Three game modes Rocket League needs

Rocket League is a game full of experimentation. There has been Hoops, Snow Day, Rumble and Dropshot added among other modes.

With there being so many creative ways to play the game, it seems only fitting for Psyonix developers to add a few more. With the aforementioned Hoops and Snow Day, it seems like they enjoy merging the worlds of soccer and other sports.

Another thing of note is that Rocket League has never had a true mini-game before. The modes included now are fun, alternate ways to play the game from a goal-to-goal basis but aren’t necessarily mini-games.

A couple of mode ideas we’ll talk about here, are more in that mold. One, however, will play more like a traditional match.

All of these are inspired by other sports, just like Hoops (basketball) and Snow Day (hockey). The first one to mention is based on a sport that just began its season.

Uprights (Football):

Football and American football have their differences. But they also have one thing in common—kicking. Both soccer and football feature kicking, although the former utilizes footwork much more.

But the similarities are there. And if you’re also Chicago Bears fan, then you know how important field goals are in football. So for Rocket League, the goal of the conceptual mode “Uprights”, the job is to score field goals, instead of regular goals.

This means that players will be able to put their ariel moves to test or their ability to get great bounces. Now, football goalposts are usually pretty wide and tall, so that might be too easy for Rocket League players.

So instead, there would be Arena Football League style uprights, which would add to the challenge. Arena style goalposts are only nine feet wide versus NFL styles which are 18 feet wide. You could maybe bump it to 10 feet to be on the safe side.

And like with both the NFL and the AFL, there would be a net behind the post (perhaps a medal one to fit the Rocket League aesthetic). This could be a fun mode for those who enjoy American football; imagine how many times the ball may bounce off one of the uprights.

This would also change defensive strategy, as it could be difficult to swat the ball out of the air when it’s on its to the goalposts if the ball is high enough. So, just like in real American football, players would likely have to tackle (or bump) your way to pure defensive excellency and keep centering that ball.

There could be great satisfaction in nailing a field goal. There would be an opportunity to do so in the fast-paced world of Rocket League.

Smash Ball (Home Run Derby):

For the baseball fans out there who love the home run: here’s the first of two mini-game style modes to include.

One of the best feelings in Rocket League is smacking a long-range goal. Putting power into a hit and seeing the ball sail into the opposing goal is immensely satisfying.

Smash Ball would allow users to do this every time they step up to the battle-car-friendly plate. A simple goal: hit the ball as far as possible.

But, it wouldn’t be as easy as ramming into the ball on full blast. The ball rolls, forcing the player to focus in awkward positions, timing the strike like a baseball batter.

Mix in a timer, force supersonic acrobatic rocket-powered battle-car drivers to get their shot off quick. Add in a limited boost to make it even more strategic and difficult. Or perhaps unlimited boost!

And yes, like with Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby, players could hit the ball into the stands. The typical Rocket League pitch just needs to be altered a little bit to make things fit.

Remove glass domes and walls to expose all adoring computer-generated fans to the eagerly anticipated home run shot. Competing players also shoot at the same time rather than-making turn-based shots in other games.

There’s no other sports game quite as fast as Rocket League. So it’d only be fitting to include one of the fastest formats in multiplayer gaming for this imaginary mode.

Also, keep in mind that this would not be a team event. It would be a battle between two to four cars in a simultaneous manner.

The game has MLB inclusion, so why not take it to the next level? I’d proudly rock the White Sox hat on my car for the mode.

Target Ball (Golf):

The last game mode to mention is a mashup of Rocket League and one of the oldest sports known to man: golf (or “kolf” as they called it in the 1600s). The concept for “Target Ball” is pretty much given away by its name, as the goal would be to try to aim for targets to put up the most points.

Targets with the lowest amount of points will be the biggest and easiest to hit. Targets with the highest amounts of points will be much smaller, and more difficult to hit.

Similar to TopGolf, the game mode takes place in a type of driving range but with multiple illuminated targets. Start off at a tee-off. Each hit or missed target resets players to the tee-off making for fast-paced gameplay.

Game time could go two different ways. Either a time limit or a score limit; Either most points scored in X amount of time or first to X points.

Ponder the tee-box spot. Instead of hitting the ball at ground level, players start off from an elevated tee.

There could even be a team-based version combining individuals scores in a two vs. two fashion.

So there it is. What other game modes could Pysonix add to Rocket League?

Opinion by Colin Mieczkowski