Rocket League receives gameplay-altering update with new mutators

By Danny Cowan November 10, 2015

rocket league gameplay overhauled in latest update rl108 header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Psyonix’s Rocket League has attracted a dedicated playerbase, but despite several updates in the months following its launch, its core vehicle-based soccer gameplay remains much the same. Psyonix promises to shake things up with this week’s launch of a comprehensive patch that adds new options to change in-game ball physics and driving mechanics, giving veteran players a new degree of challenge.

After applying Patch v1.08, Rocket League players can choose from an array of physics-altering presets and settings that “add depth, variety, and crazy rocket-powered fun to custom games.”

Rocket League now boasts a collection of “mutator settings” that cause the in-game ball to behave much differently than it does by default. Players can enable “Beach Ball” mode for a larger and slower ball during matches, for instance, while the “Pinball” option makes the ball smaller, faster, and less predictable.

Other mutator options change vehicle handling. Enabling “Moonball” reduces gravity and makes boosting more potent, “Demolition” increases gravity and makes enemy vehicles explode on contact, and “Time Warp” puts vehicles into slow-motion as they approach the ball. The new “Cubic” setting changes both ball and vehicle behavior, enabling automatically recharging boost meters and replacing the game’s regulation ball with a tumbling cube.

Players can enable any one of these mutator settings at the start of any custom match, or they can choose to cycle through mutators as part of the new “Mutator Mashup” 3v3 online playlist.

In addition to offering mutator presets, Rocket League‘s latest update introduces the ability to tweak settings like match length, ball size, and game speed. Matches can optionally end when either team reaches a specified point value, and other settings enable new features like friendly fire, rechargeable boosts, and shortened respawn times, among other additions.

Patch v1.08 also adds a collection of new vanity items, including antenna toppers inspired by games like Oddworld, Unreal Tournament, and Fallout 4. The update is available as a free download for the PC and PlayStation 4 versions of Rocket League.

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Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…

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