Rocket League is a video game that combines arcade-style soccer and driving games. You play by controlling rocket-powered vehicles, which you can use to score goals with a giant soccer ball. Gameplay is energetic and chaotic as the cars can flip and fly in all directions.
Rocket League supports single player, multiplayer, and cross-platform play. Online players are teamed up by the game’s matchmaking system. You can play casually or take part in the online Competitive Seasons to climb the ranks and earn rewards.
Players can communicate by voice or text on the same platform, or by pre-set messages called Quick Chats, which are visible to everyone. Rocket League is a paid game with optional in-app purchases for premium content. Players can also swap items of value, known as Player-to-Player Trading.
Players work with their team to advance the ball down the field and score goals in their opponents’ net. Rocket League is a technical game involving both high-level dexterity and fast-paced gameplay. While its accessibility and familiarity with traditional sport (soccer) make it welcoming, the best players are highly advanced and have fine-tuned their mechanics.
Each team starts on opposite sides of the field, as either the Blue or Orange team. When the timer begins, players race to be the first to hit the ball with their car. Once the ball is in play, the clock winds down until a team scores by hitting the ball into the opposing team’s goal. At that point, players return to their starting positions and repeat the process until time runs out. The team with the most goals at the end of regulation wins. If there is a tie, the teams play periods of overtime until a winner is determined.
What makes Rocket League different from soccer are its competitors: rocket-powered cars. Players choose their vehicle before each game and have various customization options. During the game, cars earn “boost” by driving over lit circles on the field and can “fly” by combining boosting with jumping.