Rocket League is the addicting soccer/racing hybrid phenomenon of a game game that has an uncanny ability to get people hooked after their first time playing, and as it nears it's second birthday on PC and PS4 (Xbox One arrived a little later) the numbers are still strong as the game is being played as much as ever.
Despite the fact that it's been around for a while, one question remains for new players who, as alluded to above, are continuing to play the game.
What is the best car in Rocket League?
Asking this question, whether it be to a friend who plays, to a pro player, or by searching on the internet, will almost certainly generate one response before all else...
It comes down to personal preference.
The reason for this is that Psyonix have made each car as similar to each other as possible, because this is a game that is played competitively at E-Sports level and they do not want any cars to give anyone an advantage. In terms of the two main areas you would look for improved performance in Rocket League, there is no difference.
-Every car is the same speed.
-Every car can jump the same height.
That said, they do have subtle differences that make certain players favour them over other cars.
So are there any differences between cars at all?
Yes.
The 'hit-box', which is the total area of the car that the ball can strike, can differ in size. A bigger hit-box would make it easier to hit the ball, or play as goalkeeper, and a smaller one understandably would require more effort the hit the ball.
This image from a Reddit investigation does a good job of explaining.
The difference is very small that you really have no excuse to favour one over the other, it is more a case of getting used to one and then being surprised when the contact on ball isn't the same in another car.
The other difference is in 'turning radius' and although in the early days some cars could corner and maneuver quicker than others, the game has since been patched to make this difference barely noticeable.
Which car do the professional players use?
Octane.
There is a clear favourite with pro players, and the top guys you will see streaming live on Twitch, and that is the 'Octane'.
There are a number of theories as to why this is, but the most consistent are that the angle of the car allows you to 'pop-up' the ball which enables you to dribble with the ball on top of your car, and that the is the best balanced in terms of size, hit-box, and turning radius.
Pros or amateurs, you'll noticed that 'Octane' is the most popular car, so if you are just starting out you can't go wrong.
But what if I don't like 'Octane'?
Well, then it's most definitely personal preference, as the Breakout, Hotshot, and X-Devil, are all very popular too and do a very, very, very similar job to 'Octane'.
You really can't go wrong with those four, and they are the most popular non-DLC cars amongst players of all levels, so while there is no car that is designed to be stronger than any other, they are the ones that the community turns to time and time again.
