Rocket League Sideswipe, which is the mobile version of the world-renowned game Rocket League, launched on November 15, 2021. This new way to play offers an alternative to the online multiplayer phenomenon. Sideswipe maintains the orange vs. blue color scheme of its PC and console counterparts but differs as it takes on a two-dimensional perspective.
What people like most about the game is that the graphics are unbelievable for a mobile game. Daniel Rauen ‘22 stated, “I think the graphics of the game are really good for a mobile game. When I heard Rocket League was coming to mobile I assumed the graphics would be a huge downgrade from the PC and console [versions] Rocket League graphics, but I was surprised with how good they were. The game also has a lot of cosmetics that you can unlock mostly by playing the game and completing challenges. I like how these cosmetics are duplicates of the actual Rocket League cosmetics. I especially enjoy the hats, trails, and paint jobs as it gives me an incentive to actually play the game.”
Teams are capped at two players instead of four, game movement is slower, and the game mechanics are greatly simplified due to the 2-Dimensional environment. However, these differences were made after careful deliberation by the developers Psyonix in order to make the game easier to play on handheld devices. As Rauen mentioned, Rocket League is known for its aesthetics and Sideswipe looks to feature a wide variety of customization options from hats for your car to unique goal-scoring animations.
The general rules of Rocket League Sideswipe also resemble the original game as each match features a time limit in which the team that scores the most goals is declared the winner. This goal is achieved by guiding a large ball into your opponent’s goal by hitting it with your rocket-powered battle car. However, the match length for a game of Sideswipe takes two minutes whereas a regular Rocket League match takes five.
While Rocket League Sideswipe looks like it is going to remain for a while, the original game attracts more people because of the intricate physics and movement of the game. Also, some are complaining that there is not a 4v4 game mode in the mobile version, but it is possible that this game mode may be too chaotic for a phone’s relatively small display. Most phones’ CPUs will struggle to render such gameplay, justifying Psyonix’s decision.
Overall, Barstow students love playing this new game. Sidd Jasti ‘22 stated, “I think Rocket League Sideswipe is a low-stress, entertaining game. It’s multiplayer meaning I can team up with friends and play short games against other people online. The gameplay is pretty fun and I like how the game branches off of the original Rocket League game.” If you are looking for a way to relax after a long school day, download Rocket League Sideswipe and try it for yourself.
