Which series is ultimately greater, Mario or Zelda? (and why)

[curl-6]

Manlytears said:

curl-6 said:

Which of these two series do you think is ultimately greater, and why?

For the purposes of this thread we're counting both 2D and 3D mainline entries, but not spinoffs like Mario Kart or Hyrule Warriors.

Are we talking about an objective analysis—taking into account popularity, sales history, market presence, cultural impact, and other numerical and determinable criterias demonstrating that "X" is more significant and "bigger" than "Y"?

Or is it simply a personal opinion based on "I prefer this game series ( because... )"?

Objectively, Zelda doesn't compare to Mario—not even close. The difference in scale and significance is absolutely colossal! Mario is one of the three most iconic video game franchises of all time! Zelda, on the other hand, barely cracks the Top 10 (if it even makes the list at all). Breath of the Wild was the first Zelda game to break the 20-million-unit mark—a figure that is routine for Mario and other major franchises.

Which you feel is better subjectively, not in terms of sales/etc.