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The Game I Never Knew I Wanted

It was July and the birds were chirping. No, not the avian kind. The human kind. They were saying something indistinguishable. It wasn’t in another language or anything, but it was something I’d never heard before: Rocket League. What the hell is Rocket League? “Another racing game,” I thought; wrong. It wasn’t a racing game at all. Far from it, actually. It was a soccer game…with cars. “Now we’re talking.” It was summertime and I had all the time in the World…but it would only take minutes. I was hooked.

Rocket League is the game I never knew I wanted. It is amusing, yet frustrating, fast, yet slow, easy to learn, yet so hard to master. It is an impeccable combination of fast, fluid, and fun that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s a game about the team but also the player. It’s a game for friends and family, for casual gamers and for fierce competitors.  It’s a game that does it all with so very little.

The game isn’t all that complicated. In fact, its controls are simple.  You can accelerate, reverse, brake, turn, boost, drift and jump all on your way to scoring the ball.  It is in how you decide to score that the game truly shines.  Left to the game’s devices, you can score in any number of ways.  You can scoot along the ground, ride along the walls, jump and flip up and off the floor.  You can use your boost to propel you forward or take to the skies and thrust down below.

Rocket League Boost in the Air

Source: Psyonix

No matter how you play it, the game is immensely fun. You don’t have to be an expert to have a smile stretch across your face.  Colliding with friends, falling uncontrollably, even scoring on yourself is all in good fun, no matter what skill level you’re sporting.  I’ve played the game for nearly 200 hours and I still find myself laughing my ass off after my hiccups. But if you happen to be an expert there’s something more to be had. Wall-riding goals, mind-boggling trick shots, even ridiculous last second saves await those willing to learn the nuances of the game’s simple mechanics.

Even the game’s quirkiness is something to talk about.  The car customization options are virtually endless and make the entire experience that much more enjoyable. Want to make the A-Team Van? Got it. Inspector Gadget? You bet. Deadmau5? I don’t know why, but yeah, that too. Even the arenas you play in are wacky; cityscapes, aquariums, spaceships, and all.

This really is a game for everyone. It’s a game that, for everything else out there, I still come back to daily.  It’s a game that, for everything else out there, I still recommend. It’s a game that, for everything else out there, I undeniably love.  Now, you’re probably asking yourself, “Luis, if you love Rocket League so much, why’d you only write 500 words about it?” Well, it’s simple, really: I need to practice my aerials.

Featured Image Source: Psyonix

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