Rocket League is soccer with cars… What’s not to like?
Looking for a good sports and racing game on the Switch? You definitely need to try Rocket League! Developed by Psyonix, this vehicular soccer videogame combines the best of football with rocket powered cars into a match of jet-filled fun. With a premise similar to Soccer Rally 2, RL sets you in a crazy 8v8 competition where you’ll have to drive a giant floating ball into the other team’s goal… But things aren’t that easy since this is no normal soccer match. You’ll have to hit the ball doing flips, impossible drifts and all kinds of zany moves to score the winning shot. Are you ready for one of the most entertaining multiplayer games on the Switch? Turn on the engine and hit the field because the portable version of Rocket League is finally here.
Gameplay
Rocket League’s Switch port plays and feels exactly as its PC, PS4 and Xbox One counterparts, remaining as easy to learn and addictive as always. Just create and customize your own wacky vehicle and prepare yourself to unleash some mayhem. Every match's objectives are the same: Play a game of soccer with a ridiculously giant ball that will be strategically set in the middle of the arena. Each team of 2, 3 or 4 players will have to ram the humongous ball around the pitch until they manage to bounce it into the rival’s goal. Sounds simple and normal enough, right?… So when does the real craziness start? Right when you boost your rockets!
Every vehicle in RL has a rocket-based function that will boost its speed and, if combined with jumping, will make the car soar in the sky. Rocketing obviously makes matches more interesting, becoming an ace up your sleeve that you’ll need to master to score that goal. Thanks to this, you'll be able to move the ball, tap it in all possible directions, and even tackle in mid-air, creating a great diversion to surprise your opponents. Don’t be fooled, propelling is not an easy task. While the game’s controls are extremely straightforward and easy to learn, rocketing correctly is quite a challenge, creating all kinds of whacky and chaotic mid-air situations.
Being on the Switch also makes RL’s gameplay even better. Thanks to its portability, you can take the console and play local multiplayer without the need of an Internet connection. This allows up to 8 racers to compete in this fun game without complications. You’ll also be able to use a single console to play locally in split-screen by sharing both joy-cons or using a Pro-Controller. This makes Rocket League the perfect game to have a quick match with a friend, co-worker or sibling.
What modes does Rocket League have?
Rocket League offers a wide array of game modes that you can play offline against an AI or in online multiplayer against friends around the world. They are:
- Soccar- This is the standard mode of the game. Two teams of 1-4 players will have 5 minutes to score in the opposite team’s goal. After that time, the team with the most goals wins.
- Dropshot- The game plays very similar to Soccar but, instead of goals, you’ll have to break some hexagonal floor panels and throw the ball though the hole.
- Hoops- Hoops is a basketball-style mode in which the goals are replaced by two baskets.
- Rumble- This battle-royale like mode is very similar to Soccar, but all players will receive a random power-up every 10 seconds.
- Snow Day- If you like hockey, don’t miss out on Snow Day. In this mode, the ball will be replaced by a hockey puck.
- Custom Games- Here you’ll find a series of modes (Exhibition, Season, Private Match and Workshop) that you’ll be able to play both online and offline. These will let you train and show your skills against other players or an AI.
- Training- This offline game mode lets players practice and learn the basics of Rocket League. It’s great for mastering a few tricks with the vehicle’s rockets.
Graphics and performance on the Switch
Rocket League looks as colorful and detailed as ever on Nintendo’s Hybrid console. While the game isn’t very demanding graphics-wise (don’t expect Gran Turismo 7), all cars and arenas look vibrant and fun. RL’s amazing aesthetics and unique vehicles simply shine whether we’re playing docked or in portable mode.
If you’re worried about how smoothly the game runs, don’t worry. RL includes two graphical options, quality and performance, that you are able to select even in the middle of a match. Quality mode provides 1080p resolution with 30 fps while Performance guarantees 720-900p with 60 fps. Depending on what option you choose, the game will less likely suffer any significant drop or will give get better lighting and reflection effects as well as a deeper depth of field (DOF)
How do you play 2-4 players on Rocket League for the Switch
If you plan to play with each user wielding a single Joy-Con, simply launch the game and press the minus (-) button on the other player’s Joy-Cons. If you’ve done that correctly, Player 2-4 will be able to log into their respective Nintendo account or use a temporary one. When all players are logged in, they’ll have to confirm their controllers by pressing the SL and SR buttons.
If each player is going to use both Joy-Cons or a Pro-Controller, they’ll have to press the plus (+) button. Afterwards, they’ll have to log into their Nintendo account or use a temporary one and last, but no least, they’ll confirm their controllers by pressing the L and R buttons at the same time.
Rocket-fueled fun on Nintendo Switch
Rocket League’s port on the Switch is simply wonderful. The game runs beautifully on Nintendo’s hybrid console and thanks to its portability, is the perfect platform to enjoy a crazy match of rocket-powered soccer madness. With an easy premise, intuitive controls and a good selection of challenging multiplayer modes, RL is the perfect game to enjoy whenever you get some free time. If you never played it… What are you waiting for?
