8 Things Big Games Franchises Can Learn From Rocket League

Having just finished Need For Speed, I found myself looking for a new racing game for my collection. Not being a massive fan of real-life gaming simulators, I eventually stumbled upon Rocket League. Released on July 7th, I was very late to the party, which I regret. Rocket League is a blast to play, and I can see myself enjoying it for years.

Many game franchises are not what they used to be. Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, and Battlefield: Hardline received poor reviews compared to their previous installments. The developers and publishers need to play Rocket League and learn a thing or two, or 8 reasons why it stands out…

Unlike many games out today, Rocket League is simple and can be played by people of all ages. Just like football, the goal of Rocket League is to score more than your opponent(s), and that’s it. Everything about Rocket League is simple and easy to understand. Each game also only lasts 5 minutes, so you can pick up Rocket League and play at any time.

Just like FIFA, Rocket League can be played over and over again with different outcomes. The difference, though, is that FIFA comes out every year, meaning you pay full price annually for a game that only has slight improvements over the previous installment. Additionally, you can still spend more money in the game on FIFA Ultimate Team. In contrast, Rocket League is new, but don’t expect a new installment every year. Anticipate Rocket League to add new content every now and then for the next few years, such as the recent Christmas-themed vehicles and ice hockey mode. Also, expect them to do it for much less than £40 a year.

There are several different vehicles you can unlock in Rocket League, all based on real vehicles such as Ferraris and Land Rovers. The good thing about each vehicle, though, is that they all have the same stats. The Ferraris don’t go faster, and the Land Rovers aren’t stronger. The same can’t be said for any recent racing game. The consistent speed and handling keep everyone on the field even, which means…

I always feel at a disadvantage when playing recent Call of Duty games because by the time I finish the campaign and start multiplayer, players are already at a high level and have an arsenal of upgraded weapons, reducing my chances of winning. What I like the most about Rocket League is how first-time players can still beat the pros. The controls are very simple due to how few there are. Go, reverse, jump, and boost are the only four options. An old Super Nintendo controller could be used to play Rocket League, controls that also help keep everyone on the field even. So, expect your records to be 50/50.

Being a football game, the maps are simple. The racing element of the game, however, could have led the developers to make crazy, over-the-top maps like we see in Mario Kart. They could also have included objects on the field such as walls, exploding barrels, and weapons. The developers thankfully avoided all that and went with simple football fields, which you don’t have to know like the back of your hand. This simplicity also helps with the ‘anyone can beat anyone’ aspect.

Just like the rest of Rocket League, the menu is simple. Everything is on one page, which can be quickly navigated. It only takes a few seconds to customize your car, see your records, and find a game. Grid-themed menus seen in games such as Fifa are popular these days but are too complicated and time-consuming to navigate. It can be hard to find some options on grid-themed menus, and I find myself passing the options I want often, wasting time and causing frustrations. The less menu, the better. Developers need to stick to the classic list menu so we can do everything quicker.

1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4. These are your options when playing Rocket League. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but each game is very different from the others. 1v1 is good for facing your friends for bragging rights. 2v2 is great for when you and your friend want to team up, 3v3 requires skill and tactics, and 4v4 is total carnage. Games such as Call Of Duty focus too much on different game modes, with zombies, hardcore modes, and party games on top of all the standard game modes. Keep it simple and stick to the classic game modes we all know and love.

The most surprising thing about Rocket League may be the fact that players on the PlayStation can play against players on a PC. It’s almost unheard of for two consoles to have the same online servers. And because Rocket League is a simple game, players don’t require an expensive gaming PC to play. Exclusive console games have died down slightly over the years, with many games now available on multiple platforms. It would be great if cross-platform play can do the same, so PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Wii U, and PC owners could play games together.

And there we go. 8 things big game franchises can learn from Rocket League. Thanks for reading. Please like, share, and comment with your opinions on Rocket League. Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter X @rhysbritton.