Rocket League (Switch) Review - Rocket League remains unprecedentedly popular

Rocket League is one of those games that has grown and grown over the years. It started on PlayStation 4 in 2015 as a sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle Cars , gained a lot of popularity as a free PS Plus title, but has since become more and more successful: thanks to a PC release, Xbox release and now also a Switch version that brings the intense vehicle action to Nintendo's hybrid machine. This means that you can now play the game on the go or just on your screen as usual.

As with many other Switch titles, you should not forget that there is some surrender to the visual splendor for portability and this applies both in handheld and TV mode. Through Psyonix we know that the game in TV mode runs at 1280 by 720, but uses a dynamic resolution in handheld mode, which - depending on the stadium in which you play - the resolution is around 1024 by 567. This is far from perfect, but it is certainly playable and the entertainment remains in the forefront in handheld mode. Psyonix has also indicated that they continue to optimize the game and both modes also contain a solid 60 FPS, so the change in resolution does not really matter. Of course, the lower resolution is noticeable when you look at smaller details up close.

We have to admit, however, that it gets less when you play the game in split-screen with two players, where the screen is also divided into two. Again we have to point out that the game is still good to play and remains fun, but it never gets to the space that gives a screen in TV mode. In addition, you can play a maximum of two players in handheld mode, which is increased to four in TV mode.

What we found a bigger problem with the local multiplayer were the Joy-Con controllers. It's no secret that Nintendo's detachable controllers are incredibly small, so we recommend that one player uses the Joy-Cons and the other uses a Pro Controller. Giving and braking with the shoulder buttons is not comfortable or easy to use. If you use each one Joy-Con it is not possible to use a right analog stick, so if you are not in the Ball Cam it is difficult to follow the action.

If you prefer to play online: the game can be played online with eight players and you can also do this with and against players on the PC and Xbox thanks to cross-platform support (the PS4 is not included here). We have had extremely intense 4-on-4 sessions in the Switch version and never encountered any delays, even when the pots became extremely chaotic.

A great exclusive addition for Nintendo fans, however, are the Mario and Luig cars, which are selected when you join the orange or blue team. Where we thought in the game that these were just cool skins for the cars, they even make classic Mario jump sounds when you jump. A nice nod to fans of the console and Nintendo games in general. There is also a Metroid skin, although it fits the futuristic appearance of the rest of the cars and is not as striking as Mario and Luigi.

Rocket League is now available on all four platforms and the game has proven its popularity over and over again. It not only attracts many players, but the skills it requires to be the best in the game are also perfect for e-sport. The Championship Series (RLCS) have just finished the fourth season, with large organizations such as Gale Force Esports and Fnaction that invest in Rocket League teams.

This remains an incredibly impressive performance, especially when you look at his much lesser known predecessor Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars . The formula is now not only elaborated to perfection and a lot of gamers seized (the old name also did not help here). Players who never played a sports game are suddenly drawn to this more tasting, simple and accessible title. It does not matter whether you are good or not; everyone can give gas and bump into balls and the game does not seem to take back any gas for the time being.

➕ Cross-platform support; great to play on local multiplayer on the go; still a fun and accessible game.

➖ The expected technical downgrade; Joy-Cons is not the best control option in multiplayer.

Thanks for reading.

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