The Legend of Zelda’s Link is a warrior who has endured for decades and stood the test of time as one of the most popular video game protagonists ever created. He’s faced down multiple threats, ominous bosses and superpowered villains, emerging victorious every single time.

What if the universe was torn asunder, and protagonists from other video game franchises arrived to challenge him to a duel? That’s the question being asked today, and we’ve compiled a list of 5 characters that could defeat Link, and 5 who fall short of the task. Let’s see who wins and loses.

10 Win: Samus Aran

While Link has an impressive array of weapons and tricks up his sleeve, chances are he’d get countered by Samus Aran’s superior repertoire. What good is a sword and a boomerang against a Metroid-stopping ice beam, after all?

In her default state, Link might at least stand a chance, but even at half of her full potential, Samus is a force to be reckoned with. Her morph ball ability alone could turn the tide of the conflict and set up a punishing, fatal attack.

9 Lose: Mario

Mario doesn’t exactly have a lot going in terms of combat skills. Even if he’s juiced up with a fire flower, Link’s shield is capable of blocking it, which leaves only one direction to attack from - above.

Mario’s stomp kick might be enough to squash goombas while jettisoning turtles clean from their shells, but Link is no ordinary boot-fodder. Some nimble footwork and a quick counter-attack would cleave Mario down the middle, allowing him to take the crown.

8 Win: Kirby

Kirby is no ordinary opponent. With over 50+ abilities to his name, he’s armed to the teeth with enough firepower to raze Link to the ground. Thing is, he doesn’t need any of them. He could simply inhale Link whole and (literally) spit him back out again.

If that weren’t enough, he’s also got angled attacks that can catch Link off guard, who would probably be focusing more on straight-line attacks. Whatever the case, this little pink alien would emerge victorious.

7 Lose: Crono

Chrono Trigger’s main character would certainly be able to stand toe-to-toe with Link and go the distance, but he’d lose by a hair. Crono is an expert katana fighter, and when coupled with techs like Wind Slash, Lightning, and Cleave, he could certainly dish out a lot of damage.

In the end, though, it’s entirely probable that Link would emerge victorious thanks to superior magic attacks and much greater defensive ability. For everything Link blocked, he’d be able to serve it back to Crono, who has little in the way of defense. These two might be evenly matched in some ways, but their fighting potentials are ever-so-slightly different.

6 Win: Mega Man

In his normal state, Mega Man might have difficulty overpowering Link, but his standard-issue beam attack would be more than enough to keep him at bay. It might be cat and mouse for the first few minutes, but eventually, his rapid-fire attacks would be enough to overwhelm Link.

If Mega Man absorbed any powers from particular Robot Masters such as Cut-Man, he’d cut Link down to size in no time flat.

5 Lose: Sonic The Hedgehog

Sonic’s speed is dazzling, but Link has dealt with speedy foes before, and emerged victorious. There’s no telling how much of a defense Link’s shield would play, but it’s probable that Sonic would eventually fall victim to his counter-attacks.

If all else failed, Link could unleash Urbosa’s Fury, creating a powerful energy shield around himself that could send Sonic to the cleaners!

4 Win: Alucard

Castlevania’s Alucard might be Link’s perfect match. Both have similar fight styles, both can utilize shields in combat, and both have a powerful array of magical abilities. However, Alucard has supernatural strength and stamina on his side which allows him to withstand the most punishing of attacks.

While the battle might start out as a simple swordfight, Alucard could easily weaken Link with Soul Steal before zipping in close for a crushing blow. His ability to shapeshift between mist, bat and wolf forms could also confuse Link and catch him off guard. Regardless, Alucard’s been fighting for a lot longer than Link has, and that experience would undoubtedly pay off.

3 Lose: Randi

Secret of Mana’s Randi might have the Mana Sword at his ready, but that wouldn’t be enough to face Link and win. Robbed of his magical support team, a lone Randi would be forced to rely on weapon strikes, and nothing else.

Link would hold the magical advantage, and be able to draw upon offensive and defensive capabilities that Randi simply doesn’t have. The best chance Randi would have is the ability to draw upon his weapon charge-up attacks, which take a lot of time. If even one of those attacks missed however, Link would pulverize him outright.

2 Win: Cloud Strife

Final Fantasy VII’s Cloud Strife doesn’t need a shield to square off against Link. His buster sword is cutting edge (no pun intended), and Cloud wields it like an expert. Never mind his status as a 1st Class SOLDIER - Cloud also has materia to fall back on, too.

When infused with the proper materia orbs, Cloud can easily reign down potent magic attacks on Link, or simply summon Bahamut for him to deal with. Outside of the materia realm, Cloud’s limit breaks are the stuff of legend, and nobody wants to be on the receiving end of Omnislash!

1 Lose: Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is nimble, speedy and tough, but Link’s been through far worse in simple boss fights. Mario-style pounce attacks and the ability to throw barrels aren’t enough to take Link down, especially since he can play keep-away with a charged up master sword.

Kong’s only advantage would be his ape-like agility, but anything else would be wasted on Link, who could simply use Din’s Fire to create a defensive field, or Quake to knock him flat on his back. This is not a contest.

NEXT: The Legend Of Zelda: A Link To The Past - 10 Secrets You Missed On The Map