Believe it or not, there was a time when sports games weren’t regarded as the redheaded stepchildren of the video game industry, as they are today.  If you grew up playing video games in the 1990s and 2000s, it’s likely that some of your most memorable early experiences were performing that triple kickflip down a stair set in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, avoiding a crushing hit by wall running in NFL Street, or turning the Chicago Cubs into perennial World Series champions in MVP Baseball.  The sports game industry was pushing the video game industry forward at a time when the video game industry as a whole was still trying to figure out its place in the contemporary zeitgeist.  Because of the incessant need to realistically replicate the awe-inspiring moments that fans witnessed on primetime television week in and week out, innovation and Rocket League credits for sale breakthroughs were commonplace in the industry.

Unfortunately, when it comes to sports games in the modern era, the bar has been set significantly lower than it once was.  Your favorite sports franchises, which you probably fell in love with as a kid, are either no longer in existence or are only a shell of their former selves.  Companies today do not place a high priority on recreating the essence of the sport they are attempting to capture in their products.  instead of mastering mechanics and having fun with friends, sports games are, by and large, predatory cash grabs that place an emphasis on gambling on packs (or loot boxes) rather than having fun with friends.  EA Sports’ annual football franchises FIFA and Madden, both of which are produced by EA Sports, all but force players into the pay-to-win quagmire that is Ultimate Team, with other game modes either being treated as an afterthought or being left to rot.  This is the image that has been associated with the sports video game genre for the better part of a decade.

But one game has emerged to put things back in their proper perspective, and that game is none other than Rocket League. . Rocket League, in contrast to its modern counterparts, is not based on a real sport; rather, the game involves two teams of three players racing around in motorized cars, chasing after a ball, and attempting to guide, or smash, the ball into a net.  The game is available on both iOS and Android devices.  In a strange, almost dystopian amalgamation of soccer, hockey, and a demolition derby, it comes together in a way that doesn’t seem to make sense, but it does.  And, despite the fact that it was first released in the summer of 2015, Rocket League has maintained its popularity, with an estimated average monthly player count of nearly 96 million as of May 2022, according to activeplayer.  io.

So, what is it about Rocket League that makes it one of the most popular video games on the market, despite its age? Answering this question is straightforward: it is truthful.
Other sports games rely on algorithms to determine a player’s success, but Rocket League’s gameplay is entirely dependent on the laws of physics and mathematics.  It is not like FIFA, where scoring a goal or sending your shot into the nosebleeds is more or less randomized, or Madden, where determining whether your perfectly timed tackle will be as effective as a wet noodle being used as a lasso is more or less randomized.  In Psyonix’s bizarre sport, the effectiveness of your shots and blocks is only as good as your positioning and timing are.  When used correctly, a speed boost can mean the difference between clearing the ball out of danger and completely missing the play, making yourself appear to your teammates as a complete fool in the process.  It can also mean the difference between scoring a miracle goal and having your shot sail well wide of the target.

Rocket League, in contrast to many other games of the same genre, has a steep learning curve.  As a result, the game includes a comprehensive training mode that covers every aspect of the game, including how to attack the ball in the air, score goals, and keep goals out of the goal mouth.  After going over each section with a fine-toothed comb, it’s likely that it will take a number of games for you to truly get a feel for the game’s breakneck pace and the technical skill required to make quick adjustments on the fly.  As a new player, one might expect a difficult acclimation period to deter them from persevering through the trials and tribulations of becoming a formidable force in the game.  However, if the numbers are any indication, this has done little to discourage gamers from thoroughly enjoying the experience.  It is possible that the difficulty of Rocket League contributes to its depth and keeps things interesting for even the most seasoned of gamers, providing a significant amount of replay value.

As for whether or not there is a “pay to win” element in Rocket League, the answer is, unfortunately, no.  Any and all microtransactions in the game are completely purely cosmetic in nature, and their sole purpose is to make your customized cars look cooler rather than more effective.  The playing field is always level, and the game is never unbalanced as a result of one player being able to afford expensive loot boxes and another not being able to do so.  Even if you are unable to afford all of the cool swag Rocket League has to offer, the game will allow you to earn a significant number of items as you play and even trade items with other players if you so choose.  To make matters even better, all DLC maps that are added to the game are completely free as well, ensuring that you will never be left out in the cold when a new add-on is released.

Another important aspect of Rocket League credits appeal stems from the fact that it is a cross-platform video game.  As of February 2019, players on any platform, including Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC, can compete against one another in competitive matches.  As a result, the game’s ranking system is a more accurate reflection of skill and prowess, in contrast to many of its competitors, who restrict their player base to the console or platform on which they are playing.  This also ensures that the pool of competitors remains large at all times.