In the world of video games, there aren't two figures more recognizable than Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog. They always save the day and do so by beating near-impossible odds. Their ability to overcome is uncanny. What happens when an unstoppable force strikes an immovable object? The following comparison between Mario and Sonic will put the laws of physics into question.
They are two of our favorite heroes, but even heroes don't always get along. In this matchup, we attempt to compare and contrast two of the most prominent figures in video games. This clash is long overdue.
Updated October 10, 2021 by Erik Petrovich: When it comes to the age-old question of who would win Sonic or Mario, there are a lot of factors to consider. Do they fight on a level playing field, or do they have power-ups, abilities, and allies to help them win too? The question of Mario vs Sonic can be sort of answered in the Super Smash Bros games, where Sonic takes it nearly every time, but there are lots of other ways that Mario could take the crown from the speedy hedgehog. Mario's allies, for example, are much more varied and powerful than Sonic's allies, and his power-ups and abilities are much more powerful too. Sonic's major attribute is, of course, his extreme speed that can be hard to match in just about every setting.
12 Super Smash Bros Abilities Only: Sonic Wins
When comparing Sonic vs Mario, two characters who also happen to be playable in one of the world's most popular fighting games, it's only right that a one-on-one contest should factor into the overall rankings. While Mario has been in the series from the start, Sonic entered Super Smash Bros series in Brawl for the Wii and has become one of the more popular characters in tournaments.
Going by pick rate alone, Sonic has Mario beat by a landslide. The reason for this is that Sonic is just faster and more able to pull off insane combo maneuvers than Mario is. While Mario's attacks hit harder in the game, Sonic can dance around enemies while employing the Death By A Thousand Cuts approach to combat.
11 Power-Ups: Mario Wins
With both games known for their power-ups, it's clear right off the bat that Mario has more of them. Mario has a tremendous advantage over his opponent with power-ups like the Invincibility Leaf, Hammer Suit, Metal Mario, Invisibility Hat, and Gold Flower.
However, Sonic the Hedgehog has the Invincibility Stars, Power Sneakers, and Blue Shield. Both have mighty power-ups, but Mario has the slight edge.
10 Raw Speed: Sonic Wins
Mario moves quickly if he is riding a Koopa Shell or in a foot race against Koopa the Quick, but he is not nearly as fast as Sonic. As his name implies, Sonic is capable of reaching supersonic speed.
This means that at the least Sonic can run faster than 768 miles per hour, with plenty of evidence throughout the franchise that he can actually move much, much faster than this. Mario could not keep pace and would be last to strike every time, making the Sonic not only the faster character but also the one with the nearly-unbeatable ability to move at unfathomable speeds.
9 Raw Strength: Mario Wins
In Super Mario 64, Mario lifted Bowser and proceeded to hurl him at active mines. Bowser is about the size and weight of an elephant, if not heavier. Anyone who can toss a turtle/dragon must have superhuman strength. Let's also not forget the time he lifted up an entire castle and punted it away in Super Mario World.
We don't see Sonic the Hedgehog display such power. Sonic is a Hedgehog is a lean figure who can break through walls at superspeed but wouldn't beat Mario in an arm wrestle.
8 Verticality: Sonic Wins
To say if Mario or Sonic jumps higher is slightly complicated since it depends on if they are using jumping equipment. Sonic is known for using springs and bouncy balls to leap higher, and can jump higher in general.
In Super Mario Galaxy, Mario uses Launch Stars to travel to distant planets in a single jump, but is reliant on his wall-jump and triple-jump to gain any meaningful altitude. As the character who can jump higher without external help, Sonic the Hedgehog wins in this category.
7 Combat Experience: It's A Tie
Both of these video game protagonists have seen their fair share of hardships. They've combated the deadliest of foes and are no strangers to perilous worlds, courses, zones, and stages. Villains like Bowser and Dr. Robotnik have their plots foiled time and time again because Mario and Sonic are not new to the game.
When asking who would win Sonic or Mario, experience matters a lot, as it can teach a fighter how to master their skills over time, as well as teach them valuable lessons about weighing their opponents. Their experience is incalculable, which is why they deserve a tie in this category.
6 Help From Allies: Mario Wins
The allies Mario has alongside him throughout his more recent eponymous games are far and away stronger (and, oftentimes, more mystical) than Sonic's allies ever could be. Sonic gets Tails and Knuckles, a childish engineer and a bold-and-brash bruiser, for most of his support alongside other less-seen characters like the hammer-wielding Amy.
Mario, on the other hand, is in a relationship with Princess Toadstool herself, rides Yoshi – a dinosaur – and has allies throughout the scientific, spiritual, and intergalactic worlds. Mario characters might seem cute and simple compared to the edgier Sonic characters, but at the end of the day they just have more going for them. And this is all without mentioning Cappy, who just might give Mario the power to control Sonic's body and render his abilities useless.
5 Physical Force: Sonic Wins
Sonic the Hedgehog's blinding speed in his base form gives him an advantage over his opponent. When Sonic the Hedgehog is at full speed, there is little preventing him from wrecking his enemies. Sonic can ruin advanced robots, leaving only a pile of rubble after one strike!
Mario's deadliest foe is Bowser, the King of the Koopas. Dr. Robotnik controls advanced machines like the Death Egg Robot. This raises the question, which hero has the most powerful foe?
4 Use of the Elements: Mario Wins
Mario can hurl scorching fireballs at his opponents. Usually, Mario can only use his fireball technique if he acquires a Fire Flower. In Super Smash Bros., however, Mario can hurl fireballs at any time.
This power would unquestionably be problematic for Sonic. Suffice to say without a fire shield, Sonic's spiky quills would become singed.
3 Transformations: Sonic Wins
Who has better transformations? Mario's alternate forms are indeed powerful. We can't forget Metal Mario, Boo Mario, and that he can become a Tyrannosaurus Rex! While Mario's transformations would help him in a battle, they usually last less than a minute. Sonic the Hedgehog's Super Sonic form allows him to "fly almost at the speed of light."
Sonic harnesses the power of the Chaos Emeralds to achieve this form. With golden quills, Sonic becomes invincible and faster, making him an unbeatable opponent. When it comes down to transformations affecting the fight in a Sonic vs Mario fight, Sonic takes it for this ultimate form unavailable to Mario.
2 Power of Flight: Mario Wins, Just Barely
In Super Mario 64, Mario used the Wing Cap for the first time giving him control over where he could fly. We've also seen him take flight in previous games, such as Super Mario Bros. 2, where he used a magic carpet. Undoubtedly, flying is a common theme in Mario games.
Sonic the Hedgehog cannot fly unless he is grabbing onto Tails or in his Super Sonic form. Mario would use this advantage to fly to safety and strike with aerial attacks. Sonic the Hedgehog would be caught off guard by Mario's flight capabilities, as Sonic needs others to help him fly whereas Mario apparently just has to don a feathered cap.
1 Overall Winner: Sonic, But Only Just
When it comes to Mario vs Sonic who would win, there's a lot that goes into it. We can't forget that time in Sonic Colors when Sonic the Hedgehog outran a black hole for almost thirty seconds. This new tidbit of information puts Sonic's top speed at hundreds of millions of miles per hour! Mario is a humble Italian plumber who we've grown to love over the years, but ultimately he just can't stack up against Sonic's ridiculous speed shown throughout multiple games to be faster than the speed of light – nobody can ground-pound and punch their way out of that.
Mario's determination, strength, and willpower are unlike any human being, though, and given certain circumstances, Mario would easily beat Sonic. This is reliant on his power-ups, power of the elements, and his allies, though, while Sonic doesn't really need anything except his blinding speed. As both characters are capable of using invincibility power-ups, this match very well could end in a draw, but on a level playing field Sonic the Hedgehog would win nearly every time.