Rocket League Sideswipe volleyball guide - tips and tricks for season two's new game mode
Rocket League Sideswipe's second season just introduced a new game mode: volleyball. Although it might seem straightforward enough translate all of the strategy from the game's default mode or previous basketball variant to do well, here, Rocket League Sideswipe changes in some pretty significant ways when all of a sudden you're trying to keep the ball from hitting the ground on half of the game field.
If you're still trying to wrap your mind around how this mode works and what you need to do to be a competent teammate, you're in the right place! I've been playing this new game mode extensively since its launch last week, and have learned a few tricks on how to be just that. Read on below!
Win those face-offs
Every mode of Rocket League Sideswipe starts with a face-off, but these events feel way more impactful in volleyball. Getting the ball into enemy territory and keeping it there is key to scoring, and winning the face-off gives you a head start on putting one over on your opponents.
I have found that I can win a majority of face-offs my holding down boost and tapping the jump button repeatedly during the countdown. Because of the jump tapping, I often am able to have a faster reaction to the actual match start, allowing me to get to the ball ahead of my opponent. If you manage to do the same, you just want to make sure you hit the ball over toward enemy territory, and see if you can keep it there to secure a score.
Stay grounded
Since volleyball is all about keeping a ball in the air, you may be tempted to launch yourself into the skies at every chance you get to contest the ball or try to score. This is a surefire way to overplay on the ball and be out of position to defend a shot from your opponent.
In a lot of circumstances, you're better served keeping your car on the ground and prevserving your boost for when you can not only defend against a scoring attempt, but also launch a counter shot. Blocking shots is also easier to do from the ground because your goal is literally the ground you're driving on (just drive under the ball to stop a score!) and you don't have to worry about accidentally launching the ball downward. Jumping or boosting at the ball from the grounded position will always send the ball upward!
Defend the net
If you happen to find the ball in enemy territory, you actually don't have to do a ton to end up with a point. Gravity is always working against the ball to bring it toward the goal, so sometimes it's more prudent to try and just stop the ball from going back over the net than boosting around trying to spike the ball in for a score.
This may not be a particularly flashy way of playing, but it is effective. Defending the net limits opportunities for your opponents to score, keeps you from ever being out of position to defend or score, and can cause frustration for your opponent. I have yet to encounter any Rocket League Sideswipe volleyball players that don't make mistakes and accidentally miss the ball or nudge it into their own goal. Own goals are frustrating and can send one or more of the opposing team into a frustration spiral that leads to more mistakes and scores for you.
Don't play too passively
As much as I've warned against overplaying and leaving your goal zone undefended, you also don't just want to sit and wait for a shot to come so you can block it. You'll have to pick your battles carefully, but if you just sit on the ground and wait for the ball, the opposing team will start to follow their shots more closely and can just bump the ball off your roof for easy, undefendable points.
This is probably good advice for Rocket League Sideswipe more generally, but try to pay attention to how much other players are boosting and when they may not be able to react to a steal or contest very well. These are the times where you really should go all out on the ball because if you can take control while potential defenders have to recharge their boost on the ground, you have a huge advantage that you can turn into points pretty easily.