Soccer meets driving once again in the award-winning, physics-based multiplayer-focused sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. Choose a variety of high-flying vehicles equipped with huge rocket boosters to score amazing aerial goals and pull off incredible, game-changing saves...

Rocket League was released on PC and PS4 last July (2015). The Xbox One version, coming seven months later, includes all of the content that was available in the Game of the Year Edition. This includes the previously-released DLC Packs, Supersonic Fury, Revenge of the Battle-Cars, and Chaos Run.

The game includes 16 cars, two of which (The Halo "HogSticker," an alternate version of the Warthog, and the Gears of War "Armadillo") are Xbox One exclusives. Each vehicle can be customised with (apparently) billions of different items. From the colour and finish of the paint work, to country flags and various logos and special items. There are a number of different arenas with multiple variants of most maps.

You can play the game on/offline. Online you can play up to 8-player games in either 1v1, 2v2, 3v3 or 4v4 games. Or compete in the Unfair Mode (1v2, 1v3 or 1v4). Offline you can play 4-player split screen or engage in a 1v1 season mode.

Now I have to admit that while I occasionally play football and racing games, I'm not the biggest fan of the two genres - mainly because I'm rubbish at both. So the thought of mixing the two didn't overly appeal to me. However, Rocket League mashes the two together to give birth to a weirdly addictive and mindlessly fun game.

The idea is simple. Set in the future, two individuals (or two teams of up to four players battle it out on the football pitch with a giant ball and their powerful cars. At your disposal is a speed boost and a jump boost - both of which come in incredibly useful as you try to get past your opponent and sink the ball into the back of the goal.

Even without opponents, knocking the ball into the goal is not an easy job. Sure, you stand a good chance of whacking it in from the kick-off - if you can get to it before your opponent, but on the whole positioning it and making it go the way you want it to is a skill that takes some time to master.

There's something surprisingly satisfying about racing around chasing the ball, watching your teammates, and opponents, overshooting the ball or launching themselves into space and flipping over.

The range of add-on features are starting to look cool too. I had to forcibly restrain myself from spending £1.59 on the Back to the Future Car pack that features the iconic souped up DeLorean sports car and the new Batmobile is coming soon.

This is a fun and very addictive team game that you'll get a lot of laughs out of if you play together with your friends.

9

Nick Smithson