Rocket League Nintendo Switch Hands-On Impressions: Goals On The Go

Rocket League has easily become one of the most enjoyable competitive games over the past couple of years. It has something to offer for everyone, whether you’re a newbie learning how to score goals for the first time, or a veteran that flies all over the arena like a madman. It’s really been a favorite on the esports scene, but that hasn’t stopped more casual gamers from consuming it for hours upon hours.

So, of course, people went nuts when it was announced for the Nintendo Switch earlier this year, as fans would be able to enjoy everything it has to offer on the go. Not only that, but a team-up with Nintendo enabled the developers at Psyonix to include bonus Nintendo cars, including a suave Metroid inspired vehicle, as well as some neat Mario and Luigi cars. You know, to keep things competitive.

Psyonix recently invited me over to check out the Switch build in progress to see how it’s coming along. I only played the game in handheld mode, but I’ll be honest: this may be my favorite version of Rocket League to date, and I own almost all of them.

Running Like A Dream

First off, Psyonix has retained the 60 frames per second speed for handheld mode, and chances are that the docked mode will have the same speed as well, which is a relief. The camera perspective remains pretty much the same, as you can either go with a general camera or a “ball lock,” where you keep it in view at all times as you try to set up your shots on goal.

The car details are pretty nice as well, and the arena we battled in – the traditional Rocket League arena – looked sweet as well. Visually, the game holds up just fine on the Switch. My only real complaint from my time spent with the game is that I couldn’t play as any of the Nintendo-themed cars. Not yet, anyway. But our time is coming…

Now, let’s talk about the gameplay. It almost feels like Rocket League was built to really take advantage of the HD Rumble features, because that was a fantastic addition. Rocket League really comes alive as you bump into the ball, ram enemies and try to score goals. It feels just about perfect, really.

A Must Have For Switch

Car handling still feels as smooth as it ever has. All of the delights we’ve come to expect from the game are completely intact, and feel like second nature on the Switch. It doesn’t stray from the Rocket League formula, but then again, I didn’t expect it to. It feels just fine.

The feature that’s likely to be a hit with some fans is the two-player local split-screen, which can be played in portable mode with JoyCons. We weren’t able to try this out over the course of the demo, but it sounds like a splendid feature that will enable people to get their Rocket League on wherever they go. I’m down with that.

While Rocket League‘s biggest Nintendo exclusives weren’t on hand for the demo, they’re no doubt icing on what’s going to be a rather delicious cake for Switch owners. We’ll see how the final game shapes up when it arrives this holiday season.