Three games from The International 2024 to [re]watch

_{^{TItle image courtesy of Valve}} 

To help with the post-TI blues, these three games are worth [re]watching to lift your spirits. 

The dust has settled, the Aegis has been claimed, and fans are still buzzing from the unforgettable moments of The International 2024. But amidst the chaos, some games captured our hearts or attention. 

• Read Team Liquid crowned as The International 2024 champions with sweep over rivals Gaimin Gladiators

Tundra Esports didn't get to give Topias "Topson" Taavitsainen a historic three-time championship title. They didn't get Martin "Saksa" Sazdov a second title or new feat to claim the Aegis as a stand-in. But they certainly managed to get first place in many fans' hearts. 

Of all 123 games played at TI13, the most fun, entertaining, and exciting seemed to come mostly from this team. It shouldn't be surprising considering time and time again it was proven Topson's hero pool is as unpredictable as his gameplay. But it wasn't just that. Saksa and Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon's synergy was seamless and fluid – an impressive dance orchestrated within only one week of practice time together. 

While some may argue the best games should come from the Grand Finals – after all, those are the winning and defining moments for TI – these games captured the essence of this year's TI. 

Whether you missed them live or just want to experience the brilliance again, these games offer a masterclass in skill, fun, and pure Dota 2 magic.

Team FalconsvsTundra Esports Upper Bracket Quarter Finals Game 2

Topson got to play his Invoker in game two, while Tundra’s carry choice was Luna. However, the ace in their sleeve was a position 4 Elder Titan, which proved crucial in amplifying Luna’s right click, especially in a late-game scenario. The two fought neck and neck for 60 minutes, each team opening their path to the enemy Throne and reducing the game to buyback timings and small mistakes that could be capitalized on.

At the 62-minute mark Tundra had to watch their base almost crumbling down while they were waiting for everyone to respawn. But once ET was back, a perfectly landed Stomp into Earth Splinter was followed by Luna cleaning everyone in a blink of an eye. The successful hold of the base translated into a clean sweep for Tundra and a top 6 secured at TI13.

• Read TI 2024 main favourites drop to lower bracket

Team FalconsvsTundra Esports Lower Bracket Semi-Finals Game 1

Tundra opened the first game with Lone Druid – one of the hottest current heroes in the game and then Falcons countered with Bristleback. Meanwhile, last pick was for Topson, and ended up as a Viper – a hero he is known to not really play since he considers it ‘boring’ – once again proving you can never guess what Topson will play. 

This was an exciting game that was back and forth until the (Lone Druid) Bear completely started to dominate and tear through everything. MoonMeander did say in the post-draft interview that “Pure is an LD specialist, so… free win” and he wasn't wrong, but it was  Whitemon's  Enchantress that stole the show and helped secure the victory. 

Gaimin GladiatorsvsTundra Esports Lower Bracket Finals Game 3

Game three became an absolutely chaotic brawl, with neither team willing nor wanting to ever give up. With a sizeable lead at first, GG looked to be primed to take a one-sided victory, but Tundra had other plans. Left and right the two teams took team fights, using buybacks wherever possible, and swapping which team was in the driving seat over and over again. Things became even more intense as the game went beyond the hour mark, with Tundra holding on by a thread – but GG was also not able to fully commit to making the final push. It was the smartest decision from GG to utilise the Underlord Fiend’s Gate to pull off the backdoor victory, while the entirety of Tundra’s lineup could only stand by and watch.

As the series came to an end, Topson’s chance at a third Aegis of Champions disappeared, while GG set themselves up for another series against Team Liquid – this time in the grand finals of The International 2024. Tundra Esports exited TI2024 in an admirable third place.

• Read TI 2024: Tundra Esports fall short of the grand finals in heartbreaking loss to Gaimin Gladiators

And since you made it this far, here is our Bonus honourable mention – which is NOT a Tundra game. 

AuroravsXtreme Gaming Lower Bracket Round 3 Game 2

Check out Wang "Ame" Chunyu taking Time Zone on his Faceless Void and Nuengnara "23" Teeramahanon on Spectre with the instant solo pickoffs. 

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