Rocket League: 5 Best Tips for Beginners

Rocket League is a game unlike any other. Although it could be compared to FIFA because it is, at its core, simply a soccer game. However, things are taken up a notch when acrobatic and high-flying cars replace people on the pitch. That simple concept has grown Rocket League into a massive Esports game with tournaments all over the world and even University teams awarding scholarships to rising stars. And once you start playing Rocket League, you'll come to find it is much harder to execute the same plays the pros are doing. Surely enough you'll need some practice before you're doing double taps of the wall, and these beginner tips are a great way to start.

5. Double Jumps

It's no secret that we want to fly around in Rocket League and score spectacular ariel goals. However, before you can do so, you must first learn the fundamentals of movement and ariel play. Because it pays to be the fastest and most dexterous driver on the track, capable of playing both ends of the field. And if you want to effortlessly switch between offense and defense, you'll need to perform double jumps. You do this by pressing your jump button (A on Xbox and X on Playstation), then pressing it again to do a second jump. If you do this, without flicking your left joystick, you'll simply pop straight up in the air.

However, if you flick the left joystick while performing your second jump, you will flip in the direction you indicated with the joystick. Give it a few tries and experiment with the different directions you can double jump. Because the more comfortable you become with double jumping, the easier you will move when you are low on boost. Believe us, this is one of those beginner tips that many players discover far too late in the game. But once you get the hang of it, throw some boost into the mix, and you're not far from performing ariels.

4. Free Roll and Ariels

There will be times when you get bumped, miss a ball, or run out of boost which sends you flying uncontrollably through the air. And while you may feel like you have no control, Rocket League cars are kind of like cats, in that, they always land on their feet. You see the best pros always land wheels first so they can get right back into the action. And they do this by utilizing the Free Roll mechanic (press and hold L1 on PlayStation or LB on Xbox).

If you hold this button down while in the air, you will be able to effortlessly rotate your car. And you'll want to do this to help you recover when you get knocked flat on your back or sky-high in the air. Because you can jump back into the play much faster if you land wheels down. Rather than barreling a couple of times before you come to a complete stop.

You'll also learn how to direct your ariel shots this way. You can control the direction of your car in the air with your left joystick if you press Jump, then hold Boost and Free Roll. This is more of an advanced tip rather than beginner tips, but it covers the fundamentals of doing ariels. Which we know you're all eager to learn. That's why if you want to get good at ariel's, you'll need to keep practicing this mechanic over and over until you are comfortable with it.

3. Boost and Boostpads

Being the fastest in Rocket League can pay off in a variety of situations. Nine times out of ten, the player with boost, as opposed to the player without boost, wins the fight. And if you're a goalie, you'll almost certainly want some boost. As a result, one of the most important beginner tips we can give you is to always have boost. There are six main boosts on the map to max out your boost meter, and they respawn 10 seconds after someone grabs one.

If you can't find any boost, you can get it quickly from the smaller boost pads spread across the pitch. These only give 12 boosts, not even a quarter, but they're everywhere and can quickly stack up to give you 30-40 boosts, just enough to make a play. These are also good options if you believe that grabbing a boost in the corner will take you out of the play and put your team in a bad position. So, while it's important to always be full on boost, don't prioritize grabbing boost over hitting the ball. Always think ball first, then boost second.

2. Rotations

If you're ever getting flack in Rocket League, it's probably because you're not following your rotations. It's an unspoken strategy, but knowing that every player follows rotations when hopping into a match with a random squad is huge for beginner tips. That is, two players will push offense, while one will always be on defense. Then, if a player is low on boost or simply out of position in the offense, they will fly back to the defense (by double jumping). This allows the defensive player to come in with a full boost and apply more pressure.

This way, no players are ever caught behind the play. With that, you don't have three guys committing to a ball, leaving your net exposed. It's also common to have one player play hard offense in the corner, while the other two sit at mid and further back to play their passes. In any case, they are covering the entire length of the field. Then, when you see an offensive player return for a reset, that's your call to jump into the play.

1. Free Play is Your Best Friend

It may not appear so, but practicing all of these skills in free play is one of the best beginner tips we can give you. They have various practice drills for shooting, passing, and goaltending to help you improve your game. And you'll notice that doing these practice drills will help you improve much faster than getting one odd shot in a game that you have to scramble for. This allows you to slow down and really get to know your car and its movement with repetitions.

In addition to practicing in free play, the next best thing is to be creative and push yourself. Rocket League is a game where the impossible can become possible, but only if you try. So, don't be afraid to go up for an ariel ball even if you miss it; you have to push yourself to discover your limits. When it comes down to it, Rocket League is all about pushing yourself over and over again, trying new things until they feel comfortable. Evidently, that's why Free Play is your best friend.

So, what's your take? Did these beginner tips help? Are there other beginner tips for Rocket League that we should know about? Let us know in the comments below or over on our socials here!