Why is Everyone Playing Rocket League?

An article by Hank: Twitter / Twitch

Some games deliver heart-pounding stories with twists and turns at every corner.  Some games bring expert mechanics allowing you to dish out perfect head shots and exhilarating winning moments.  And then there are some games that are just damn fun and super hard to stop playing.  So which one of those categories does Rocket League fall under?  Easy: The ridiculously fun and addicting, yet unbelievably competitive category.

Now you may be thinking, "That's cool, but what the hell is Rocket League?"  Well, this article could go all scientific and explain that it's a physics based game with spheres and rectangles and rocket propulsion, but who gives a crap about all that?  While the physics are expertly executed by the game's developers, Psyonix Studios, this is still a game, so let's describe Rocket League in a simpler way.  Its soccer (football to the lovable Europeans) without all the rules and instead of a human, you have silly cars with rockets strapped to their asses.  What's the goal of the game?  To get a giant bouncing ball in the other team's net.  It's so simple to grasp.  And that's really the first reason why everyone is playing Rocket League.

SIMPLE, YET COMPLICATED:

Now you're thinking, "Hold on there, Pal, how is something simple and complicated at the same time?"  As ridiculous as that sounds, it's a true statement.  See, one of the reasons everyone is playing Rocket League is because any gamer from any walk of life at any age can understand the concept of putting a ball in a net.  Simple.  But if you want to win and become good at the game, that's when things get complicated…or much or interesting.  Learning to drive and strike the ball is as easy as pushing a button and aiming at the big bouncing sphere.  But being able to fly into the air and pull off a perfect kick into the net is a totally different story.  And this is where the game can become very in-depth.  If you have the commitment and drive (no pun intended) to become an expert player of Rocket League, than the depth of an actual Esport is all here.  This is why people keep returning, time and time again.  Because you show up first for the simple fun of driving around with your friends and being silly, but then end up staying because you want to master the competitive gameplay.

"I don't know, Fred, for some reason I have the feeling this isn't going to end well." 

FLUID AND FRAME RATES:

There are a lot of people who can't sit down and watch golf or baseball because of the down-time between the action.  This is where Rocket League excels.  There's never any down-time once a match starts, which makes playing the game or even watching the game, very addicting.  And with short matches of only five minutes, you never get tired of your opponents or the arena or the vehicles zooming around.  Everything within the game is in a constant state of flux.  What else can you ask for when creating a sports game?  On top of this non-stop action are perfect frame rates.  The game runs smoothly even when the action is turned up and there's chaos all over the field with eight players all smashing into one another.  Never does the game stutter or choke or cough or even sneeze while you’re racing to victory.  And that can even be said about the online play too.

SILLY, YET SOPHISTICATED:

On the surface, Rocket League is just a bunch of ridiculous looking cars, ranging from pimped out vans to flame-painted hot rods, rocketing around a field after a ball, while crashing into everything.  And not only do you get to paint your car, but the game gives you the option to wear a fancy hat while doing so.  And what's better than flying around and pounding balls into nets, while sporting a top hat or colorful propeller?  Absolutely nothing.  But while the cosmetics may look fun and goofy, there's a physics-based engine underneath the gameplay—that if not executed properly—would wreck the entire game.  And that's just good developing right there.  So why can't a game be serious and silly at the same time?  Why can't everything have a little humor injected into it?  So while you're zooming around a grass field, smacking a sphere around and laughing your ass off with friends, remember…that wouldn't happen if the game wasn't coded correctly.  So Rocket League is perfect balance in gaming: silly, yet sophisticated.  Well done.

"Umm...Phil, you wanna get down from that wall.  There's a game going on."

"Sorry, a bee was chasing me."

"Phil...you're in a car."

"I'm not following...?" 

THE PROPER DESIGN:

Now, all the above sounds great in theory, but without the perfect art behind it, you wouldn't have half as much fun.  Yes, the physics and fluid gameplay make Rocket League addicting to watch and play, but the art design also has a ton to do with it too.  From the well-designed arenas to the colorful grass to the toy-like look of the vehicles…everything works and comes together like a well baked pixelated cake.  There isn't a corner or section or pixel of the game that doesn't say fun.  And the artists and concept designers of Rocket League should be commended for their fantastic ideas. 

UNLOCKABLES AND AESTHETICALLY LEVELING UP:

Another reason why gamers keep coming back is the customization of their personal flame-fired vehicle and all the locked items that you can obtain by simply playing the game.  As you progress you can unlock new paint jobs, rims, vehicle designs, hilarious hats, and even silly antenna ornaments.  But here's the most important thing: none of that helps you play the game any better, and that's a humongous game-design plus.  Why?  Because there's never a feeling of getting creamed by the other team, because they have better vehicles, or faster engines, or more tricks up there sleeve.  In other online games you'll jump in and instantly feel inadequate because the other side has better weapons and better armor and you're standing there with a pea-shooter and a face draped in confusion.  But in Rocket League, if you're winning, it all has to do with being a better player.  Plain and simple.  So this aesthetic-only leveling system allows new-comers to file in with ease and enjoy the game too, which is why the number of players in Rocket League continues to grow every single day.

"Jesus, Tim, I said business casual for dinner tonight."

"This hat is business casual, Karen.  I could've went with my Wizard hat again and acted out 

scenes from Harry Potter.  But I didn't...for you."

CONCLUSION:

So why is everyone playing Rocket League?  Easy.  Perfect physics, smooth frame rates, colorful aesthetics, fluid gameplay, a fair leveling system, steady multiplayer…and it's all covered by a blanket of humor.  What else could you possibly ask for?  In the end, when playing a video game, it all comes down to whether or not you're having fun.  And with a small game that can deliver on every one of the above fronts, Rocket League lands right smack in the middle of ridiculously fun.  So if you haven't played Rocket League yet and think that it looks stupid, never judge a game by its simple cover.  Give it a few minutes of your time…because that's all you'll need to become hooked on the exhaust fumes.