Mario's adventures were originally just a dream...
Pretty sure that was only SMB2 that took place in a dream. Don't remember hearing that about any other game.

Now let's face it. M

Mario vs. Link with no powerups is an easy win for Mario. Mario naturlaly is stronger and faster than Link.

-Mario routinely outruns bullets and cannons. They don't look fast to us because we're controlling Mario. Mario alsoc an run up walls.
-Mario tosses Bowser dozens, if not a hundred, feet with little effort. He also was chucking entire casltes in SMW. Don't give me "they were tiny!" We went through those same castles. They're not small. It was just the game engine.
-Mario survived being SHOT TO THE MOON. I also heard he dodges solar flares in Mario Galaxy.

Fact is, Link can't touch any of that without powerups like the Gauntlets.

Now when we get into powerups, Link and Mario both have Invincibility. Mario through Star and Link through Magic Armor. When we add up all the powerups, Link definitely wins in numbers but quantity or quality? Mario has stuff to make him big like Link's Giant Mask. Mario also has the Star Rod.

But if it came down to just one-on-one, Mario trashes the dork.