October 5, 2023
Beginners will quickly realize that there are true experts who have mastered every last detail of Rocket League’s controls. However, if you’re a newcomer just starting to play, you may be interested in learning a few tips and tricks to help you get better at the game, start winning games, and get closer to the high leagues.
Tip #1: Learn the Physics of the Game
The first thing you need to know is that the direction the ball takes when we hit it depends entirely on which side we hit it from and how we hit it.
Each car has its own hitbox (each car has a specific rectangle around it). The collisions vary depending on whether you hit the ball with the front of the car, the back of the car, or even the wheels. To make powerful shots, your best choice is to hit the ball with the front of the car. If the ball is on the ground, hitting the ball with the front of the car from floor level will raise the ball but also throw it forward with force.
Shots also depend on how fast you hit the ball. The faster the ball, the longer the shot, and you usually get the ball higher. Top tip: if you add a jump to give you a little extra push, it will be an even more powerful shot.
Tip #2: Know the Game Controls and Change Them to Fit Your Needs
Spend a few minutes in the Controls menu and have a look around. There really aren’t that many, but you can do a lot of fancy stuff with them. It doesn’t hurt to change or tweak some of the controls to fit your playstyle, such as the camera sensitivity. And practice A LOT in the training grounds. As a recommendation, this game was designed to use a controller, so you should use one (if you can and want).
Tip #3: Start Practicing Some Maneuvers and Tricks
One of the most fundamental aspects of Rocket League is flips and drifts.
Drift is very important when counterattacking to make a quick response, to be prepared when the ball comes to our side of the field, to make epic saves, etc. The ability to turn your car around 180º can make all the difference in a game. Knowing how to stop in time and control the extreme speed that can sometimes be reached can be vital to react quickly to ball movement.
Remember: once you are in the air, pressing the jump button again will make a double jump, which gives you access to some aerial tricks, which you need to know a few things about:
- If, when jumping, we hit any direction together with the double jump button: our car will automatically perform a flip to that side.
- It should be noted that after a jump, if we press left or right with the stick, we perform a horizontal flip instead of performing a vertical flip.
Tip #4: BOOST!
Taking advantage of a boost is one of the most important parts of Rocket League. The field is full of power-ups that give us boost energy, and there are two types:
- Some power-ups fill a small portion of the boost meter.
- The ones with a ball fill the whole turbo, these are distributed around the edges of the field, three on each side of the field.
When attacking, a boost is perfect for taking advantage of counterattacks or going for the ball as quickly as possible. In defense, the same but the other way around; it is very important always to reserve a small portion of the boost to be able to counterattack if you successfully deflect a shot in goal.
Also, if you are going at supersonic speed and collide with an opposing player, you can perform a demolition. This will make him reappear in his goal zone, causing him to lose valuable seconds. Boost also works great for gaining speed and running up walls, but that’s advanced techniques.
Tip #5: Aerial play
We can also use the double jump without direction or pressing any button to fly with the car.
Flying is very useful: when attacking, we can finish off high balls with the front of the car to ensure where we want the ball to go or to clear aerial balls in defense. Once in the air: by using the turbo, we can also extend the time we are flying and even control the movement direction of the car.
Flight control and aerial play are tough to master at first. You are likely to miss the ball all the time and lose some shots because of that. Don’t despair! Practice as much as possible on the training grounds, and you’ll get better. Every slight improvement will make a difference in your next matches.
Here you have some basic info to get started into the difficult mechanics of Rocket League. There’s a lot to talk about, but I think this is enough for the first round.
Practice, practice, practice. Practice makes perfect. Remember that!