Launched in 2015, Rocket League burst onto the scene to become one of the most recognizable games in Esports. With its fun gameplay and co-operative elements, it is easy to see just why it is so popular. The simplest way to describe Rocket League is – Football with rocket-powered cars. But anyone who has played the game knows that it has so much more to offer. With the player base recently reaching one million concurrent players, there has never been a better time to get into and improve your Rocket League skills. Here are 10 great tips to help you get better at Rocket League today.
1. Change up your settings
The settings you start with at the beginning of the game are decent, but each player has different preferences and play styles that suit them. Apart from camera, video and interface settings, you can also set up unique keybinds. Keybinds are the ability to assign a physical key on a keyboard to a parameter. Unique keybinds make it possible to pull off complicated maneuvers with just a single click. It is important to remember that this depends on your preferences and level of expertise. You must try out different settings to figure out which settings work best for you and enhance your gameplay.
2. Play More Than One Game Mode
There are several game modes in Rocket League to choose from. Some of them are:
- Solo
- 2v2
- 3v3
- Solo Standard
- Chaos
- Hoops
- Snow Day
- Offline play against bots
- Local split-screen
These modes are all a great way to level up your skills in different aspects of the game. You need a different approach and strategy for different game modes. You might feel like sinking in multiple hours playing your favourite game mode, but this is not a good idea if you want to improve at the game as a whole. Playing multiple game modes can help you massively improve in all areas.
3. Practice One Specific Thing in 1-Hour Increments
Whether it’s something complicated and highly technical like flip resets or stalls or something simple like aerials or double touches, a good way to improve is to focus on just that specific ability. The best way to do this is to set a timer for 1 hour, practice that single skill, for example, a flip reset, and continue practicing it for a few days. You could be surprised at just how effective this simple strategy is.
4. Play with friends
In your quest to get better at the game, it is important that you don’t lose sight of why you started playing in the first place. Play with your friends, ask them for advice on things they are good at. Test your skills and don’t be afraid to have a good time.
5. Watch the professionals
Let’s be honest, the first time I played Rocket League I was intimidated by all the fancy dribbles, flip resets and other mind-boggling skills on display. As a new player, I was blown away by just how much the game has to offer. And that is why it is a good idea to watch the best players in the League for yourself. Watching streamers and professional Rocket League players is not just a fun pastime, it can also help improve your game.
6. Master Your Car Control
There are many ways to improve car control. PC players can check out obstacle courses and various workshop maps. Try completing these courses with your car facing forward, backward, upside down and even sideways to master car control. Console players can practice scoring aerial goals while they are upside down or sideways. Try simply traversing through the maps while doing as many different tricks as you can. Really get a sense of how your car moves and the best ways to move it, so that you can do the same in an actual match.
7. Master Ball Control
While your car is always in your control, the ball is much more difficult to master. Which makes learning ball control 10 times more rewarding! A trick that I love is carrying the ball on top of my car, or drifting while it spins on top of my car. You can practice on the air dribble map to improve your game. Simply handling the ball and breaking previous records will get your ball-handling skills up in no time.
8. Don’t chase the ball
Like we do in football, you might have the instinct to chase the ball whenever it is in your vicinity in Rocket League. This is not a good idea, as this leaves openings for your opponent to exploit and score goals against you. The art of – leaving the ball, is one that we should all learn. Make sure that you understand your position on the pitch and your responsibilities as an attacker and a defender. Based on your position and the positions of your teammates, sometimes it might be better to hang back and let your teammates handle things. Instead of simply chasing the ball and generating chaos, take a look at the pitch and the way the game is going to understand where you are needed the most.
9. Don’t be afraid to fail in ranked
Ranked is the primary competitive Rocket League game mode and it is THE place to test your skills against other players. The only difference between ranked and other game modes is that losing ranked matches can get you demoted to lower divisions. This puts extra pressure on the games and scares many players away. However, ranked matches are the best place for players to truly test their mettle. Just because you might lose a ranked match does not mean you shouldn’t play them. In Rocket League, the more time and effort you put in, the better you will get. Which will eventually turn your failures into successes and make you feel much more comfortable playing ranked.
10. Commit to practice
No matter how many gameplay tips you read or trick videos you watch, the most important tip to get better at Rocket League is to commit to practice. From training just a simple movement mechanic to understanding how to function properly as a team, Rocket League is a game that is easy to play but difficult to master. Every aspect of gameplay can be learned, worked on and improved. As long as you are willing to dedicate the time and follow the above steps you are sure to make consistent progress and improve at Rocket League.