Top 5 WCS Finals Matches

Despite the rather one-sided results of WCS Season 2’s s finals series (Bomber sweeps over Jaedong 4-0), the Cologne, Germany-based SC2 tournament has been rife with nail biting, heart attack inducing matches, with the most notable ones being during the group stages and quarterfinals.

As the weekend comes to a close, we at GosuGamers can’t help but relive the tournament’s most memorable matches. Check out what we believe to be the top five games of the WCS Finals.

5.) NaNiwa Vs. INnoVation VoD

Why was it good: INnoVation is beatable, this fact has been proven in the past, but to be bested by a foreigner? If there is any foreigner able to best INnoVation, it would be one that practices with the Koreans and it certainly was. NaNiwa’s recent successes have been notable, the young ambitious and emotionally devoted player of the game is proving that he has what it takes to be a world class SC2 player.

4.) aLive Vs. First on Whirlwind 

Why was it good: When’s the last time you saw Tempests in a TvP in a pro match? It’s been awhile I’m sure, the last match I personally recall was during the WCS Season 1 Grand Finals between sOs Vs. INnoVation on Neo Planet S and it didn’t play out very well for sOs.

The match started off relatively slow, with Alive pushing an economic advantage while First pushed for tech. Any drop aggression from both players were denied, First surrounded his base with observers while Alive walled off his perimeter with missile turrets. The real battles only began to brew as both players approached the 200 supply mark, then it became a battle of unit control – feedbacks versus snipes, vikings trying to snipe colossus while avoiding blink stalkers and storms. The two pros traded blow for blow… and then the Tempests came.

A base race scenario launched, which was eventually met by an inevitable collision between both players’ armies. Alive’s viking fleet rained fire on the colossus instead of the Tempest, killing the majority of colossi, but falling to First’s nearly intact Tempest squadron. With nearly no income for both players, First’s superior army made quick work of Alive’s very small Viking count. With feedbacks, storms, and tempests’ sieging prowess, Alive had no choice but to GG a very unusual, very epic, TvP. 

3.) MC Vs. Jaedong on Whirlwind VoD

Why was it good:  The resurgences of tyrants do not come without friction and who better to provide the struggle than Protoss revolutionist, MC.

So often do Protoss two base all-ins result in a brisk anti-climactic finish - either the Zerg successfully defends and crushes the economically inferior Protoss or the Toss’ push proves too formidable and the Zerg crumples to the seemingly endless supply of warp-ins as the mechanical legs of immortals walk over lifeless Zerg carapaces. This match, however, does not develop in any sort of typical fashion.

MC gains an early advantage with a cannon rush that denies Jaedong’s early third, priming the Protoss player for an aggressive two-base window that he, due to two critical errors, misses. The first: powering six gateways with a single pylon, and the second: leaving a gap in his wall allowing Jaedong’s zerglings to rush into MC’s base and kill that single pylon powering MC’s aggression. With no other choice but to pull back his offensive forces, MC readies himself to defend against an economically superior Zerg force. Despite his disadvantageous position, MC manages to hold against all odds with a bastion-like defense in conjunction with hatchery and drone slaying counterattacks that abate Jaedong’s ultralisk/zergling army. The rest of the always entertaining match includes tech switches, psi storms, and a culminating battle between two high-tech armies running off one-base economies.

2.) INnoVation Vs. TaeJa on Newkirk Precinct VoD

Why was it good: The reason is quite simple – INnoVation brings back Hellbats with some of the hottest (pun attended) mech play versus TaeJa’s bio army.

If you’re tired of marine/tank mirrors, please do yourself a favor and watch this match, but grab snacks because you’ll be in it for the long haul. This epic 52 minute game involves Hellbat drops, seeker missiles, and expansions at every possible location. Back and forth, both players edge on the precipice of defeat in multiple instances throughout the match.

1.) Scarlett Vs. Bomber on Whirlwind VoD

Why was it good: It’s hard not to root for Scarlett, the foreigner who invested so much into SC2 eSports, moving away from the comforts of home to South Korea in order to foster her talents. Watching the WCS Finals you’ll find that the results of her sacrifice are evident, even admirable and this match against Brood War veteran, Bomber, adequately exemplifies Scarlett’s progress.

Both players open macro heavy, Scarlett with a three hatch before pool while Bomber opens with a command center first. Things look grim early on for the foreigner as Bomber manages to drive four hellions in Scarlett’s main before she gets speedlings resulting in 15 crispy drones. Scarlett climbs back despite the early economic blow through a near perfect four base ling, baneling, mutalisk defense that abates Bomber’s aggressive 3 base marine/mine shove. A role reversal comes into play after several successful engagements from Scarlett’s end, using her immensely mobile army, lings and mutas in conjunction with some very clutch Overloard creep, she goes on the offensive, constantly denying Bomber’s fourth base with surgical precision. If you weren’t a fan of Scarlett before, this match may sway you to her side.