Roller Champions was first announced at E3 in 2019. Right from the first trailer, it was clear to see this Ubisoft title is trying to steal some Rocket League thunder. I’m up for something new so when the Beta came around I opted in to give this one a test run.
Rocket League on skates
Every media outlet including ours named this title Rocket League on skates. I wanted to be a bit more original but I have to admit, Rocket League on skates pretty much sums this game up perfectly. In Roller Champions you play matches in a 3v3 or 2v2 format in which you enter an oval-shaped arena. Skate around the arena while holding a ball in order to bank laps. The goal opens up once you complete a lap. Throwing the ball through the ring-shaped goal earns you one point if you completed one lap while in possession of the ball. Feeling confident… go for 2 laps to earn 3 points and 3 laps to earn 5. The first team to score 5 in total wins the match.
Inspired by Roller derby, which is truly a brutal niche sport you have to see at least once, Ubisoft added all sorts of ways to stop the opposing team. Tackles, roundhouse kicks, uppercuts, and even diving headfirst into your opponent, are all means to take back control of the ball and build up your team’s lap counter. Timing these moves feels quite hard initially but with some perseverance, you’ll get the hang of it. The team in control of the ball will obviously do their best to protect the ball and use these same moves in order to counter your attacks. The ball carrier is a bit more limited with only a dodge move at his/her disposal.
Under pressure
The pressure is on once you control the ball. Moving fluently through the multitude of attacks won’t be easy. The dodge mechanic can save you from getting hit but when a multitude of opponents starts honing in on your position your better off playing as a team. Using your teammates to play a more passing game felt much more reliable to score points. Passing can be tricky but once you learn to utilize this properly you can get laps real fast and without the constant pressure of tackles flying everywhere around you. To top things off you also need to score. Scoring is done by charging your throw by holding the trigger. Timing your release well while also going at speed took me a while to get just right so practice a bit before going at it.
Skate park and new modes
Being in control of your skater and mastering all the moves is hard to master. The concepts are simple and the controls aren’t all that hard but the speed and the pressure of the opponent make it demanding. Go for a few tries in the skate park instead. Skate around and learn to pump properly to gain speed, grab a ball and practice your aim or jump around and perform tricks. Ubisoft hinted at using the skate park for certain special modes too which would be a nice break from the oval arena. At the end of the Beta, Ubisoft added a “hot potato” mode. This mode forced you to pass more often because holding the ball too long makes it explode.
Fun for a while
Just like Rocket League, Roller Champions is easy to comprehend for anybody looking for a quick casual play session. Those interested in really getting good at it will find it challenging enough to compete with the other top players. With a ranked system implemented, the matchmaking is based on your experience and performance which felt well thought out. I had a good time playing the beta but it whined down quite fast, to be honest. The appeal of the gameplay felt a bit short-lived because of the repetitiveness. Adding different modes and a few different shaped arena’s would greatly benefit this game in my opinion.
Conclusion
Roller Champions will be free-to-play which is awesome. The game is quick to learn and hard to master. Playing with friends will surely result in having a good time. The appeal beyond the first few sessions is to be seen… Based on the fact Ubisoft already introduced a new mode during the beta gives hope for the actual release. More variation and this title is a sure hit, as it stands now… I’m not so sure.
