Getting demolished in Rocket League can be extremely annoying, but that doesn't mean they aren't effective. Many players avoid going for demos, instead focusing on other aspects of the game like mechanics and rotations. However, implementing demolitions into your game could be the key to your next rank up. In this article, we will go over a handful of demolition plays that could be useful in your next Rocket League match.

Why Are Demolitions So Good?

Many players have been frustrated by demolitions, calling them one of the most broken mechanics in the game. That's because demolitions are simply that good. A demolition causes the opposite team to have to play one player down for three seconds, which is a long time in a fast-paced game like Rocket League. On top of that, the demolished player is respawned at random, meaning they have to take even more time to readjust and adapt to their team’s rotations.

All things considered, a demolition messes up the opposing team's rotations for roughly five seconds, creating an excellent opportunity to score a goal. Also, demolitions are a fairly easy mechanic and are common at every skill level. This means anyone can implement the tips in this article and use demolitions to their advantage. Simply put, demolitions are both easy and disruptive, making them extremely effective at any level of play.

How to Demolish Effectively

So now that you know just how good demolitions are, it's time to add them to your game. Demolitions can be effective in just about any situation, but there are a few standout scenarios in which they are highly effective. Check out these five demolition plays to get some ideas of how you could add demolitions to your game.

Spanish Kickoff

If you're looking for a new kickoff strategy, you might just want to try the Spanish Kickoff. This kickoff involves the first player faking toward the ball, before making a straight beeline towards their opponents car. If they successfully get the demolition, all their teammate has to do is lob the ball into the opponents' empty net. See the video below for a visual of what this looks like:

2 vs. 1 Attack

When you've already beaten one opponent and just the last one is in the net, this play might be a viable option. One player will slowly dribble the ball towards the net, while the other player speeds ahead and goes for the demolition. The beauty is, you don't even have to get the demolition to succeed. Sometimes, just the opponent weaving your demolition will be enough to allow your teammate to dribble the ball into the net. The downside of this play however, is that you could easily get caught on the counterattack with nobody there to stop your opponents from rolling the ball into your net. This is a high risk, high reward play, so just make sure if you're going for this you're either certain you will score or you are willing to take the risk.

1 vs 1 attack

This scenario is very similar to the 2 vs 1 attack though it's a lot less risky and just a bit more difficult. Instead of going for a dribble play or a power shot, just leave the ball and go demolish your opponent. If you succeed, the ball will slowly roll into your opponents' now empty net. If you don't succeed, your teammate(s) will still be behind you and ready to defend your opponents' counterattack.

Air Dribble Demolition

In the higher ranks most plays happen in the air, but that doesn't mean you can't still use demolitions. This play is very similar to the 1 vs 1 attack described above, only instead of dribbling the ball, you have to air dribble the ball. When you go for an air dribble, take one or two touches in the air before angling your car down and boosting towards your opponent in the net. Position your car between your opponent and the ball, so there is no possible way your opponent can go for the ball without getting demolished. If done correctly, this is one of the only plays in Rocket League that is impossible to block.

Recovery Demolitions

Now this isn’t a specific scenario, but it is the most common and effective form of demolition. Whenever you find yourself completely out of rotation, say after going for a high aerial, go for a demolition in order to make the most out of your recovery. The idea is simple, while you are recovering, you gain back speed until you are supersonic again. This gives you an opportunity to demolish your opponents. Since you are likely behind them, they won’t even see you coming! A demolition in this case almost always halts your opponents’ counterattack as the play becomes a defensive 2 vs 1. Try to be careful with this method however, as many players go far out of their way to get a recovery demolition, but that’s not the idea. Just go for a demolition if it’s easy and not too far from your path, otherwise focus on getting back into rotations rather than going for a demolition. The key is to add demolitions into your recoveries whenever feasible. It’s simply a way to gain a quick edge without taking any risks or sacrificing another part of your game.

When Not to Go for a Demolition

Demolitions are almost always helpful for your team, but at times they can do more bad than good. When considering going for a demolition, you need to keep these three things in mind.

1. Positioning

Make sure that when you go for a demolition, you aren’t taking yourself out of the play as well. If going for a demolition makes you irrelevant, it’s not worth going for, as you will just leave your teammate(s) in a 1v1 or 2v2. The best demolitions are when you demolish your opponents without diverging from your intended path.

2. Risk

In many scenarios, going for a demolition can be an extremely risky play (see the 2v1 and 1v1 attacking plays above). So, when you go for a demolition, you have to consider that risk. In most cases, it’s probably not worth it, and you are better off maintaining your rotations. For example, if you are the last player back on your team, you should never go for a demolition, as your first priority is the ball and keeping it out of your net. Overall, try and keep risk at a minimum when going for demolitions.

3. Opponents’ Positioning

This one is a bit more complicated and not nearly as important as the other two, but nonetheless it can help you gain a competitive edge at a higher level. Think to yourself before you demolish your opponent, are you hurting or helping them? Now, that might sound confusing, but let me explain. In some situations, it may be worse for your opponent to stay alive than get demolished. For instance, if they just landed from a high aerial and are now in your net with 0 boost, it will likely take them more than 3 seconds to get back in the play, hence it’s probably not worth going out of your way to demolish them.

Another instance is if your teammate is dribbling the ball and an opponent is completely out of the play. In this case, it’s probably not worth changing your path just to demolish them. To summarize, choose wisely with your demolitions as they might not always help your teammate(s).

In general, remember that you are trying to implement demolitions into your game. What you don’t want to do is just become a demolition heavy player, as this can take away from your skill and potentially hurt your rank.

Conclusion

Hopefully this article has given you some ideas on how to take advantage of the most overpowered mechanic in Rocket League. For many players, bumps and demolitions are the weakest parts of their game, so focusing on those mechanics can dramatically improve your skills. The best thing you can do is hop into a game and try some of these methods out for yourself. See what works and what doesn’t and then go from there. Demolition plays aren’t always straightforward and do require some practice, so don’t be afraid to start working on your demolitions. Soon enough, you’ll find yourself dominating the Rocket League pitch in epic movie explosion style!