Rocket League has been a sensation since its launch.

The game went free to play a

while back, which easily makes it essential to have in everyone’s library. It’s
easy to play with friends locally or online, and should therefore be a go-to for
multiplayer sessions with friends close by and far away.

If you haven’t gotten started with Rocket League then you’re one of a dwindling
few. Most people have had the chance to play the soccer-with-rocket-powered-cars
game extensively already, so if you’re a newbie you will need some essential tips
in order to keep up with the competition. In this guide we’ll be breaking down the
important things you have to practice and keep in mind in order to overcome
experienced enemies – or you can just take down your inexperienced friends.

Positioning is everything

Where are you, in relation to the ball? When you first start playing you might feel
like you always need to be up close to the ball and attempting to get a hit in, but
much like in real soccer, this isn’t the best strategy.

When the ball gets hit, it will go flying. You should focus on being the player in
the best position to rebound that ball straight into the goal. Sometimes you will
need to be an attacker, get upfront and push that ball forward, but it shouldn’t be
your sole focus.

Spend and save boost

Your boost is incredibly important. Yes, it helps you go fast, that’s useful, but
it can save entire games in the right situation. Whether that’s boosting towards
your goal to make a last-minute save, or scoring a goal of your own, having the
extra speed at the perfect moment can save your skin. But that’s not the only use
your boost has…

Float and flight

Your cars in Rocket League can jump, rotate in the air and can even boost while in
the air. Aim your car’s boosters towards the ground, and you can actually push
yourself into the air like a rocket ship. Yes, that’s right – Rocket League has
aerial gameplay.

Mastering flight in Rocket League is a matter of practice – just keep playing games
and keep attempting to fly. Eventually, you’ll feel comfortable with it. One good
way to practice is floating in front of your goal, tapping the boost button in a
set rhythm, ready to save.

Ball cam

Tapping just one button in Rocket League can center your camera on the ball,
allowing you to accurately follow it at all times. If you’re just starting out,
using the ball cam is the best way to play, easily, as you can stay aware of what
is happening at all times.

Staying on the ball (ha) isn’t so easy without the ball cam, in which case a small
white arrow simply points towards the ball. As you get used to the game you may
wish to swap between the two during play depending on what you want to do, but as a
new player, stick with the ball cam for a while.

Flip for speed

When rocketing across the pitch, you can reach top speed much faster – and without
using your boost – by performing a tactical flip. Power straight ahead, hold
forward, and then jump, and perform a double jump. With the right timing, you’ll
flip forward into the air, propelling your speed even higher and then land with
your wheels on the ground, still shooting along at the same high speed.

Handbrake turns

The handbrake is very useful for quick, tactical turns. You can fake out enemy
drivers, or reposition for a quick pass very easily. It’s tempting to just slam the
ball against the wall, or shoot straight for the goal, speeding around the pitch in
circles – but the fact is, tight movement will win most games. This is the kind of
subtle control tweak that will make you a better player quickly.

Get a team

Playing 1v1, against bots and with random teams online is definitely one way to
improve, but if you want to feel good about racking up wins, you’ll be in a better
position if you have a team before you go online. Rocket League is free to play and
crossplay, meaning you can pressure your friends to play with you regardless of
what platform they’re playing on. Train them up with these tips and you’ll soon be
winning matches against others online.

Wall crawling

You can just drive straight onto the walls in Rocket League, which you will learn
very quickly – but using them properly is another thing entirely. Driving up the
wall in an attempt to poke at the ball is one method, sure, but you can be far more
intentional. You can even drive on the ceiling for a short period of time, allowing
you to dive-bomb onto the pitch – and hopefully, slam the ball into the goal.

Extra game modes

Rocket League‘s base game mode is the soccer variation we’ve all come to know and
love, but it’s far from the only game mode you can play. There are dozens of game
modes available to play, from limited-time event modes to custom game modes. There
is also a small selection of other game types. Sick of soccer? Try ice hockey or
basketball. The variations on ball physics and goals change the way you have to
play the game, forcing you to adapt. This is an important skill to have in any
game.

Stay in goal

If in doubt, stay in goal. If you’re not confident passing the ball or chasing
after opponents, you can help just as well by anticipating the ball and punting it
out of the goal area whenever possible. This is hardly an intense role to play, but
that doesn’t mean it’s not important. If another player on your team wants to play
goalie, you can get some practice in with ball control instead. You can play Rocket
League however you like – don’t feel pressured to be competitive.