Rocket League has only been on the rise of popularity since its release way back in early July 2015. The game has not only brought back fans of the original game, Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, or SARPBC if you want to make it a little easier on yourself; it has also introduced many more new fans to the joys and wonders of gracefully, (or not so gracefully) maneuvering your Battle-Car through the air and hurling the ball into the goal to score for your team. With the rocket-powered game being so easy to understand and pick up, there are constantly new players picking the game up all the time. If it just so happens that you're one of these new players looking to improve your game, you're in luck! I'll be here to give you some easy and general tips to improve your game as much as possible when you're just starting out.

I. Change your controls!

One of the first things you should do before even stepping into the game is to tweak the controls. Many players enjoy using the default settings, but I feel as if there are much more comfortable ways to play the game. Map the controls out to where you're comfortable. Personally, I play with a gamepad as opposed to keyboard/mouse and I strongly recommend playing with a gamepad. While you can play with keyboard and mouse, there are going to be some mechanics that are going to be very hard to get down the line.

I have my boost bound to my right bumper on my controller and air roll bound to my left bumper. No major changes other than that, and I can tell you from personal experience that changing the controls to make it more comfortable for yourself will benefit you and your mechanics in the long run. Be sure to test other controls to see what you're the most comfortable with!

II. Mess around with your camera settings!

Another thing you should change right out of the box is your camera settings. The original camera settings aren't all that great. Look at some pro Rocket League players' camera settings online and see how you feel using their camera settings. One good tip you should know is that the closer you have the camera to your car, the easier it will be to control it; if you have the camera further away from your car, you'll be able to have a better sense of your surroundings, where your teammates are, and where the opposing team is in order to put together an attack. P.S. Disable camera shake!

III. Use the training packs!

Hop into the training packs that Rocket League gives you right off the bat. I'd obviously recommend the rookie training packs, assuming that you're a new player to the game. Don't get discouraged if you can't get 100% on your first try. Just be sure to actually complete the task at hand. As time progresses, you'll master all the rookie training packs in each category and take the leap towards the pro and then the all-star packs. Test out different things in training to see the effect that it has on the ball and your car. Once you eventually graduate from the regular training packs, you can then move on to the community training packs! They're very useful in helping you master some of the trickier things to complete. Whether it be things like air dribbling, double-touching, etc., the community training packs are sure to have it there.

IV. Learn to aerial!

Learning how to hit the ball in the air early on in your Rocket League career will give you an edge over your opponents, especially in the lower ranks. I'd recommend utilizing the training packs as mentioned in my previous tip if you want to learn the basics of aerialing. Be sure to check out my article on learning how to aerial and improving your aerial game!

V. Picking your Battle-Car

As you progress through the early ranks, you'll be unlocking a bunch of different battle-cars. Now, not all battle-cars have the same hitbox, which was commonly believed at one point. All cars behave differently and fall into different classes. The most used car is the Octane, which is the first car you get in the game. It's the most used car for good reason. The hitbox is tall and pretty wide, the turning radius is good, and it's a great looking car! There are three main cars that are used in online play that I've seen, and those three are the Octane, Dominus, and the '16 Batmobile. Two out of the three cars listed here are paid DLC, but I'd strongly recommend picking them up as they're all great cars and one of them might suit you and your playstyle. Be sure to check out this video made by Sir Timbers that explains different cars and their hitboxes!

VI. Your team

You should never try and play randomly online, as that will most likely result in you getting frustrated in how your teammates are playing. Try and party up with some friends that you enjoy playing with or teammates that you can communicate with that you're comfortable with. Communication is key here. Calling out when you're going for boost or pushing up on the field is vital in improving your gameplay as a team. Don't be afraid of calling your teammates off of balls that you have better hits on! It is even done at the highest levels of Rocket League and if your plan is to be in that level one day, it doesn't hurt to start early!

That's going to be all the tips you'll get today folks. I hope these tips I've given you today will help you improve your gameplay immensely. I hope to meet all of you on the field!

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