Rocket League has finally gone free-to-play, and just in time for its fifth anniversary. If you're new to Rocket League and looking to dive into the competitive playlist right away, this is our essential RL beginner's guide to learning setting yourself up for future success on the field and make .

Learning to manage boost

Boost management is an essential skill for new players to master.

Boost pads exist throughout the map, with large full boost pads available in each corner and the midfield mark on both sides of the field, and smaller boost pads available throughout the center of the field. For many new players, it’s easy to overemphasize boost and use it as a crutch.

New players can often be found burning through all of their boost in a single dash down the field. A more advanced player will know when they need to use their boost and when they can save it. Overreliance on the boost mechanic is a classic beginner mistake.

Ideally, you want to learn how to manage your boost so you have some idea when you need it. The only time you need to full boost is when you’re accelerating quickly to make a play on the ball, performing an aerial maneuver, or rushing back to your goal to protect it. Most situations only call for a small amount of boost to be used to get you up to speed. You can also feather your boost by rapidly tapping the boost button instead of holding it down. This can be a much more efficient way to get up to speed without burning through copious amounts of boost.

As a rule of thumb, don’t use boost unless you need to. Learn to rely on your other movement features like jumping and dodging to build momentum and save your boost. Remember to prioritize defending your net over getting boost. Even high-level players often make the mistake of getting a boost pad, only to leave their net open for the goal. Don’t make this mistake.

Watch The Ball, Don't Chase The Ball

When playing soccer, or football, or rugby, or any team sport with a ball, you won't see everyone on the pitch chasing the ball at the same time. However, you can stand back and watch almost every single player do it in Rocket League. That leads to chaos and anarchy. You don't want to be a part of that. Hold back, observe the situation, and plan your attack. Yes, Rocket League is a fast-moving game, but there's a lot of room on those pitches. Use it.

The best way to make sure you are watching the ball at all times is to switch to ball cam. Rocket League gives players a typical racing game view of their car when you first launch the game. Ball cam gives players the ability to see the ball at all times. It will seem annoying and unnatural at first, and it takes some getting used to. However, if you want to be a better Rocket League player, you need to get used to it.

Adjust the camera settings

I know what you’re thinking. You came in expecting advice on how to score stylishly and you’ve found us talking about camera settings? I’ll concede this isn’t the most exciting tip but hear us out, camera settings are crucial. Rocket League’s default settings showcase the action ahead decently, but should you wish, the game lets you individually tweak several key aspects, like field of view or distance.

This tip isn’t here to tell you exactly what this should be changed too. You might find other players have listed their own settings online, which is perfectly fine, but everyone has personal preferences. If you’re finding it difficult to land those specific shots or you’d like to see more of the arena, consider giving these a tweak. This could be the difference in securing that winning shot and losing the match.