Rocket League takes the classic game of football and mixes high octane competition and action with rocket-powered vehicles. Since its release in 2015, it has been one of the most popular games in the world, spawning an esports scene and being ported to all relevant gaming platforms. Although the game has been out for a while, it has now become free, which means that even more people are forced to try it. If this is your first time choosing Rocket League, check out our tips and tricks below.
Play with friends
While Rocket League can be enjoyed by playing alone, it's best to play with a friend or two to communicate in 2v2 or 3v3. Not only can you talk about strategy, but avoiding the toxic culture of random online gamers makes it a much better experience.
Find someone you love to play games with. You can share the roaring explosive goals and fast-paced action as you get acclimated to the game and optionally adopt ranked game modes.
Using Ballcam
Having the mind focused on the position and trajectory of the ball is essential not to give up an easy goal. At least at startup, we recommend using Ballcam. By default, the in-game camera will be positioned behind your car at all times, but Ballcam keeps it focused on the ball. If you develop enough spatial awareness in Rocket League it doesn't matter what is directly in front of you, but knowing where the ball is at all times is vitally important so that you can react appropriately in any situation. situation. The best part is that the camera can be switched in the middle of the game with the push of a button so you can really experience what you love.
Don't waste your boost (and don't lose control)
Boost is an essential aspect of every Rocket League game. This can ensure you go back in time to prevent a goal, demolish an enemy team member, and if you're good enough, get used to get robbed in the arena. A common mistake for new players, however, is to blow all your nudge in bad situations, so you don't have it when you need it.
You'll notice on the arena floor that there are plenty of pickup points available to you at all times, but unless you get the biggest drops, you'll be looking for a boost for too long. This is why it is crucial to manage your boost output. Unless you're rushing to hit or block an objective, you want to have at least a little boost at all times when you're a beginner. Also, don't crank up so much that you lose control of your car. Rocket League is not a difficult game to control. Still, in some situations where the ball is moving slower than you, it may be easier to miss it altogether or accidentally score a goal on yourself if you're not careful. Stay in control, so that you have an idea of where you want the ball to go and perform any maneuvers you have planned.
Have at least one player in a position to defend
One of the most disheartening circumstances in Rocket League is when you and your team are on offense and set a goal. Everything may seem to be going well, and all of a sudden, things go wrong. Maybe the enemy team accidentally flips the ball near your objective. Maybe they can run away with the ball. Whatever the situation, it is always important to have someone able to react to the other team.
This is where the rotation comes in. Suppose you are playing 3v3 and you have two people on the offensive. The third should play closer to your goal, probably in midfield, if there's a strike that sends the ball down the pitch. If this back has the opportunity to run with the ball, the one who is farthest away should turn to that back position. This still protects your team while maintaining an effective attack.
Center the ball for more manageable goals
No one likes a ball hog in any sport. This is why you should involve your teammates. Probably the most effective way to do this is to cross the ball. This is when the ball is placed in a position directly in front of the opponent's goal, which leads to a simpler goal.
If you have the ball, let your teammates know that you will attempt to set them up. They must be located somewhere near the center of the field on the opponent's side so that they can react to the destination of the ball. Your job is to dodge enemy cars and place the ball on a board for your teammates. Especially for new players, it is arguably best to ricochet the ball off a wall. If you're on the side, use your boost and aim for the corner so the ball can roll up the wall and be placed a few inches from the goal. If you've gone past the target, let go of your boost and try hitting the ball from below with a single jump to give it a lazy pop-up that only someone with momentum can perform. Not all approaches have to include a powerful approach. In fact, if the ball is moving quickly, the harder it will be for your teammate to score. Experiment with ways to get the ball in the middle of the pitch, and you will rack up the assists, your teammates will love you and, most importantly, you will score a lot of goals.
Learn how the ball reacts to your flips
Not only are Rocket League vehicles equipped with a boost, they are also capable of doing double jumps and rocking in any direction. This is vital in many aspects of the game. Forward flips are useful for gaining speed without a boost and for performing frontal strikes on the ball. For the most direct approach to hitting the ball with power, you will perform a front flip.
Side flips are great for positioning the ball where you want it and getting flashy goals. If you are on either side of the opponent's goal and position yourself correctly on the ball, it makes the defensive approach harder to read where the ball will go. It's not as powerful and fast as the front flip, but it's flashy and deceptive.
Most people never really talk about the backflip, but it also has its uses. We like to use it when the ball jumps into the air on either side of the pitch. Using the bicycle kick motion is unexpected in most situations as it is not powerful, but rejecting the other team a bit can mean the difference between the two teams' scores. Do not neglect the backflip in situations where you are not moving quickly.
Don't worry about the aerial gameplay yet
The most impressive games are made when a car flies through the air and scores a goal. It is almost fascinating to see how some players are doing. That being said, as a beginner it is not at all important to master the aerial gameplay yet. Yes, it can give you an advantage, but it will only be in niche situations. The vast majority of the time you will react to the ball on the ground or bounce off the wall. Focus on other aspects of Rocket League first. Develop your communication with your team, learn how the ball flies and bounces off objects, and perfect your flipping strategy, and you will be a good player. The most complicated things will eventually happen.
