Final Fantasy Music Rumble

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Welcome to an annual tradition from one of the other forums I visit. Each year, we pair off 128 songs from the Final Fantasy series to see who comes out on top. That community being rather small, coupled with Dragonmount being my new home in general, I thought I would port the competition over to here. Votes from both sites will be combined to determine the winners each round.

 

This is a Final Fantasy music knock-out game.

 

128 songs from the main Final Fantasy series (1-14) will be randomly paired head-to-head. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick a winner in each pairing.

 

* You can vote periodically or choose all 64 at once. I will be posting the match-ups in groups of 8 every few days with direct links to Youtube, but you can find the full first-round pairings in a spoiler tag below and search them yourselves. I will edit this when the first round ends, so it's safe to assume all Round 1 voting is still open. All brackets (A-H) will remain open until r2, so feel free to go back and vote if you missed one.

 

* The first round will remain open at least until 5 people vote (combined between both sites).

 

* This year, 27 new entries, advanced through an earlier qualification round, will be replacing tracks which fared poorly last year. (The old songs can still return next year through the same process.) Match-ups are chosen through random.org and modified to the bare minimum necessary to ensure that no opening round pairings are repeated from previous years.

 

* There is absolutely no standard criteria for voting.

 

* In the event of a tie, the statistical underdog always wins.

 

If you're curious, last year's winner was Final Fantasy VII - Bombing Mission.

It beat Final Fantasy IV - Main Theme 4-3 in the finals.

The semi-finalists were Final Fantasy VI - Dancing Mad and Final Fantasy IX - The Place I'll Return To Someday.

Within the Giant (FF4), New Continent (FF6), Liberi Fatali (FF8), and Dark Messenger (FF9) made it to the quarterfinals.

 

Click below for the full first round pairings:

(not an actual spoiler--feel free to vote on them all right away)

 

 

Eruyt Village (FF12, 18) vs Besaid Island (FF10, 4)

Freya's Theme (FF9, 20) vs Eternal Wind (FF3, 5)

The Extreme (FF8, 31) vs Slam Shuffle (FF6, 8)

Illusionary World (FF4, new entry) vs Frontier Village Dali (FF9, 7)

Matoya's Cavern (FF1, 11) vs Under Her Control (FF8, 7)

Red Wings (FF4, 15) vs Succession of Witches (FF8, new entry)

Ru'Lude Gardens (FF11, new entry) vs The Phon Coast (FF12, 8)

Starlight Celebration (FF14, 3) vs The Man with the Machine Gun (FF8, 8)

J-E-N-O-V-A (FF7, 19) vs The Promise (FF13, new entry)

The Sight of Spira (FF10, 5) vs The Hanging Edge (FF13, new entry)

Main Theme (FF2, 9) vs New Continent (FF6, 21)

Cid's Theme (FF7, new entry) vs The Way to the Top (FF3, new entry)

Cloud of Darkness (FF3, 11) vs The Lunarians (FF4, 11)

Prologue (FF4, 12) vs Find Your Way (FF8, 33)

The Castle (FF8, 16) vs Save Them! (FF6, 9)

Main Theme (FF1, new entry) vs Lake Bresha (FF13, new entry)

Attack (Raid) (FF10, 5) vs Castle Pandemonium (FF2, new entry)

The Royal City of Rabanastre (FF12, 11) vs The Empire Gestahl (FF6, 6)

Seymour Battle (FF10, 18) vs Wailers and Waterwheels (FF14, new entry)

To Zanarkand (FF10, 17) vs Force Your Way (FF8, 18)

To the Place of Gods (FF12, 13) vs Seeking Power (FF12, 5)

Melodies of Life (FF9, 9) vs Fight 2 (FF4, 24)

Aetherial Slumber (FF14, 7) vs Battle (FF3, 3)

Kingdom Baron (FF4, new entry) vs Kefka (FF6, 14)

The Place I'll Return to Some Day (FF9, 37) vs Opening Theme (FF6, 29)

Troian Beauty (FF4, 14) vs Devil's Lab (FF6, 20)

Breezy (FF8, 15) vs The Four Warriors of Dawn (FF5, new entry)

Birth of the God (FF7, 21) vs Auron's Theme (FF10, 3)

Still More Fighting (FF7, 20) vs Dusk Vigil (FF14, new entry)

Longfall (FF11, new entry) vs One-Winged Angel (FF7, 18)

Saber's Edge (FF13, 7) vs Eden Under Siege (FF13, new entry)

Maybe I'm a Lion (FF8, 5) vs Battle 2 (FF3, new entry)

The Dreadful Fight (FF4, 26) vs Tower of Bab-il (FF4, new entry)

Prelude (FF4, 26) vs Harvest (FF5, 2)

Gold Saucer (FF7, 8) vs Martial Law (FF8, 14)

Dancing Mad (FF6, 60) vs Bombing Mission (FF7, 50)

Within the Giant (FF4, 34) vs Troops March On (FF6, 2)

Ravana Theme (Phase 1) (FF14, new entry) vs The Fierce Battle (FF6, 11)

Airship (FF11, 15) vs Vamo Alla Flamenco (FF9, 12)

Vivi's Theme (FF9, 10) vs Rabanastre Downtown (FF12, 12)

Off the Edge of Despair (FF7, 13) vs Final Battle (FF9, 9)

Aerith's Theme (FF7, 18) vs Cursed Earth (FF5, 7)

Wild West (FF6, 12) vs The Silence Before the Storm (FF10, 13)

Decisive Battle (FF10, 39) vs Phantom Train (FF6, 23)

The Final Battle (FF4, 10) vs Blue Fields (FF8, 11)

Liberi Fatali (FF8, 24) vs Clash on the Big Bridge (FF5, 36)

Signs of Change (FF12, new entry) vs Steiner's Theme (FF9, new entry)

Nalbina Fortress Underground Prison (FF12, 18) vs Valley of the Fallen Star (FF7, 29)

On the Other Side of the Mountain (FF7, 9) vs The Nightmare Begins (FF7, 16)

The Mines of Narshe (FF6, 9) vs Home Sweet Home (FF5, 12)

Those for the Purge (FF13, new entry) vs Awakened Forest (FF9, 6)

Main Theme (FF4, 33) vs Despair (FF11, 7)

Balamb Garden (FF8, new entry) vs On Windy Meadows (FF14, 10)

Last Dungeon (FF6, 25) vs The Decisive Battle (FF6, 28)

Song of Memories (FF9, 11) vs Ancient Castle (FF2, 11)

The Forested Temple (FF7, 10) vs Dark Messenger (FF9, 41)

Chasing the Black-Caped Man (FF7, 11) vs Ahead On Our Way (FF5, new entry)

JENOVA Absolute (FF7, 9) vs Syrcus Tower (FF14, new entry)

Sealed Away (FF5, 8) vs Walking the Snowy Mountains (FF5, new entry)

The Forgotten Capital (FF12, 9) vs The Invincible (FF3, 3)

Dreams Aloft (FF14, new entry) vs Esper Battle (FF12, 8)

Chateau d'Oraguille (FF11, 21) vs Gurgu Volcano (FF1, 19)

Anxiety (FF11, 15) vs Sprouting (FF10, 8)

The Skycity Bhujerba (FF12, 7) vs Theme of the Tantalus (FF9, 7)

 

Tracks will be listed with their cumulative total votes for all previous years.

 

So without further ado, Round 1A:

 

Eruyt Village (FF12, 18) vs Besaid Island (FF10, 4)

Freya's Theme (FF9, 20) vs Eternal Wind (FF3, 5)

The Extreme (FF8, 31) vs Slam Shuffle (FF6, 8)

Illusionary World (FF4, new entry) vs Frontier Village Dali (FF9, 7)

Matoya's Cavern (FF1, 11) vs Under Her Control (FF8, 7)

Red Wings (FF4, 15) vs Succession of Witches (FF8, new entry)

Ru'Lude Gardens (FF11, new entry) vs The Phon Coast (FF12, 8)

Starlight Celebration (FF14, 3) vs The Man with the Machine Gun (FF8, 8)

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These were my picks for 1A:

 

Besaid Island (FF10, 4)

Eternal Wind (FF3, 5)

The Extreme (FF8, 31)

Illusionary World (FF4, new entry)

Matoya's Cavern (FF1, 11)

Red Wings (FF4, 15)

The Phon Coast (FF12, 8)

Starlight Celebration (FF14, 3)

[Guest]

Oooh!!!! I LOVE FF music!

 

My picks (some of these were really hard):

 

Besaid Island (FF10, 4)

Freya's Theme (FF9, 20)

The Extreme (FF8, 31) (CLASSIC)

Illusionary World (FF4, new entry) vs Frontier Village Dali (FF9, 7) ... i love both these so much... but okay... Frontier Village Dali (FF9, 7)

Matoya's Cavern (FF1, 11)

Succession of Witches (FF8, new entry)

The Phon Coast (FF12, 8) (... but both...)

The Man with the Machine Gun (FF8, 8) 

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Awesome, I saw you said a while ago that To Zanarkand was your favorite song, so I was hoping you'd take an interest in this.  :)

 

Next grouping is coming up some time tonight.

[Guest]

I got the girls to help me lol

 

(FF10, 4)

(FF9, 20)

(FF8, 31)

(FF9, 7)

(FF1, 11)

(FF8, new entry)

(FF11, new entry)

(FF14, 3)

[Cairos]

I'm such a big fan of Final Fantasy!

 

Besaid Island (FF10, 4)

Freya's Theme (FF9, 20)

The Extreme (FF8, 31)

Frontier Village Dali (FF9, 7)

Under Her Control (FF8, 7)

Succession of Witches (FF8, new entry)

The Phon Coast (FF12, 8)

The Man with the Machine Gun (FF8, 8)

[Cory Caboose]

Dancing Mad (FF6, 60) vs Bombing Mission (FF7, 50)

 

brutal 1st round matchup

[Cory Caboose]

 (FF12, 18) vs 

 (FF10, 4) don't care

 (FF9, 20) vs 

 (FF3, 5) FF9 is probably my second favorite game in the series even though it constantly gets cast off as "cartoony" and "light" in comparison to the rest of the series. freya's theme is always permanently associated to the burmecia arc of that game which has always hit me in the feels because you're basically watching then entirety of their culture get genocide'd. FF9 is basically a game about genocide.

 (FF8, 31) vs 

 (FF6, 8) as much as i loved getting that chainsaw in zozo, can't fight the ff8 closing sequence. their late-game boss music always rules.

 (FF4, new entry) vs 

 (FF9, 7) rat tail tho

 (FF1, 11) vs 

 (FF8, 7) classic

 (FF4, 15) vs 

 (FF8, new entry) this one was hilariously difficult. Red Wings is basically the arc theme of ff4 and is just a big beautiful piece. was the first really great musical composition of the US super nintendo era for me, and the way it opens the game is awesome. succession of witches was used beautifully in ff8 though as a tension piece. as soon as it came on you were like "uh oh". red wings by a hair.

 (FF11, new entry) vs 

 (FF12, 8) don't care

 (FF14, 3) vs 

 (FF8, 8) laguna weird character i've always loved for no reason.

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Dancing Mad (FF6, 60) vs Bombing Mission (FF7, 50)

 

brutal 1st round matchup

 

They were the year 1 and year 2 winners.  RNG was harsh.

[Cory Caboose]

Dancing Mad is like an all-time great composition. Beyond video game music, it's just a masterpiece.

[Cory Caboose]

Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel.

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Awesome to see so much participation.  I got 9 voters between both sites, which is more than I expected.

 

@Cory, Dancing Mad won in a landslide the first year we did this.  It only lost last year because a few of us made a point to try and avoid a repeat winner and only voted it if we generally disliked the song it was up against.

 

Round 1B - You can still vote in 1A until all of Round 1 is complete.

(FF7, 19) vs

(FF13, new entry)

(FF10, 5) vs The Hanging Edge (FF13, new entry)

(FF2, 9) vs

(FF6, 21)

(FF7, new entry) vs

(FF3, new entry)

(FF3, 11) vs

(FF4, 11)

(FF4, 12) vs

(FF8, 33)

(FF8, 16) vs

(FF6, 9)

(FF1, new entry) vs

(FF13, new entry)

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My picks are:

 

The Promise (FF13, new entry)

The Sight of Spira (FF10, 5) ~~ I'll vote Sight of Spira over just about anything in this game.

New Continent (FF6, 21)

The Way to the Top (FF3, new entry)

The Lunarians (FF4, 11)

Prologue (FF4, 12)

Save Them! (FF6, 9)

Lake Bresha (FF13, new entry)

[Shad_]

Probably posting the next set of these tonight--every 3 days is the norm the original site I do this on is used to.  But you can still vote for all the Round 1 brackets until it's over, and that's going to be a few weeks yet.

[Shad_]

Oh well, here's 1C

 

Attack (Raid) (FF10, 5) vs Castle Pandemonium (FF2, new entry)

The Royal City of Rabanastre (FF12, 11) vs The Empire Gestahl (FF6, 6)

Seymour Battle (FF10, 18) vs Wailers and Waterwheels (FF14, new entry)

To Zanarkand (FF10, 17) vs Force Your Way (FF8, 18)

To the Place of Gods (FF12, 13) vs Seeking Power (FF12, 5)

Melodies of Life (FF9, 9) vs Fight 2 (FF4, 24)

Aetherial Slumber (FF14, 7) vs Battle (FF3, 3)

Kingdom Baron (FF4, new entry) vs Kefka (FF6, 14)

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My choices were

 

Castle Pandemonium (FF2, new entry)

The Empire Gestahl (FF6, 6)

Wailers and Waterwheels (FF14, new entry)

To Zanarkand (FF10, 17)

Seeking Power (FF12, 5)

Fight 2 (FF4, 24)

Aetherial Slumber (FF14, 7)

Kingdom Baron (FF4, new entry)

[Guest]

My choices for round 1B:

 

The Promise (FF13, new entry) - ♡

The Sight of Spira (FF10, 5) - both were good but I chose this one for personal memories. I literally heard this song for hours and hours on end.

Main Theme (FF2, 9) -classic; repeated through so many of the ff games.

The Way to the Top(FF3, new entry)

The Lunarians (FF4, 11)

Find Your Way (FF8, 33)

The Castle (FF8, 16) - both are good but I'm going with this one for its diversity. It's musical brilliance.

Lake Bresha (FF13,new entry) - I love this one. All the instruments...

[Guest]

My choices for round 1C:

 

Attack (Raid) (FF10, 5)

The Royal City of Rabanastre (FF12, 11) - FF tactics!

Wailers and Waterwheels (FF14, new entry) - Gridania was my home town.

To Zanarkand (FF10, 17) - This is my favourite song. Of all time.

To the Place of Gods (FF12, 13)

Fight 2 (FF4, 24)

Aetherial Slumber (FF14, 7)

Kefka (FF6, 14)

[Shad_]

Round 1D

 

The Place I'll Return to Some Day (FF9, 37) vs Opening Theme (FF6, 29)

Troian Beauty (FF4, 14) vs Devil's Lab (FF6, 20)

Breezy (FF8, 15) vs The Four Warriors of Dawn (FF5, new entry)

Birth of the God (FF7, 21) vs Auron's Theme (FF10, 3)

Still More Fighting (FF7, 20) vs Dusk Vigil (FF14, new entry)

Longfall (FF11, new entry) vs One-Winged Angel (FF7, 18)

Saber's Edge (FF13, 7) vs Eden Under Siege (FF13, new entry)

Maybe I'm a Lion (FF8, 5) vs Battle 2 (FF3, new entry)

[Shad_]

These were my picks:

 

Opening Theme (FF6, 29)

Troian Beauty (FF4, 14)

The Four Warriors of Dawn (FF5, new entry)

Birth of the God (FF7, 21)

Dusk Vigil (FF14, new entry)

Longfall (FF11, new entry)

Saber's Edge (FF13, 7)

Battle 2 (FF3, new entry)

[Shad_]

fwiw, as it's currently trending you hold the (7th) tie-breaking vote on a lot of these. So while even more participation would be great, even one person makes quite a difference. :)

[Shad_]

Round 1E

 

The Dreadful Fight (FF4, 26) vs Tower of Bab-il (FF4, new entry)

Prelude (FF4, 26) vs Harvest (FF5, 2)

Gold Saucer (FF7, 8) vs Martial Law (FF8, 14)

Dancing Mad (FF6, 60) vs Bombing Mission (FF7, 50)

Within the Giant (FF4, 34) vs Troops March On (FF6, 2)

The Hand That Gives the Rose (FF14, new entry) vs The Fierce Battle (FF6, 11)

Airship (FF11, 15) vs Vamo Alla Flamenco (FF9, 12)

Vivi's Theme (FF9, 10) vs Rabanastre Downtown (FF12, 12)

[Guest]

I'll look into these when I can.

 

... I've said it before but I love the ff music.

[Shad_]

I went with:

 

Tower of Bab-il (FF4, new entry)

Prelude (FF4, 26)

Gold Saucer (FF7, 8)

Dancing Mad (FF6, 60)

Within the Giant (FF4, 34)

The Fierce Battle (FF6, 11)

Airship (FF11, 15)

Rabanastre Downtown (FF12, 12)

[Shad_]

If you're curious about where Round 1 currently stands since you can't see the majority of the votes, it's currently at:

 

Besaid Island 7 - 2 Eruyt Village

Freya's Theme 7 - 3 Eternal Wind

The Extreme 8 - 2 Slam Shuffle

Frontier Village Dali 6 - 4 Illusionary World

Matoya's Cavern 6 - 4 Under Her Control

Red Wings 6 - 4 Succession of Witches

The Phon Coast 7 - 2 Ru'Lude Gardens

The Man with the Machine Gun 6 - 4 Starlight Celebration

J-E-N-O-V-A 4 - 3 The Promise

The Sight of Spira 5 - 2 The Hanging Edge

New Continent 5 - 2 FF2 Main Theme

Cid's Theme 5 - 2 The Way to the Top

Cloud of Darkness 4 - 3 The Lunarians

Prologue 4 - 3 Find Your Way

The Castle 6 - 1 Save Them!

FF1 Main Theme 4 - 3 Lake Bresha

Attack (Raid) 5 - 2 Castle Pandemonium

The Empire Gestahl 4 - 3 The Royal City Of Rabanastre

Wailers and Waterwheels 5 - 2 Seymour Battle

To Zanarkand 6 - 1 Force Your Way

Seeking Power 6 - 1 To the Place of Gods

FF4 Fight 2 4 - 3 Melodies of Life

Aetherial Slumber 4 - 3 FF3 Battle

Kefka 4 - 3 Kingdom Baron

 

Didn't add up the last two sections yet