The world of Rocket League mixes in a few different genres of games. It's a great experience for those who are fans are racing, soccer, or just sports as a whole. It also is just great for those who want some high octane fun, whether online or offline. Since its release in 2015, it has become quite the esports game as well, hosting several tournaments and starting its own league (the Rocket League Championship Series). One of the cool things is the game allows you to watch live tournaments by clicking the "esports" tab within the game.

But, although the game is pretty easy to pick up and play out of the gate, it can be slightly tricky to keep up with early on. You have to chase a ball that you can clumsily miss at times because of its physics (Lord knows I've done that too many times). The cool thing is that you can freely switch between offense and defense.

Sure, it's juicy to go for scores, but you'll find great satisfaction in playing well-rounded defense. And there are more ways to make some great defensive plays aside from making game-changing saves. Let's talk about them, shall we?

1. Playing Goalkeeper

OK, so let's get the obvious form of defense out of the way. Playing goalkeeper in Rocket League can lead to some of the more tense moments in sports video games. You sit in goal, as you watch the ball bounce in numerous directions between players. Then, the opponents start to make a move towards you.

Time is running out and the opponent takes a shot in hopes of tying the game. You get the stop, helping your team get the victory. It's a fun feeling, but it definitely can be slightly uncomfortable at first. If you need to, try to practice in single player before heading into online matches.

That's the beauty of Rocket League is that you have plenty of flexibility in terms of how you play. You can play on numerous difficulties to get a feel for everything from offense to defense and everything else. Feel free to start off on an easier difficulty and then bump it up.

Playing on the hardest difficulties will allow you get a taste at what you'll be defending when you start kicking off online. Hang out in the goal and start practicing defending some shots. Do this and you'll be collecting Epic Saves like a pro. There will be many instances where shots will be hit in higher angles, which means you'll need to jump and then use your boost to hit the ball in mid-air. Practice this in single-player as well.

2. Centering the Ball

This is one thing that doesn't show up on the stat sheet after games. Centering the ball is an extremely underappreciated aspect of Rocket League. Its importance on defense can't be overlooked by any means. Centering is essentially what it exactly sounds like: knocking the ball towards the middle of the pitch.

In many ways, that's part of the job of being a goalkeeper, but even if you're not in goal, you can still perform this move effectively. By doing so, you're not only keeping the ball away from your end, but you're giving your team a chance to possibly score. It's just a matter if a teammate can get themselves in the proper position to make a good strike on the ball.

As mentioned; yes, it's not going to appear on the end game stat line, but it will go in your career stats. Plus, even if you don't get any goals, assists, or saves, you can still rack up points in games. On rare occasions, you may even win MVP of the game if you can earn enough points from getting several centered balls. This is if being MVP is important to you.

But there have been some times where I may have scored one goal or had one save, but won an MVP because of the number of times I was able to center the ball. You can do it too. Doing this is in some ways, a textbook way to play defense in Rocket League. It's not flashy, but it can really make an impact on a game, and it looks great on your career stats.

The same applies here as with goalkeeping: go ahead and practice in single player matches if you need to in order to warm up. Then, show them what you got when you take to the online pitch. Remember, defense can create offense, and centering the ball may be the ultimate way to do so.

3. Getting First Touches

First Touches can apply to both the offensive and defensive side. Many times you'll see players score on them, while other times, it can be a good way defend your opponents from scoring off of them. A First Touch happens during kickoffs. It pretty much depends on where you are positioned (which is done randomly). If you start out in the goal, then you're probably not in the best spot.

However, if you're starting from one of the corners, you are in prime position to get a First Touch. A good blend of using boost and forward jumping can get you those hits. They don't reward you as many points as other stats, but it does feel pretty cool when you get one, and they can have a slight impact on the game.

There are numerous times where kickoffs have determined the final outcome of the game, whether it's a game-winning goal or a huge deflection. It's so easy to overlook kickoffs because they come at you quickly, and they only occur after goals are scored. But, getting a First Touch can, not only keep the ball away from your side of the field, but you might be able to get a highlight-reel goal out of it too from time to time.

4. Clearing the Ball

Going back to goalkeeping a bit, clearing the ball is one of the juices of playing the position. It's very similar to centering the ball, but can be even more impactful. Many times, clearing the ball can see it flying all the way to your opponent's end if you whack it hard enough from the goal.

Clearing is a ton of fun because it sometimes feels like you just smacked a home run in baseball, as you watch the ball soar a great distance. It is a deadly ability of the goalkeeper, and you'll probably see the other team scrambling towards their side to stop the ball (if they have no one in goal at the time).

Plus, you can add a couple of stats to your career total off of one move. If you get credited with a save, and then clear the ball, you'll be awarded for both of those. This can boost your MVP chances in the game, and of course, look shiny on your career totals.

5. Hitting Balls Off the Walls

Yes, this is something that you might do by accident anyway, and yes, that sub-title rhymes. But, going for wall shots is a good defensive tactic if you get the opportunity. Due to the movement of the ball, it might catch your opponents off guard. Sometimes the ball will spin from wall shots which can get anyone tripping off of their wheels.

Now not everyone is going to fall for the ball's gravitational movements. In fact, many players are excellent at hitting balls that come off the walls. That doesn't mean it's always a piece of cake, however. It can better than just aiming straight and hitting the ball airborne.

It will just land and give the other a team a chance to smack it right back like a return fire in volleyball. This, of course, is only if someone on your team isn't there to attack the potential receiver. But, aside from a little extra zip, hitting off of the wall can be a great offensive attack too, like a couple of other tactics we mentioned.

Many times, a good wall smack can lead to potential long-range goals if you're hitting from your territory. Practice some of those, and you'll have some fine highlights in your replay vault (just remember to save them after matches). Again, this is about as much of an offensive trick as it is defense. But, it can really make you look on defense, especially if you're fresh off of an epic save.