'Final Fantasy' March Madness: Sweet Sixteen

How are your brackets looking? Final Fantasy March Madness has seen some upsets, but I have to imagine someone’s still perfect. Today’s Sweet Sixteen battles cut the field in half en route to the coveted Elite Eight. Here’s a look at this round’s matchups:

Round 1-1Round 1-2Round 1-3Round 1-4

Round 2-1Round 2-2 For anyone catching up!

Sweet Sixteen

1. Lightning (XIII) vs. 5. Basch fon Ronsenburg (XII)

Basch has defeated previous opponents in this tournament with his considerable experience in battle. He has a soldier’s mentality, but so does this new adversary. Lightning is at least comparable to Basch’s reputation as a fighter. And her raw power goes well beyond anything found in Ivalice. Lightning is more inherently supernatural, and the skilled l’Cie pack a stronger punch than a XII universe that was meant to be a bit more grounded. Basch is elite in a medieval war of empires. Lightning is elite in a science-fiction superpower bonanza. Lightning faces her toughest duel yet, but wins again without much difficulty.

11. Rinoa Heartilly (VIII) vs. 10. Tifa Lockhart (VII)

Tifa’s certainly the superior athlete of these two. And if Rinoa isn’t careful, she’ll eat a knockout punch at any stage of this battle. But we’ve already discussed the difficulties a brawler may have against Rinoa’s adept and quick magic. There may not be enough easy opportunities to combo the sorceress into oblivion. Tifa isn’t a stranger to magic, but her mystical abilities are a distant afterthought behind her fiery fists. Much like the previous fight, toughness can only take a character so far against supernaturally superior threats. Rinoa’s surprising tournament journey continues, and she wins again to reach our Elite Eight.

1. Noctis Lucis Caelum (XV) vs. 4. Auron (X)

You have to wonder whether or not a few rounds against Noctis would leave Auron thinking he’s too old for all this. Auron’s legendary presence, while of course posing a physical threat, owes a great deal of its reputation to Auron’s leadership. Guardians provide help in more ways than just winning fights, and he’s often the only stabilizing presence in X’s party. So Auron is immensely skilled, but he can’t keep up with the king of kings. He could probably be the role model that Cor never was for the up and coming monarch, but he wouldn’t overpower the kid. Besides, Auron’s got no depth perception. The Armiger would be a dizzying mess. Noctis would have his hands full against a much more knowledgeable fighter, but it’ll take more raw power to produce an upset. Noctis wins again.

6. Balthier (XII) vs. 2. Zidane Tribal (IX)

Zidane continues to take on this tournament’s most charming gentlemen. I like to think he’s taking notes as he goes along. If Zidane picked up a second protagonist job in XII, it’d be the greatest party in gaming history. But alas, a Sweet Sixteen fight is all we have for this pair right now. Balthier can access a variety of weapons, but his canonical weapon of choice is a firearm. That’s not necessarily the best weapon to use against a speedy thief. Zidane’s athleticism is leagues ahead of Balthier, but the sky pirate is the superior warrior. It’s a tough match to call between two characters that can win at any cost. But as time goes on, Zidane again leans on his Trance ability. And I’m not convinced Balthier can pistol his way out of that one. Zidane wins via speed and some supernatural advantages.

1. Terra Branford (VI) vs. 4. Sabin Figaro (VI)

This matchup provides one of the more apples-to-apples comparisons, because these two are fellow party members from the same game. Final Fantasy VI offers a consistent read on how these two would perform in this setting. VI even has its own coliseum to sort it all out. It’s not a stretch to say that Terra’s adept magic may tap into the VI universe’s most powerful resource. Espers can wreak havoc on humans; this much is clear. Sabin’s techniques, from the perspective of the party, aren’t far behind. He’s a distinctly better fighter than his opponent, even though she can launch him into space if he’s not careful. Terra’s mighty morphing is something to factor in, but the power is short lived and significantly less effective after it’s already been used. In addition to the feature’s forced moderation, Terra’s attitude isn’t the most tournament-ready. While she was off sulking instead of saving the world, Sabin was lifting a house. He’d love nothing more than to ferociously compete in solo matches against fellow Final Fantasy characters, and she’d rather avoid this altogether. The Figaro bro is the more trustworthy combatant, has every technical advantage, and Sabin wins this fight to send a top seed packing.

6. Vincent Valentine (VII) vs. 2. Cecil Harvey (IV)

Vincent has enjoyed a somewhat surprisingly successful tournament run. His Chaos form, in particular, conjures an obstacle that very few Final Fantasy characters can handle alone. Cecil is the most skilled knight in a combat savvy kingdom. His valiant reputation is second to none, making him the ideal candidate to give this a shot. He can fight summons, and Chaos Vincent is a similar challenge. Cecil’s stout defense and capable healing allow the former Dark Knight to stand his ground. His skill with a blade can handle Vincent’s eventual berserk mode, which deals some devastating but predictable attacks. Cecil is a killer and a tank rolled into one accomplished lad. Vincent’s gun wouldn’t do him many favors, and his transformative luck would finally run out against someone who can level the playing field against the beast. Cecil wins and advances to the Elite Eight.

1. Cloud Strife (VII) vs. 5. Kain Highwind (IV)

It’s a shame that these two couldn’t meet later, because they’re both prepared to make some serious noise in future rounds. But Cloud and Kain clash with comparable poise and fighting expertise. Both practically take flight to slaughter hordes of helpless enemies. Kain would benefit greatly from the Holy Dragoon class, and Cloud wouldn’t mind his Fusion Swords. But sequels are forbidden in this tournament, which brings this pair an inch or so back down to Earth. They can jump for days, swing tremendous weapons with ease, and kill with a coldness only matched in intensity by their inner angst. But while Kain fights with the hunger of someone envying a top dog, Cloud is that top dog. Kain is more or less the Vegeta of Final Fantasy IV, which means that an essential element of his character is falling that one step shy of his rivals to fuel his ever growing will to improve. He’d of course be the strongest character in most of the series’ entries, but not VII. Cloud is another species, and he takes the win from one of our best fights.

6. Oerba Yun Fang (XIII) vs. 7. Celes Chere (VI)

Add another duel to the list of decisions that break my heart as these calls grow closer and closer. Fang is narrowly stronger than Celes, and Celes is significantly more powerful from a magical standpoint. The real question is simply; just how much are the XIII Eidolons helping out in this tournament? It’s a difficult thing to determine. Based on XIII’s lore, the help of a summoned companion may be fleeting. It may only briefly factor in during times of need. That, of course, is still more than enough to win most fights. Bahamut doesn’t have to do much more than swoop down to say hello. But Celes can withstand a great deal, competently cross blades with her opponent, and let some cataclysmic magic win the day. It’s another painfully difficult verdict, but Celes wins with a balanced and powerful arsenal.

Only eight combatants remain after another tough round of battles. Next time, there’s no time to waste. We’ll be combining the Elite Eight, Final Four, and championship into one grand finale.