Rocket League Sideswipe first impressions - "A pocket rocket?"

We are a bit late, but today we will be taking a deep dive into Rocket League Sideswipe. Psyonix will be launching the game at the end of this year, and since I got to play the alpha test version of the game, which released a few months ago, here are my Rocket League Sideswipe first impressions.

How does the game work?

Unlike the original Rocket League, in Sideswipe, the movement of cars is restricted to two dimensions, meaning the vehicles can only go forward or backwards. And since you will be playing from a side-scrolling viewpoint, the name 'Rocket League Sideswipe' becomes much clearer.

Regardless, the core concept remains the same. Two teams play against each other to score maximum goals in the given time. Each match lasts 2 minutes, and in case of a tie, overtime is given where the first team to score a goal wins. A slight detail that's worth noting is that, unlike its PC counterpart, the team consists of two players and not three.

Controls

On the left side of the screen, you get a 360° touch screen joystick, which lets you control your car's movement and direction (Up, down, left and right). On the right side, you get a boost and jump button. That's pretty much it.

It's really tough to get used to the controls of the game. I have been playing mobile games all my life, and still, it was pretty tough for me to get used to the controls of Rocket League Sideswipe. But on the other hand, I have seen some of the players doing crazy stuff, so maybe that's something more of a personal preference.

The game does not have any customization options for the controls, which I think is a must-have feature, and Psyonix should consider adding it to the game.

In-App Purchases

Rocket League Sideswipe is a true free-to-play mobile game with no-nonsense. I really like the way Psyonix has monetized the game. There is a premium currency with which you can buy decorations for your car, but it won't affect the performance. Furthermore, the game provides enough items as you progress for free as well.

Plenty of Customization Options

You can customize your tires, paint, skin, boosts, and even the explosion animation that plays out when you score.

Game Modes

Rocket League Sideswipe offers both offline and online modes. The offline mode is called 'solo .' There are three types of solo mode. They are Freeplay, Exhibition, and Tutorial. Freeplay is where you can practice alone. Meanwhile, in Exhibition, you get to play against a bot, and lastly, the tutorial obviously teaches you the basics of the game.

As for the online mode, it's called 'Competitive play .' Again, there are three types of competitive play. They are Duel, Doubles, and Hoops. Duels is a 1v1 setup, Doubles pits you into a 2v2 match, and Hoops is also 2v2, but instead of car soccer, it's basketball.

Tiny bits

• The game has a built-in music player to listen to and you can skip the tracks you don't like
• The alpha had only one way to log in to the game - Epic Games Account. If they don't add Google Play, Facebook, or more sign-in options, it will be a disaster. Furthermore, since Epic Games is the only option to log in so you can't change your in-game name. It will be automatically the same as your Epic Games username

Final Words

I was very disappointed that Psyonix did not bring the whole Rocket League experience to mobile. But after playing Pocket League (oh wait, I mean Rocket League Sideswipe), my views have changed. It's a super fun game that comes loaded with great music, gameplay, graphics, sound and style. What else do you want?

It feels like Psyonix is pushing it as a mix of a casual and competitive game. But I personally see it as only a casual game where you grab a friend and jump head on to the soccer field with your customised, insane-looking cars.

Rocket League Sideswipe is sure to grab a lot of attention when it is launched. But will it be able to retain players in the long run? Only time can tell.

Also, check out our list of Top 25 best racing and driving games for Android phones and tablets