# Mario vs Zelda vs Pokemon



## Alolan_Apples (Nov 28, 2017)

Out of the three biggest Nintendo franchises, which one is your favorite?

In my opinion, even if the best Nintendo soundtrack comes from Zelda while my favorite Nintendo character is a Pokemon, Mario is my favorite Nintendo franchise. This is true, even when you only count the main series (i.e. Super Mario World, Super Mario Sunshine) and not the spinoffs like Mario Kart and Paper Mario or other related series like Donkey Kong. But the spin-offs are great too. Not to mention, but they make Mario more than just a platformer series. And the soundtrack in each game is good too.


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## Halloqueen (Nov 28, 2017)

My favorite of these three series is Pokemon. I've been a fan of the series since it first came out over here back with Red and Blue, and while I dropped the series from Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald until HeartGold and SoulSilver due to peer pressure and feeling like I was too old for it, it has been a big part of my life for most of it. Pokemon games are one of the only video game series that I still follow these days, and unless they get too boringly easy then I hope to continue to do so into the future.

That said, I don't care about anything outside of the main series of Pokemon games. None of their side games interest me unless you are able to get something to use in a main series game for playing it. 

Mario is definitely a stronger series with generally good main series releases and occasionally strong side games, but yeah, Pokemon just means more to me personally. Meanwhile, I've never been big into Zelda but I can recognize what people like about the series.


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## mitfy (Nov 28, 2017)

zelda's my favorite. i adore all 3 but i'm the least wild on pokemon since i've only played pearl and that was when i was little and was bad at video games so i didnt finish it aha. i love mario too, and odyssey looks beautiful, but zelda still wins! i just love the characters and stories and aesthetics and the music is gorgeous.


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## TykiButterfree (Nov 30, 2017)

My favorite series of the three is Pok?mon. I started playing Pok?mon when Yellow came out and I would watch the show all the time. I also have a bunch of Pok?mon plushies because they are cute. I don't like Sun/ Moon games as much though. My second favorite series would be Legend of Zelda. Princess Zelda is my hardest and favorite cosplay I have made. Her outfit from Twilight Princess is just so fancy and beautiful. I also really love Breath of the Wild.


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## Whisboi (Nov 30, 2017)

Pokemon is my favorite of the three. I love them all (though I was introduced to Zelda much later), but Pokemon is my only love that hasn't budged since I was eight years old. My second favorite is definitely Mario. I played all the original NES/SNES games on my parents' old systems, and that's what introduced me to Nintendo- but I wasn't ever quite as passionate about it as I've always been about Pokemon. I haven't played as much Zelda but it's definitely lovely and well-made and I 100% see its appeal as a series!


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## Stalfos (Dec 1, 2017)

I don't care for Pokemon at all, I've played a few games and they've all been pretty meh. So for me the only relevant comparison is Mario vs Zelda.

Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda on the NES is where it all started for me so I love both franchises. But i generally think Zelda is better than Mario. There's always gonna be exceptions though. I think Super Mario Odyssey is better than Breath of the Wild and Super Mario World for the SNES is better than anything that has come from the Zelda-franchise ever. But overall, I don't think there is any franchise in gaming that has had such a high level of consistancy in quality as Zelda.


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## Strawberryllama (Dec 3, 2017)

Zelda is my favorite. I only prefer simulation games like Animal Crossing over it.
I don't really care for Mario, but I'm getting Odyssey sometime because it's supposed to be super good.
Pok?mon is alright, I tried Moon and enjoyed it but I don't have any desire to go back and play it or any more Pok?mon games. Maybe sometime I'll pick another one up though.


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## DJStarstryker (Dec 3, 2017)

For me personally, Pokemon is number 1, Mario is number 2, and Zelda is 3rd. I've always found the Zelda series to be just OK personally.


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## Diancie (Dec 4, 2017)

Zelda all the way. I like Mario games, but I don't feel the need to replay them except for the ones which don't really have levels like Mario Kart. I finish a Pokemon game, sometimes catch shinies then I don't play them for a while. Zelda is one game which I can actually replay or play for a while.


(lmao ironic because i have diancie as my username but yeah)


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## 50m4ra (Dec 4, 2017)

P-O-K-E-M-O-N Pokemon!

I've loved Pokemon from who knows how long! When I was younger all I did was look up Useless triva and stuff bout it!
Seriously I know the typing and weakness's of every Pokemon.

I loved all of the latest Pokemons equally, I spent over 200 hours on them!

Altairia is one of my favs!


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## jae. (Dec 4, 2017)

Zelda is my first favorite, Pokemon is a close second, then Mario is a distant third.

Zelda is just a really good mix of combat, exploration, collecting, interesting dialogue with interesting characters, and puzzle solving. I've loved Zelda ever since I played Link to the Past on some hotel's game system while on vacation. It can be a bit repetitive with the 3 dungeons - uh oh something bad happens - ~3-5 more dungeons that are bigger and badder - underwhelming final boss? - jk real final boss. Despite that, the Zelda franchise is quite good at throwing new stuff in to make it interesting (masks in MM, sailing in WW, etc...) I have fond memories of pretty much all the Zelda games, and I replay them fairly often.

I do enjoy Pokemon, really I do, but turn based fights really aren't my thing so I get sick of Pokemon games quicker than Zelda games. Another issue I have with it is that it is so tedious to get some Pokemon. I can be so pumped to start a game of Pokemon, until I remember it takes hours to find 'mons that aren't the generic Rattata, Weedle, Zubat, etc... which ultimately makes me put the games down and never finish them. They _have_ been getting a bit better about this in Gens 6 and 7, though, so credit where it's due.

I just don't really have any fond memories of Mario games. I've owned several, but not many, and they've never been my favorite games ever. The newest Mario game I played was Super Mario Sunshine, which I didn't like because all the levels were too similar. Never been a fan of the Mario Parties or Mario Karts. It's weird because I like platformers; I just feel that franchises like Banjo-Kazooie and Sonic do it better than Mario.


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## Athros (Dec 4, 2017)

At first I thought it would be hard to choose between pokemon and zelda but when I though about it, I always obsess about the new zelda game but have no problem waiting some time to get a new pokemon game. So, yeah, team zelda here!


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## dedenne (Dec 4, 2017)

Pokemon has amazing characters, amazing stories, amazing music, amazing Pokemon 

So ye, pokemon


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## Cascade (Dec 4, 2017)

I really love them :3 Pokemon is my choice.


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## Vonny (Dec 4, 2017)

Nothing like getting a brand new main series Mario game.  Pok?mon and Zelda pretty much have annual releases so they?re less special to me


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## Milleram (Dec 5, 2017)

Although I play and like all three franchises, I personally enjoy Pokemon the most. Nothing gets me more excited than a new Pokemon game! c:


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## JCnator (Dec 5, 2017)

If solely for the mainline installments, I'm torn between Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda. Since they're both awesome on their own, deciding which one rules is like deciding which child is your best.

Super Mario is known for its consistent and engaging level design, while experimenting with new gameplay elements that complement very well with the platforming genre and staying accessible to players of all age. The Legend of Zelda as a whole is perhaps the most daring when it comes offering a radically different experience for each installment, despite retaining its core gameplay mechanics throughout the franchise and encouraging exploration.

At this point, I'd have to resort to my genre preference to choose which franchise I appreciate the most. I chose Super Mario, since platforming is my jam.


I ignored Pok?mon, since I don't have much experience outside of its first generation and have an aversion to the RPG genre for decades.

While I admit I liked the premise of training a newly-caught monster in order to achieve your own goals, what put me away from the franchise is how its gameplay flow remained nearly unchanged for the overwhelming majority of installments. Far too often, it plays out like this: trek through route, defeat the gym's leader, rinse and repeat for 7 more times so you could finally compete on the Elite whatever team. Pok?mon could've easily benefited a lot just by altering this aspect alone while retaining its gameplay mechanics, as seen in Pok?mon Sun and Moon to a certain extent.


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## Mariotag (Dec 6, 2017)

Honestly, I'm unsure.
Of the 3, Mario has the least unique lore mostly, but is stronger as a series. I play fanmade stuff mostly of Mario.
Pokemon was my absolute favorite for years, and it has levels of depth beyond where I'd previously noticed, but I feel kinda less into it right now.
Zelda is just incredible, mostly, but I feel like a bunch of the games since Skyward Sword were kinda just empty.


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## Rasha (Dec 6, 2017)

Mario then Zelda then Pokemon. actually both the Mario and Zelda franchises are waaaay above Pokemon for me, I like Pokemon but to me it's just not on the same level at all. HOWEVER, I'd put Metroid way above everything else.


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## MorphiGalaxi (Dec 6, 2017)

This poll needed a ?can?t decide? option!

Really, I think I love all three.
Mario is the game series I played most. I love the main games (Sunshine, Galaxy, etc.) as well as the Paper Mario series and Mario Kart. The other spin-offs were great too.

Zelda is amazing! My first was Wind Waker, which is just awesome. Twilight Princess is my favorite. They?re all classics. Ocarina of Time, Skyward Sword, Link to the Past. The music is spectacular (I?ve been to the symphony twice!).

Pokemon, well, bigest time waster ever XD It?s enjoyable though and fun training and catching the Pokemon. The battling is great and it feels endless.

So, I can?t decide.


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## Ably.Saucey (Dec 8, 2017)

I've never played pokemon, but I think I might try it if I see a good deal on a cartridge.

Marios controls seem too...soft? IDK the word I'm looking for be it's easier for the play the game is real physics applys to jumping and Mario Kart is so sloooow, I feel like I'm just puttering along.

I think Zelda's more of a story game than the other two, I played almost every zelda except for 5 and I'm working on getting them.


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## Weiland (Dec 15, 2017)

I *love* Pokemon, so that's my favourite out of the three. I also really like Zelda, but I've never finished any of the games because I get distracted by other games, and when I decide to pick them up again I forget where I am.


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## xSuperMario64x (Dec 17, 2017)

Well there's no Waluigi in Zelda or Pokemon soooo

But seriously, SM is my favorite video game series of all-time. Been a huge fan since around 2011, when I got my SNES and N64. It's a big part of my childhood and I still love all the games and characters to death :,D


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## AngelBunny (Dec 17, 2017)

oh pokemon for sure

i just like pokemon! it can be a bit hard to navigate sometimes but its fun to try and figure it out! 
mario is kinda fun i guess i like super mario 3d world best because its not like moving wall stickers around \(-.-)/
i dont really like 3rd person battle games ( i dont mind 1st person like minecraft) so i dont like zelda


Spoiler: eevee&pika


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## lars708 (Dec 19, 2017)

Definitely Mario. I liked BotW but Mario Odyssey was just pure FUN. BotW was fun too but it didn't deliver the surprise and joy that Mario Odyssey brought to us.


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## rollerC (Dec 22, 2017)

Mario is on top right now. Hands-down better than the latest Zelda and Pok?mon game. They're good in their own rights, but next to Mario....


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## Anactoria (Dec 24, 2017)

I voted for Zelda, although Pokemon is probably the franchise I'm most familiar with and played the most (don't own any other consoles besides the 3ds for the Zelda games). Pokemon has become frustratingly boring for me...


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## doodle (Dec 24, 2017)

I voted for Pokemon out of the three. I've never finished a Zelda game and the only one I've played pretty consistently is Breath of the Wild. I can never finish a Mario game for some reason. ;3; Pokemon is adorable to me and I love training and breeding Pokemon!


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## Envy (Dec 26, 2017)

Usually I would say Pokemon, but Generation VII (Sun/Moon, etc.) is super disappointing. Like I don't know what they were thinking. Meanwhile Zelda and Mario have really hit a high point in their series. Personally, I'll take Zelda over Mario.


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## Alolan_Apples (Dec 26, 2017)

Envy said:


> Usually I would say Pokemon, but Generation VII (Sun/Moon, etc.) is super disappointing. Like I don't know what they were thinking. Meanwhile Zelda and Mario have really hit a high point in their series. Personally, I'll take Zelda over Mario.



I actually liked Pokemon Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon. But to be fair, I didn't play the earlier games. Some of the stuff older fans have been bothered by (i.e. handholding) don't necessarily bother me as much.

But I do believe that all three of them have greatly improved in the past year or two. Especially Mario.


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## Envy (Dec 27, 2017)

Alolan_Apples said:


> I actually liked Pokemon Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon. But to be fair, I didn't play the earlier games. Some of the stuff older fans have been bothered by (i.e. handholding) don't necessarily bother me as much.
> 
> But I do believe that all three of them have greatly improved in the past year or two. Especially Mario.



It's not hand-holding that bothers me. I don't recall being bothered by that at all. 

It's the SOS battle system which makes catching Pokemon so much more difficult since there doesn't seem to be a limit to how many times a Pokemon can call for help, making it impossible to catch the Pokemon. It also double teams Pokemon when you're wanting to train. Training Pokemon in S/M is so annoying and tedious that I actually went with the Exp Share on almost the whole game because I couldn't stand to actually train Pokemon individually with how bad it was.

It's how all over the place the difficulty felt. One minute I'd be battling a trainer with AI even worse than previous Pokemon games, the next I'm dealing with a trainer with actual good AI and Pokemon that's stats seem tampered with, making my Pokemon's attacks much weaker than they should be, and making my Pokemon KO'd much easier, as well. I find no fun in that. I'm not a competitive player, and I don't want to have to train and breed my Pokemon like a competitive player to be able to clear matches. People can play competitive if they want, but that should not bleed into the actual quest of the games.

I didn't like how limited the region felt. There were so few places to surf, fishing is now only allowed in certain spots, etc.

Also the removal of the National Pokedex. That just really did me in. Collecting Pokemon felt pointless. The AR feature where it shows you a number of Pokemon not in the Alola Dex was rendered completely pointless because those Pokemon seen don't register anywhere in the game.

I don't know what US/UM are like, but I'd wager they don't improve upon any of these issues. I'm not going to spend $40 to find out.


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## Imbri (Dec 27, 2017)

I've played a few Pokemon games, and they're okay; never really got that into them. With the exception of the Paper Mario games, the same is true of Mario. The Zelda games are the reason I got some of my consoles. I've played the franchise since the first game, cursed Navi, and shed a tear when they changed Link to a right-handed character. I've been known to waste game time just riding around the Hylian plains on Epona, simply because I can.

Without Zelda games, I don't know that I would have stuck with Nintendo as faithfully as I have over the years.


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## MorningStar (Dec 28, 2017)

It's sort of difficult for me to pick between the three franchises, mainly just because LoZ, Mario, and Pokemon are three VERY different types of games. When I think of Mario, I tend to think of old-school platforming, whereas LoZ is an overview adventure game and Pokemon is sort of more like an RPG.

Either way, Pokemon is my favourite. I like making my own character, and being able to decide my own way. I feel like the bonds you make with your team, your friends/rivals, and the NPCs around you make my gaming experience a little more... I don't know the word. Profound? Deep? Something along those lines.

I do love Mario and Legend of Zelda, but with Pokemon, I've followed them closely since 1998. With the previous too, the fact that my favourite games from either franchise are SNES games kind of says a lot.


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## Alolan_Apples (Dec 28, 2017)

Envy said:


> It's not hand-holding that bothers me. I don't recall being bothered by that at all.
> 
> It's the SOS battle system which makes catching Pokemon so much more difficult since there doesn't seem to be a limit to how many times a Pokemon can call for help, making it impossible to catch the Pokemon. It also double teams Pokemon when you're wanting to train. Training Pokemon in S/M is so annoying and tedious that I actually went with the Exp Share on almost the whole game because I couldn't stand to actually train Pokemon individually with how bad it was.
> 
> ...



I suggest not buying US/UM. They still don't have the national pokedex. And I hate to say, but that's the new normal. I wouldn't care too much, but the minute I quit Pokemon is the minute they drop the Ice Type. But I doubt they'll do that.

I know someone who opted out of buying Pokemon Sun and Moon because of the handholding.


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## abc123wee (Dec 28, 2017)

Zelda all the way. I love the worlds, the lore, and the characters. 
Also, each game mixes it up so everything stays fresh. And the fantasy setting allows endless creativity and it's simply timeless.
Oh yeah, and the music! My top ten favorite VG OSTs would probably be mostly Zelda games.
Also, playing them gives me this "oh yeah" feeling. Man, I freakin' love Zelda.


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## PunchyTheCat (Dec 28, 2017)

I'm new to the Zelda series, and I really dislike the Mario main games, with the exception of Oddessey, my favorite is the Pok?mon series all the way.


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## thisistian (Jan 7, 2018)

Pokemon all the way!


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## Alolan_Apples (Mar 18, 2018)

PunchyDaHufflepuff said:


> I'm new to the Zelda series, and I really dislike the Mario main games, with the exception of Oddessey, my favorite is the Pok?mon series all the way.



Yeah, Odyssey is really good.


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## TamaMushroom (Mar 18, 2018)

Pokemon is my favorite, because there is just so much to collect. Mario is a close second though, because Mario Kart is so good! 
Although Super Smash Bros. has a mix of all three it has made me like all of them even more so.


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## calamitybot (Mar 19, 2018)

No matter what, I always feel like I can easily pick up a mario game and play it. Pokemon and zelda are fantastic, but the mario franchise has really mastered replayable simplicity in their main games. also, super mario galaxy 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, so it influenced my decision quite a bit.


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## Elephantmarshmallow (Mar 19, 2018)

I can't choose, this is too hard... I've grown up with Zelda and Pokemon (not the biggest mario fan). I LOVE pokemon so much but i also LOVE LoZ soo much as well


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## Mr. Cat (Mar 19, 2018)

Zelda. I was incredibly obsessive about Pokemon for the first 3 generations and then it became way too much. Sun/Moon was the final straw, I hated it and could not finish it. Pokemon lost its charm for me when it moved to the DS with Diamond/Pearl. Somehow, I've always enjoyed every Zelda game.


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## Psydye (Mar 19, 2018)

I'm sad that Metroid isn't on here. However, out of all those, I'd choose Zelda. Pokemon is overrated af.


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## LaBelleFleur (Mar 20, 2018)

You ask the hard questions!

I think I?d have to go with Zelda. I have a ton of nostalgia for a childhood playing Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine, but I?ll never forget the first time I play a Zelda game - Wind Waker. Much like the way I was introduced to Animal Crossing, I played it on a friend?s GameCube first, then decided I had to have it for myself. I have so many good memories playing Zelda games - laughter, tears (Link?s Awakening ending), and that huge sense of accomplishment you get for finally beating Ganon after a long and arduous quest. There?s nothing quite like it.


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## Sweetley (Mar 25, 2018)

I would say Pokemon, since I enjoyed a majority of Pokemon games.


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## Flare (Mar 26, 2018)

While I like Pokemon more than the other 2 I will say that the Zelda series has some of my favorite games, so I'll pick Zelda bc of that.


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## Sapphire Moon (Mar 29, 2018)

I think for me it would be mario first since I grew up playing mario series . Second would be zelda and third would be pokemon.


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## John Wick (Mar 29, 2018)

Mario 64 was great. 

Never played Zelda. 

Loved Pokemon for years, until it got ridiculous. (The amount is absurd).. but I choose (YOU) Pokemon, the older games, up until Diamond and Pearl anyway.


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## Mr_Persona (May 17, 2018)

I like Zelda and Pokemon, Mario I hate the worst.


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## betta (May 19, 2018)

Hm, out of the three I pick Mario, cause I don't like Pok?mon at all, & Zelda...never played any Zelda games (tho planning to buy Hyrule warriors & Breath of the wild soon lol).
picked Mario cause of Luigi's mansion, Mario kart, super smash (not sure if this is considered a Mario franchise but yea), many others but yeah guess Mario is my most fav


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## AndroGhostX (May 19, 2018)

While Mario does have variety in gameplay/stories, LOZ is unique with it's adventures and fighting style has well as gameplay, Pokemon is literally the same gameplay every game which can get boring. So I picked Zelda!


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## Aleigh (May 20, 2018)

Mario for the win, bro! Forever and always loving those italian brothers!


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## Midoriya (May 20, 2018)

I went with P-O-K-E-M-ON POK?MON!  I say P-O-K-E-M-ON Pokemon!  *gym theme music continues to play*


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## tumut (May 20, 2018)

Mario is most consistent, pokemon is really fun. Zelda is overrated but I like some of the games.


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## Luna Moonbug (May 22, 2018)

i'm sorry i know that title of the games are legend of Zelda but i like Link the best lol


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## CassyCrossing<3 (May 22, 2018)

Definetly zelda, I love the wind waker one especially! Mario would probably be number 2, my little brother still plays it all the time on the original wii lmao (,: . My first pokemon game was pokemon sun/moon, i finished it around 3 months ago i liked it, it was fun!


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## Mr_Persona (May 22, 2018)

Yay Pokemon is winning!!!!


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## ILikeFroakies (May 23, 2018)

All of those three are some of my favourites but if I had to pick it would be Pokemon


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## duckykate (Jun 3, 2018)

zelda, of course. it's been my favorite game ever since i was a kid. pokemon is in second place, but honestly no game beats the legend of zelda in my opinion


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## Dessivue (Jun 4, 2018)

*This isn't really a fair comparison for me... So, I am prepared to be called an uncultured swine... I have never, in my 14 years of life, played a single game of Pokemon, whether it be the trading card or video game.. I know, I know... And I also have played multiple Zelda games, but never have finished one. However, I have played and beaten many Mario games, and currently I am working my way through Odyssey. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because I grew up playing Mario, beating Paper Mario on my dad's old Nintendo 64 when I was just six. The games bring me a sort of nostalgia, even with the new development Nintendo has been making. I love the characters, the music, the spin-offs... For me, the clear and only reasonable winner is the Mario franchise.*


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## magicaldonkey (Jun 4, 2018)

i?ve never played any zelda games before (sorry ok) do not attack me

the only pok?mon game i have played is pok?mon go - i haven?t bought any pok?mon games for the 3DS.
however, i remember having a quite large pok?mon trading card collection hehe

therefore, i went for mario as i have played the mario games the most when i was 10-12 (tbh don?t really play much anymore)


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## calamitybot (Jun 7, 2018)

Mr. Cat said:


> Zelda. I was incredibly obsessive about Pokemon for the first 3 generations and then it became way too much. Sun/Moon was the final straw, I hated it and could not finish it. Pokemon lost its charm for me when it moved to the DS with Diamond/Pearl. Somehow, I've always enjoyed every Zelda game.



Yeah, pokemon is way too complex for me to get into! Since coming to the forums, I've learned there's a lot about pokemon I don't know, and I feel like a pleb when I just want to play pokemon for fun instead of paying attention to tournaments and all. Though, I think that the DS pokemon games, especially black/white 2, are the best in the series. I can't relate with liking Zelda, because I'm too dumb to finish a zelda game.


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## Midoriya (Jun 7, 2018)

calamitybot said:


> Yeah, pokemon is way too complex for me to get into! Since coming to the forums, I've learned there's a lot about pokemon I don't know, and I feel like a pleb when I just want to play pokemon for fun instead of paying attention to tournaments and all. Though, I think that the DS pokemon games, especially black/white 2, are the best in the series. I can't relate with liking Zelda, because I'm too dumb to finish a zelda game.





This is how I felt growing up.  I encourage you guys to at least try to understand the mechanics of Pokemon and play a game of it if you haven’t.  The most important thing to remember is the type matchup chart, which you can Google.


I also cannot play Legend of Zelda games.  I’m too stupid for it, LOL >.<


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## Hat' (Jun 8, 2018)

Pok?mon.


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## Pellie (Jun 30, 2019)

It's a tie between Mario and Pokemon, as I do like both franchises equally. I only played one TloZ game 
once for the Advance back then and that's pretty much it, since I'm not interested in TloZ that much.


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## Liability (Jun 30, 2019)

i'm terrible at platforming, but i really enjoy mario kart and mario party, so i'll have to say the mario franchise. the only zelda game i've played has been breath of the wild, and besides that game, zelda isn't all that great to me. i do like pokemon and all but i just have a soft spot for mario kart/party lol

i did vote for pokemon, but after thinking about it, i remembered that mario is more than just platforming oops


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## Ehingen Guy (Jun 30, 2019)

I'm Switzerland on this one, since I like them all equally. i grew up with Mario since the days of the  NES. A childhood friend introduced me to Zelda. I got into Pokemon through various magazine ads and TV commercials.


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## nintendofan85 (Jun 30, 2019)

I like all three, but I voted Mario because it's the Nintendo franchise I began playing first. If I had never played Mario, I wouldn't be into Zelda or Pok?mon today. I have Mario to thank for me getting into Nintendo as a whole.


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## Alolan_Apples (Jun 30, 2019)

Did you know:

Zelda does the best among critics. Mario sold the most copies of their titles. Pok?mon makes the most money.


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## Roobi (Jul 1, 2019)

Definitely Zelda for me. Loved the series since OoT.
I enjoy Mario games as well, though I mostly play Mario Kart.
As for Pok?mon: It makes me a little sad that I've lost all enthousiasm for this franchise since gen 7, especially because it's what really got me into gaming when Red and Blue came out. I was also a big fan of the animated series back then and liked the merch. The look of the new games really doesn't appeal to me and neither do the characters and story. I don't think I'll even bother with gen 8. I still enjoy going back to gen2-6 games once in a while, though.


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## Tao (Jul 2, 2019)

It would be a decision between Mario and Pokemon since there's fewer mainline games I dislike. There's only Sun/Moon and 3D World from either series that I dislike. If pushed it would probably lean more towards Pokemon since I find they have way more replay value...Plus I can name my Pokemon.

I also don't really like Mario as a character, nor really the aesthetic of the Mario universe in general. I think newer Mario games like "new" Super Mario Bros and 3D World have spawned this opinion since I didn't really feel this until more recently, but it all feels a bit bland, toned down, safe and overly family friendly aesthetically. 



I do love Zelda, but there's too many that range from "it's okay" to just total dislike. Link's Awakening, Oracle of Ages/Seasons, Spirit Tracks, Phantom Hourglass, Breath of the Wild, Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time. They're not bad games but I just don't have the interest in them that I do for other games in the series like Twilight Princess, Wind Waker or Link to the Past.

I've also just realised how few Zelda games I do really like, so, I guess that's that.



calamitybot said:


> Yeah, pokemon is way too complex for me to get into! Since coming to the forums, I've learned there's a lot about pokemon I don't know, and I feel like a pleb when I just want to play pokemon for fun instead of paying attention to tournaments and all. Though, I think that the DS pokemon games, especially black/white 2, are the best in the series. I can't relate with liking Zelda, because I'm too dumb to finish a zelda game.



They're not that hard for casual play. I don't think I've ever gone further into the mechanics of a Pokemon game than learning the type matchups, and "learn" is more "I just started to remember them through playing the game casually". Most of them are pretty logical anyway, like water beats fire or flying (birds) beat bug...And if in doubt, just spam any move. The single player for Pokemon games has always been ridiculously easy aside from a very small handful of encounters.

There's otherwise not much to it other than catch and battle Pokemon. Just ignore all the torunamnets and stuff if you're not into that...I do.


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## Alolan_Apples (Jul 2, 2019)

Tao said:


> It would be a decision between Mario and Pokemon since there's fewer mainline games I dislike. There's only Sun/Moon and 3D World from either series that I dislike. If pushed it would probably lean more towards Pokemon since I find they have way more replay value...Plus I can name my Pokemon.
> 
> I also don't really like Mario as a character, nor really the aesthetic of the Mario universe in general. I think newer Mario games like "new" Super Mario Bros and 3D World have spawned this opinion since I didn't really feel this until more recently, but it all feels a bit bland, toned down, safe and overly family friendly aesthetically.
> 
> ...


They all have bad games. We got Mario’s Early Years, Link’s Crossbow Training, and Hey You Pikachu. What do they all have in common? They are the worst games of their franchise.


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## Buttonsy (Jul 14, 2019)

I've actually never completed a Zelda game, so my opinion is more on Mario vs. Pokemon, but in terms of actual games, Mario. I prefer Pokemon in terms of things like character design and some of the non-game content like the anime, but in terms of actual game quality, I'd usually rather play a Mario game than a Pokemon game.


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## Tao (Jul 15, 2019)

Alolan_Apples said:


> They all have bad games. We got Mario’s Early Years, Link’s Crossbow Training, and Hey You Pikachu. What do they all have in common? They are the worst games of their franchise.



They all have bad games, but the ratio of good:bad games is different for all of them.

I'm only taking into consideration the main games of the series though since largely the spin offs for these franchises are largely crap. For every Mystery Dungeon and Paper Mario, we get like 12 Hey You Pikachu's and Mario is Missing.


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## Raayzx (Jul 15, 2019)

POKEMON. Period. Mario will be 2nd and uhh never really cared about Zelda.


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## Rusolando-Kun (Jul 18, 2019)

Ahhhh, it's difficult!!!! (￣(エ)￣)ゞ

I love most Mario games but there's a lot of the ones I didn't like or didn't feel interested at all (like Mario Sports, Paper Mario, Mario Party etc.). Pokemon - I absolutely adore the Pokemon creatures, but I've never really liked any Pokemon games - tried some on 3DS but they never grabbed me. Though, I'm thinking of giving them another chance and really wish there was a demo for Pokemon Sword/Shield... I'm pretty sure I'll like Pokemon anime when I start watching it, so we'll see.

But for now - Zelda! I love Zelda games and all of the aesthetics. Zelda is on the same level with Dragon Quest for me - so, totally in love. <3 And I don't think there's a single Zelda game I dislike. I recently got a DSi XL just to play older Nintendo games (I know, I know 3DS can play them - I just wanted to experience them the way people did when those games came out :3), so I'll definitely vote for Zelda!
And oh my god, I'm so excited for Link's Awakening. ⌒?(❛ᴗ❛)?⌒


Spoiler


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## Romaki (Jul 20, 2019)

I was always a Pok?mon gal, though I always played all three series to some extent. But for me, Breath of the Wild is probably the best Nintendo game ever. I mean that's probably a very basic statement, but Nintendo just never got that kind of RPG right from my experience. I never had the money to try them all so my opinion is very biased, but the closest game I enjoyed before that was Fantasy Life. Like I want to say that Zelda is my favorite series, but I only played the DS ones (not the 3DS remakes) and I didn't enjoy them all that much. But I prefer a free RPG over a limited RPG, even if I like Pok?mon a lot as a game series.

Like, I love Pok?mon, but as someone who's not into the competitive scene it's always been more of an appreciation than an obsession. And also nostalgia, because Pok?mon was the first game I ever played in the late 90s. But the series is pretty much the same and I'm just not excited for new releases anymore. I look forward to the new regions, but I mostly just play for the gameplay despite it being the exact same every time. I just like the leveling up and the new attacks, to me it's very straightforward and easy to play, it's the type of game you can have on your phone and play occasionally without being disappointed when you have to stop.


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## UglyMonsterFace (Jul 20, 2019)

Zelda, always and forever!


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## Dim (Jul 20, 2019)

Kirby!


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## Soot Sprite (Jul 29, 2019)

I really enjoy all three for different reasons, but I'd probably pick pokemon, then zelda, then mario. Pokemon is what got me into video games in the first place.


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## Hopeless Opus (Jul 29, 2019)

zelda > pokemon > mario for me. i LOVE all three of these, they are like my top three game franchises put into 1 poll so this was hard for me. pokemon was my childhood obsession which translated over into adulthood. same with zelda and mario as well. but i LOVE zelda on another level.


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## Blood Eclipse (Sep 29, 2019)

Another hard choice. I love all three franchises: Pok?mon, Zelda and Mario and I've had great experiences with all three, too.

On one day I may say I prefer Zelda because it's a little harder on difficulty and the exploration element is really fun. The characters are all memorable, the story tends to be less light hearted and more darker than Mario and Pokemon which I also like. And it has great music all around.

On another day, I might change my mind and say I prefer Mario games because they're a relaxing and carefree experience, and because they tend to be more light hearted, you might even get a laugh from the story, as repetitive as they may be. Some the gameplay can be monotous too, but you have Mario Kart, Mario Maker and Mario Party to escape that (the older Mario Party titles anyway). Mario games can also have good music.

Then I might go with Pokemon because I tend to play those games more and also have fond memories of them. You can find challenge in Mystery dungeon if that's what you're after and Mystery Dungeon also has good music and grest story. The mainline Pokemon games can be repetitive and are getting easier and easier and if tutorials aren't your thing, you'll be in for a surprise in the newer games, but if you stick with it you may find a good story behind it and also music you can add to your playlist.

-Tie-


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## Corrie (Sep 29, 2019)

Pokemon by a mile. 

I've always loved the games growing up and the show too.


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## Stella-Io (Sep 29, 2019)

Gotta go with Legend of Zelda.

I'm probably biased in my opinion cause I haven't played true versions of Mario (does 64 for the DS and Super Mario World for Wii count as main?) nor Pok?mon, but overall the Legend of Zelda series is just so much more appealing. There's more story and generally more to it as a game. In Twilight Princess not only do you have to defeat baddies but hunt bugs for an avid big fanatic, collect souls to reform a guy who loved cats and money, transport a Zora Prince, find pieces of the Broken Shadow (I forgot what it was called) solve puzzles in dungeons, reunite a monkey with her family, save the village kids, all while ultimately restoring light to the land of Hyrule, which will bring everyone back from their ghost-like state.

This is just part of my play throu so far, I haven't made it far into the game yet. But already it's alot more then fighting the enemy in dungeon after dungeon after dungeon after-


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## Alyx (Sep 30, 2019)

I'm not really all that amazing at any Mario games (save for Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix), and I've never completed a Legend of Zelda game, and out of all of them, I definitely prefer Pokemon. I'd pick up Pokemon before I'd pick up Mario or Legend of Zelda (even though I do like them... mostly).


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## MelloDimensions (Oct 6, 2019)

Zelda 
Its the funnest with what I feel has the most creativity behind it.  
Mario being a close second for the same reasons, though I've seen more of the same formula through it.


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## Balverine (Oct 6, 2019)

that's a really hard choice lol
probably zelda > pokemon > mario, because I like all of the zelda and pokemon games, but I'm really only into the sport games as far as mario goes (save for a few older games)

i'd say zelda and pokemon are close to tied though lol


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## auroral (Oct 7, 2019)

I have a childhood friend who'd kill me for not saying Zelda, but Pokemon. As I've gotten older and my life's gotten more and more stressful, I've realized I don't want to play video games that are going to stress me out even more, which Zelda.... def does lol. Pokemon, Animal Crossing, and Harvest Moon / Story of Seasons / Rune Factory / Stardew Valley / y'know just.... pretty much every farming game.... are my go-to relaxation games, so needless to say they're also my currently most played titles. And while Mario can be relaxing, depending on the title, I find it has less replay value than games like Pokemon.


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## Geoni (Nov 11, 2019)

Zelda > Pokemon > Mario

Ocarina of Time basically changed gaming forever and was a great game, Majora's Mask is my personal favorite, and many of the other titles I love as well. Aside from Zelda 2 there isn't a main Zelda game I don't enjoy (BotW pending).

Pokemon is great and it was -huge- when I was younger and I think the series speaks to the animal person in me but there's a lot to like about it. They have designs for just about everyone out there and people having so many different favorites is a testament to that. My only issue is that it has gotten way too easy ever since Gen 6 and the handholding is just insulting at this point.

Never really cared for Mario as much as the other two. In fact the day I got Ocarina of Time is also the day I got Super Mario 64. Barely touched Super Mario 64 until I played through Ocarina twice. Sunshine was solid. The rest I've tried have just been a big nope. I think Mario really lacks a good setting/atmosphere the other two have but I'll have to see if Odyssey has changed that.


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## John Wick (Nov 15, 2019)

Mario..

I had Mario World 64 and Mario Kart on many platforms and loved them.

Never played any Zelda games, and haven't played Pokemon since FR/LG.


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