User blog comment:SalaComMander/DEATH BATTLE: Mario vs Sonic/@comment-1986314-20110614201002/@comment-1535286-20110614203505

The battle wasn't about power-ups. The only statement in the video that matters is "Mario was no match for Sonic's natural speed." The only reason the power-ups were there was to show how even matched they are with power-ups, but "once their arsenal was exhausted..." Game over.