It’s no secret that as you climb the ranks in Rocket League, speed and control become increasingly vital to your success. One of the more important techniques that separates some of the higher ranked players from the rest is the speed flip. Mastering this mechanic gives you that extra burst of speed that can allow you to reach the ball faster, giving you more space to think in both offensive and defensive situations.

For 1v1 players, the speed flip is essential to winning kickoffs and avoiding early goals. For 2v2 and 3v3 players, it’s not as critical, but having a strong speed flip can still be the difference between a goal and a save.

In this guide and the help from Dignitas pro player Joris “Joreuz” Robben, we’ll break down what a speed flip is, how to do it, some common mistakes, and some training packs that will help you master the mechanic.

Joreuz: “If you flip towards the kickoff normally, you’ll just be later than someone who did a speed flip. You can annihilate an opponent because they’ll be a few yards in front of the ball while you’re already on top of the ball. This makes you use the space where you beat them to pinch the ball towards the opponent’s wall just because you’re faster and you can make a play from there.”

What is a Speed Flip?

The speed flip is a special technique that combines a diagonal flip with a flip cancel to maximize speed. In a standard forward flip, the car temporarily faces backwards during part of the flip, which will slow you down if you boost throughout the entire flip. However, with the speed flip, the car is never backwards, allowing you to boost all the way through and maintain the maximum momentum.

When performed correctly there are a few ways the speed flip will help your gameplay. You can use it to beat your opponent off the kickoff, recover when the ball is heading towards your net, and improve your positioning by allowing faster rotations. Winning the kickoff can give you a favorable bounce off the wall and early scoring opportunities while a faster recovery can give you more space to work with off a save or rotation.

Joreuz: “The speed flip is useful if you’re racing back for a ball and you need to get around it quickly, just do a speed flip and you’ll be there much faster, giving you more time to go on the attack. There are so many times that the ball rolls into your net and you feel like you can just about reach it. That speed flip you use can give you the speed and space you need to make a controlled save and plan your next move, instead of just making a last second panic save attempt.”

How to Perform a Speed Flip?

Speed flipping is a skill that requires precision and practice. Joreuz explains exactly how to speed flip in the video below.

In other words, you can break down your speed flip practice into three steps. You want to start your speed flip with a diagonal flip, between 15-45 degrees to the left or right. A consistent diagonal flip is the foundation for a successful speed flip, so practice the motion in free play before moving on to the next step, the flip cancel.

A flip cancel is performed by holding down on the joystick immediately after starting the flip. Start by practicing front flip cancels by flipping forward and pulling down on the stick. Once you can cancel the front flip consistently, move to canceling the diagonal flip. This part takes a bit more precision but is essential for a clean speed flip. To then complete the speed flip, hold your stick down while pressing air roll left or right depending on the direction of your flip. Boosting through the entire process will give you extra speed.

Joreuz: “Try to flip a little diagonally, and whilst you do that try to cancel your flip by flicking your stick down. Finally use air roll left or air roll right (I use left) while flicking back your stick and it starts to look like a speed flip. Flip diagonally, flick your stick back, then add the air roll.”

Common Mistakes

Speed flipping is a complex mechanic, and it’s common to make certain mistakes while learning. These mistakes include not flipping diagonally enough, over-canceling the flip, and flipping too early or too late. To fix diagonal flipping issues, make sure you're holding the stick at a 15-45-degree angle rather than straight up or sideways. You don’t want to be performing a full front flip or a barrel roll. Make sure you’re practicing diagonal flips in free play to develop consistency.

Over-canceling happens when you hold down the stick too long or press it too hard, which kills momentum. Make sure you use a quick, light input instead. Getting the feel for the cancel timing takes practice, but once you find the right balance, it will feel like a more natural motion.

Flipping too early or late is another problem players face. Incorrect flip timing leads to lost speed. To fix this, try to flip just after activating boost. Recording your flips and reviewing the timing can help you understand where you’re going wrong and adjust. To fix any mistakes you’re making there’s some great training drills to help you out.

Speed Flip Training Drills

To enhance your speed flip training, you will need Bakkes Mod, a popular Rocket League mod that provides detailed training tools as well as some other features. The Bakkes Mod Speed Flip Plugin allows you to look at your flip angle, flip cancel, and jump meters. This data allows you to see if you are within the correct range for an accurate speed flip. It also gives you instant feedback so you can adjust accordingly.

Musty’s kickoff test (Training code: A503-264C-A7EB-D282) is a great training pack to practice the skills you learned and fine-tune your speed flip execution. The plugin can help you identify exactly where you’re making mistakes and allow you to make the necessary adjustments. It is important to practice each step individually before trying to put everything together at once in the Musty kickoff test. This way you can be more confident which each step and make the full speed flip feel more manageable. It can also help you isolate which step of the speed flip you’re consistent in, and which steps need some work.

Conclusion

Speed flipping is a crucial skill in Rocket League because it gives you a significant advantage in kickoffs, challenges, and overall positioning. Mastering the speed flip allows you to reach the ball faster than your opponent, helping you win more possessions and create better scoring opportunities, but also improving your recovery speed, giving you more time to set up plays or defend effectively. By using tools like Bakkes Mod and Musty’s kickoff test, you can continue to practice and refine your speed flips. Eventually, you will turn it into a powerful mechanic, boosting your speed and confidence while helping you rank up.

Special thanks to Joreuz for sharing his expertise. You can see more of him on Twitter: @Joreuz_