In all fairness, Mario had been around a good 7 years longer than Link and the rest of the Zelda crew. Mario is one of the very first game characters ever, along with Donkey Kong and Pac Man.
Now, that said, the IPs differ greatly. Mario is about fun and enjoyment for the kid and the kid-at-heart. The Zelda series was built as a more serious game, aimed at the core gamer market, luring in a chunk of the Dungeons & Dragons crowd that was large in the 80s, fantasy fiction fans (Lord of the Rings fans, etc), and that crowd. Mario has always kept it light-hearted, where the Zelda games always had more of a serious overtone (though some kid-friendly things are added in at times).
Basically Mario was always designed to be family-centric, allowing players to take turns working on beating the game. Over time, it became more cooperative (Mario 3, Super Mario World). Zelda is a one-player experience, like a novel turned into a videogame. So, yes, Mario gains more popularity because it covers a broader range of gamer, whereas the Zelda games focus on a very specific market of gamers. This explains the sales superiority.
Now, that being said, I haven't personally touched Mario Sunshine of Super Mario Galaxy. They're not high on the list, although I am aware they are fun. I spent my time on the GC playing Resident Evil Remake and Eternal Darkness and Wind Waker. I always make a point to play every Zelda game. Its just the type of game that interests me.
To date, I've yet to find a game that comes close to the epic level of Ocarina of Time.
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