Rocket League is a fast-paced game, and mechanics have been rapidly improving. Not only in pro play, but even in your own ranked lobbies, players can hit you with double flip resets, Breezi flicks, and all sorts of moves that can be tremendously difficult to keep up with.

However, while the level of mechanics is only stepping up, playing smart is more important than ever—no matter how mechanically adept your opponents are, proper positioning and good game sense can make sure their threats never come to fruition.

We’ll go over some of the best ways to play smart with Dignitas’s own Jack “ApparentlyJack” Benton, RLCS Major champion and one of the smartest players in the game.

All About the Boost

At its core, Rocket League is a game of boost management - whether or not you have boost can make or break entire plays. ApparentlyJack says that boost management is the top mistake he sees, and explains why:

Jack: “The number one general tip I always give to players is to work on their small boost pad pathing and their timing of when they arrive to certain positions… they go hand in hand.”

ApparentlyJack gives one key example of getting back to the play too quickly. It might seem surprising—after all, how can you get back to where you’re supposed to be too quickly? However, getting back too fast can completely kill your momentum, and in a game where the meta is constantly shifting faster and faster, your sudden stop can be the difference between an easy save and an open net.

This issue of timing is inherently tied to boost management, particularly boost pathing. A frequently touted axiom of smart play is going for smaller boost pads instead of larger ones, but there is much more to it than just avoiding going far away for large boost:

Jack: “Make sure you’re always picking up those small boost pads rather than the big boost pads; I always think about how grabbing boost will affect how and when I arrive at a certain position and is going to affect movement.”

When going for boost, make sure that you not only stay close to the play, but ensure that your timing is right. It may be tempting to go for a large boost pad right near your net and stay back while your opponents mount an attack, but after you stop and lose your momentum, you’re highly susceptible to quick attacks or, worst-case, a devastatingly embarrassing fake.

Boost and positioning go hand in hand, so the best thing to do to get better at both is to learn small boost pathing; to start, I’d suggest my article on Optimal Boost Pathing in Rocket League. Once you get a hang of timing, your positioning will improve in a breeze.

Rotations, and When to Break Them

When we talk about positioning, it’s impossible not to talk about rotations, the most popular way players position themselves on the pitch. Rotations are often preached as a be-all and end-all of positioning, but there are cases where it seems like cutting them could be better: for example, in a slow play where an unusual move upfield could result in a sneaky goal.

Jack: “It’s mainly about understanding what spaces your team is covering, because that’s all Rocket League is: figuring out the gaps on the pitch and what’s possible from your current play on the ball… understanding when to break rotation is knowing when you need to fill a gap that the ball can come into.”

Breaking rotation should not be a reckless move: it has to be grounded in how the other players on the pitch are positioned. Let’s dive into an example:

You’re on offense, and the ball is in the other team’s left corner. You’re the first man, and just having made a play on the ball, you’re deciding what to do next. Standard rotation would dictate dropping back to the third man position, but many pro players would choose to go across the net to the right corner and steal boost—this would put you at the second man position, opening up the opportunity for a lethal crossfield pass, not to mention depriving your opponents of boost. This is a small break in rotation, but a key one; if you add coverage to the other side of the pitch, you can open up a whole new dimension of teamplay possibilities.

Jack: “Based on personal intuition, if you know you can quickly go for a ball before anyone else on the pitch, go for it; you might get called out for being a ball-chaser by your ranked teammate, but you can very well score an extra goal just because you were the first to the ball.”

Positioning is important, but speed is too; having both and knowing how to use them is what sets smart players apart from the rest.

Practice Makes Perfect

The key difficulty with developing game sense, as opposed to mechanics, is that it’s hard to practice being “smart,” whereas a few hours in Freeplay can add a whole new mechanic to your arsenal. RLCS pros have the same difficulties, but they’ve found ways to improve their game sense, as ApparentlyJack shares;

Jack: “The main thing I’d say is playing 1v1, and then I’d say watching pro gameplay… it is genuinely one of the best ways to improve, especially not when actively playing the game, and truly thinking about what pros are doing differently and why they’re doing it helps decision making and improves your gameplay in general.”

ApparentlyJack is one of the best 1v1 players in the world, and his game sense shows in his RLCS matches. Although it may seem contradictory, using a solo game mode to improve in team-based settings, learning how to position solo can give you a lot of insight into general gameplay. For more about that, check out my article on How to Use 1v1 to Improve in Rocket League.

On the other hand, pro replays are an interesting suggestion, which mainly lies in the fact that you’re not actively playing the game. However, one of the best ways to learn how to think in a smarter way is to see that thinking in real time, from some of the best players in the game.

Jack recommends watching your own replays as well! While pro replays are useful, it is crucial to see what you’re doing right and what you’re doing wrong. The good is just as important as the bad. While seeing what you’re doing wrong is great for avoiding mistakes, it can massively help you to realize what decisions of yours are working so you can make them again. Reviewing your own gameplay and practicing what you observe with intention is a path to being a smart player.

Conclusion

Now, armed with the tools for how to improve and the areas to focus on, you’re well on your way to becoming a smarter player. One last takeaway to keep in mind, which Jack emphasized, is to be confident in your gameplay and choices. It’s best to have two things in mind: your identity as a player and what you want to add to it or gain in your session. Setting goals and knowing what you want out of yourself as a player is a surefire way to bring about improvement.

If you want more content from ApparentlyJack to learn how to be a smarter player, check out his YouTube (ApparentlyJack), Twitter (@ApparentlyJxck), and Twitch (ApparentlyJack_RL). Good luck with your ranked games, outwitting your opponents, and climbing up the ladder!