![]() With that, the odd maps were redesigned with the same dimensions as most other maps, and the original versions were banished from the online competitive playlists. But last fall, Psyonix declared that Rocket League had become “a digital sport,” and that standardization was needed to ensure consistent competitive play. Neo Tokyo, then, added tall ridges along the sides for a multi-level experience, and Starbase ARC was an octagon instead of a rounded rectangle.Ītypical map designs split the community, as some players hated the inconsistency and others enjoyed the variety (I’m in the latter camp). Wasteland, the first, went wider while curving the dirt floor and tweaking the angles. Following the game’s release, Psyonix began rolling out “non-standard” maps that transformed the basic pitch in various ways. The rising profile of pro play has caused something of an identity crisis for Rocket League, however. You might never be able to cherry-pick and redirect precise midair volleys for goals, but the thrill of winning close 50-50 matchups, demolishing foes, and scoring goals remains blissfully intact. But what remains so beautifully appealing about Rocket League is that even entry-level fumbling is a blast. Nowadays, players halfway up the ranked ladder look sharper than the best pro teams from the first RLCS World Championship two years back. For many, pro-level play is an unattainable standard: the result of thousands of hours of focused play and incomparable reflexes that many of us with jobs and responsibilities can’t hope to match.īut that hasn’t stopped people from trying, and the quality of play has grown across all skill levels. Since the advent of the RLCS, team play has also improved by leaps and bounds as defensive tactics took hold, player rotations gained more polish, and dazzling passing plays became commonplace. For elite players, it’s just another tool in their arsenal. For the average player (myself included), it seems downright impossible. Pros and streamers have also invented moves by melding mechanics or turning weird quirks into actual maneuvers-like the flip reset, a move that gains you an additional midair flip or jump if you touch all four tires on the ball. Young car-soccer phenoms like Cloud9’s Mariano “SquishyMuffinz” Arruda and NRG’s Justin “Jstn” Morales push the boundaries of what you can do with a rocket-powered car, showcasing new ways to maintain possession, guide the ball into the net, and look incredibly cool doing so. The vibrant esports scene, punctuated by Psyonix’s own Rocket League Championship Series, continues to set an aspirational example of what’s possible within this physics playground, as top-level players innovate, improve, and flaunt their abilities. We’ve seen highlights of stunning aerial freestyle shots since Rocket League’s earliest days, but the skill ceiling has risen dramatically over the last three years-both individually and in terms of coordinated team tactics. ![]() If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun - and worth fitting into your schedule. Polygon Recommends is our way of endorsing our favorite games, movies, TV shows, comics, tabletop books, and entertainment experiences. What’s changed is the level and quality of play found within those minutes, as well as the ever-expanding variety of options built around the standard soccer-inspired experience. Rocket League keeps steering harder into absurdity-there’s now a flaming T-Rex goal explosion from Jurassic World, by the way-but the core focus on a tight five minutes of frenzied, high-octane antics is luckily intact. And when the ball hits the net, it explodes with a dazzling array of color and sound… or a bevy of party balloons and cheering children, a field-soaking surge of fruit chunks and juice, or even a dabbing Grim Reaper. More excitingly, they can also boost into the air for acrobatic passes and sensational shots. It’s still all about cars playing soccer (football), except the ball is enormous and the cars can cruise along the walls and briefly onto the ceiling. Three years after word-of-mouth buzz and a PlayStation Plus promo launched Psyonix’s little-known indie game into millions of homes, Rocket League’s premise remains thankfully undiluted in its joyous, well-honed simplicity.
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