version that lives on in my brain.

Might have to get the old Nintendo's out of the loft again soon now you've got me thinking.
In fact i might have been a little hasty there the more i think on it . Its probably a tie for me.

Lol ocarina of time aged better than any 3d game from that time. Silent hill, ff7 and metal gear solid look and play disgusting for example

 

[Fuz]

Yes.

 

[AREYOUOKAY?]

Lol ocarina of time aged better than any 3d game from that time. Silent hill, ff7 and metal gear solid look and play disgusting for example

Say that to our faces.

 

[NikuNashi]

Zelda by a mile. Although Mario Odyssey is amazing and the best Mario game I've ever played.

You should play

Mario Galaxy 2
Super Mario 64
Super Mario World

 

[Hunnybun]

I prefer Mario but I love both of them.

I just think there are more good Mario games. Zelda has ALTTP, Ocarina, MM, Windwaker, and BOTW.

Mario has Mario 3, Mario World, Yoshi's Island, Mario 64, Sunshine, Galaxy 1 and 2, 3D World, and Odyssey.

It's such a high standard.

 

[BlackTron]

100% agree on the higher highs.

But Mario has been more consistent.

You can get a really strong Mario experience on just about any Nintendo system, and they're always approachable and dependable. Post-N64, Zelda always seems to be one of those "fans of the series will be OK tolerating its flaws" games. Zelda was also hit with the gimmick syndrome way worse than Mario.

I get BOTW was a huge success, but not for perfecting Zelda. It delivered something else that people really wanted that had the Zelda name on it. So Zelda has been effectively redefined to something far lesser than it was before, that is much more popular. Just like your old favorite band.

 

[Deanington]

Hmm, I picked Zelda. That’s what I look forward to the most now a days between the two. However, Mario is king.

 

[Kaachan]

Best platformer will always be Mario and Crash but only Zelda endings makes me cry like a bish

 

[clarky]

Lol ocarina of time aged better than any 3d game from that time. Silent hill, ff7 and metal gear solid look and play disgusting for example

Not sure what those game have go to do with the conversation "lol" They all aged like milk its early 3D.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Not sure what those game have go to do with the conversation "lol" They all aged like milk its early 3D.

I beat OOT one week ago, game still plays very nicely.

 

[clarky]

I beat OOT one week ago, game still plays very nicely.

Glad you enjoyed it, not saying its not a fantastic game but the original has aged quite a bit. I might give it another run for old time sake soon along with a few other honourable mentions in the thread. Nintendo do make some of the greatest games.

 

[Handel]

Mario's lack of proper stories just gives Zelda an easy win from me. I also just prefer action adventure style gameplay.

 

[Boss Man]

They’re both so good and somehow keep evolving and getting better. Breath of the Wild is my favorite game ever though, and I just prefer the RPG/story driven gameplay in Zelda.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Zelda by a mile. Although Mario Odyssey is amazing and the best Mario game I've ever played.

I agree with Zelda, but Mario Odyssey is one of the WORST mario games I've ever played....

 

[cartman414]

I'll mark your post for when I finally get around to playing Zelda 2 which I haven't played yet.

Link's Awakening expanded upon the practically perfect base that Link to the Past established. And Link Between Worlds (as much as I love that game) is just a remake with a (admittedly cool) new mechanic thrown in. Still a remake though. All of that is to say, that Link to the Past has more impact than the other two games, and stands as the giant on top of the Super Nintendo heap.

I thought that the genre wasn't perfected until Symphony of the Night? That's not a troll question, since I do think Super Metroid is unquestionably a masterpiece of a game.

I guess it's a matter of preference on 2d Zelda on both. Zelda II isn't for everyone. Just prepare to get good with the combat system and be wary of the flaws (namely lava/water pits and game overs), and maybe use save states.

As for LttP vs its followups, I prefer Link's Awakening for IMO being leaner overall and more focused in its design and item use. (Also I'm a sucker for the Roc's Feather.)

SotN had too much backtracking/map traversal in the map design and progression. There are too many hallways and shafts that add cruft. Also, the item gating is inferior to Super Metroid.

Here's Super Metroid:



Here's Symphony of the Night:



Again, your opinion may differ. Personally I prefer Aria and Dawn of Sorrow among the Metroid-esque Castlevanias, and Rondo of Blood overall for the series.

 

[GymWolf]

I enjoyed snes era mario more than any zelda i played, so the plumber wins.