So Rocket League is free-to-play now, which means hundreds of thousands of new players are joining a community full of experienced players. That means there’s a lot of concepts for the newbies to learn, if they want to come close to competing against those who’ve put hundreds or thousands of hours into the game. To help we’re laying out some Rocket League basics, starting with the most important mechanics in the game. Here’s how to flip, fly, and roll in Rocket League.
How to Flip
Rocket League operates off of simple physics and mechanics, but the key is using them in creative ways to work out the best action at the given moment. Flipping is the first thing you’ll likely figure out how to use effectively, which is good since it’s also the most important. To flip all you have to do is press jump to get into the air then press it again while holding the left analog stick in the direction you want your car to flip.
You can use this to perform a forward flip, either propelling the ball or moving quickly in that direction, a side flip to hit a shot or get out of the way, or a back flip to slow down or try for a backwards shot/pass. The combinations are endless, but there are some things to keep in mind. After getting into the air, either via a jump or other method you can wait a second or two before hitting jump again to flip. Timing is key to hitting perfect shots or passes, so test this out in training. Take some time to figure out the gap between jumping and flipping, and get used to how each direction operates. A backflip can turn into a forward flip if you’re past vertical, for example.
How to Fly
Once you have the flip down you’ll probably get into some matches where your opponents are able to fly all around the map. Don’t be intimidated by this, it’s easier than it seems. Flying just involves using boost while in the air, but it will take a lot of practice to become precise with it. To perform the action just jump or get into the air any way you can, then angle your car vertically or in an upward direction you want to travel then hold boost. Don’t jam it down and hold it there, as you’ll run out quickly. Instead you usually want to feather it, tapping it to gain or maintain altitude then letting it wait a second or two.
Once you’re in the air you can keep control of the car with the analog stick, just be patient and give yourself plenty of time to practice. Always keep an eye on how much boost you have left, as you don’t want to go up for a shot then drop back to the ground letting the opponent take a free hit. Maintain your trajectory and tap the boost to control your speed and you should get the hang of it. A good training method is to head into practice and try to fly around the edge of the map. Once you’re ready you can start to incorporate rolls into the mix.
How to Roll
A roll in the air is pretty much the same as a spin on the groun. Your powerslide button controls both (check your settings as this can be different based on platform and controller type). Just as you use it to powerslide to turn sharply on the ground, it can be used in the air to roll your car. Normally using the analog stick in the air will turn you, facing the direction you point. When you hold the powerslide button it will instead make your car roll in that direction. You can use this later on to perform more precise shots and passes, as you use specific spots on your car to hit the ball.
So that’s how to flip, fly, and roll in Rocket League. These are beginner tips that are more about how to start getting used to these methods, since they require muscle memory developed over lots of practice time. Give them a shot and you should be inching toward higher rank levels soon.
