TL;DR: Rocket League is essentially soccer with rocket-powered cars. It is one of the rare "E for Everyone" games that actually bridges the gap between little kids and hardcore esports pros. It’s high-skill, fast-paced, and generally "clean" content-wise, but the competitive "vibes" can get salty.
Quick Links:
- Rocket League (The core game)
- How to handle in-game toxicity
- Understanding Epic Games parental controls
- SunlessKhan on YouTube (Great for learning the game)
Imagine a giant soccer ball in a high-tech cage. Now imagine instead of Lionel Messi running after it, you have a customized stunt car with a jet engine strapped to the back. That’s Rocket League.
Players compete in 1v1, 2v2, or 3v3 matches. The goal is simple: hit the ball into the net. The execution, however, is incredibly difficult. Unlike many games where you just press a button to "shoot," Rocket League is entirely physics-based. You have to angle your car perfectly, manage your "boost" (fuel), and eventually learn how to fly—yes, fly—through the air to hit aerial shots.
It’s owned by Epic Games (the same folks behind Fortnite), which means it uses a similar "Season" structure and an in-game shop for cosmetics.
If your child is obsessed with Rocket League, they’re likely chasing the "flow state." Because the game is so physics-dependent, scoring a goal feels like a genuine achievement, not just a lucky RNG (random number generator) moment.
It’s also "sweaty"—and in gaming terms, that’s actually a compliment. "Sweaty" means competitive. Kids love the rank system (Bronze, Silver, Gold, all the way up to Grand Champion and Supersonic Legend). It’s a digital status symbol. If they tell you they just hit "Platinum," they’re basically telling you they’ve put in about 100 hours of practice to not be "trash" anymore.
And let’s talk about the "drip." Rocket League allows for massive car customization. Whether it’s a car that looks like a Lamborghini or a van that shoots tacos out of the exhaust, the self-expression is a huge draw.
Here is where we need to get real. Rocket League is a high-stress environment. Because it’s a team game, players are very quick to blame their teammates for a loss.
You’ll hear about "toxic" players. In this game, toxicity often takes the form of "Quick Chat" spamming. The game has pre-set phrases like "What a save!" If a kid misses a block, the opponent (or even their own teammate) might spam "What a save!" four times in a row. It’s the digital equivalent of a slow, sarcastic clap.
To a 10-year-old, this can be genuinely upsetting. To an adult, it’s just car soccer. It’s worth checking in to see if your kid is actually having fun or if they’re just "grinding" and getting angry. If they start saying their teammates are "literally Ohio" (meaning weird or bad) or complaining about "smurfs" (high-level players pretending to be beginners to crush people), it might be time for a break.
If your kid loves the competitive nature of Rocket League, they might also enjoy these titles that focus on skill and physics:
This is a pure racing game where the goal is to get the fastest time on absolutely wild tracks. Like Rocket League, it’s easy to start but has a nearly infinite skill ceiling. It’s great for kids who like the "perfecting a move" aspect of gaming.
Think Rocket League but for golf. You’re still a car, you’re still hitting a ball, but you’re racing to get it into the hole first. It’s a bit more whimsical and slightly less "sweaty" than the core RL experience.
If they love the team strategy and the "soccer" part of the game, the classic FC 25 is the obvious jump. Just be aware that the monetization in FC 25 is way more aggressive and "gambling-adjacent" than Rocket League’s.
If they want to get better, this is the gold standard for content. He’s funny, mostly clean, and focuses on the history and skill of the game rather than just screaming at the camera.
Ages 7-9: They will mostly play "car ball" and struggle to hit the ball. This is fine! It’s great for hand-eye coordination. At this age, I strongly recommend turning off all chat. You can go into settings and set chat to "Disabled" or "Team Only." Kids this age don’t need to hear a 15-year-old calling them "trash" because they missed a kickoff.
Ages 10-12: This is the peak demographic. They’ll start wanting to trade items with friends. Be careful here. Rocket League has a trading economy, and "scamming" is rampant. Someone might promise a "Titanium White Octane" (a very rare car) and then swap it for a junk item at the last second.
Ages 13+: They might start looking into Discord servers to find teammates. This is where the digital wellness "talk" needs to happen. Finding a consistent group to play with is better than playing with "randos," but it opens the door to unmoderated voice chat.
Rocket League is free-to-play, which we all know is a trap.
- Credits: The in-game currency. You buy them with real money.
- The Rocket Pass: A seasonal subscription (around $10) that rewards them for playing. If they play enough, they actually earn back the credits to buy the next season’s pass for "free." It’s a clever way to keep them playing every single day.
- Blueprints: They’ll get these after matches. They look like "prizes," but they actually just give you the right to buy an item. It’s like a coupon that costs $20 to use. Explain this to your kid early so they don't think they're "winning" expensive items.
Rocket League matches are short—usually exactly 5 minutes plus overtime. This is a double-edged sword.
- The Pro: It’s easy to say, "You have 10 minutes, that’s two matches."
- The Con: The "just one more" factor is incredibly high. Because the games are so short, it’s easy for a kid to blink and realize they’ve been playing for two hours.
Also, unlike Minecraft, you cannot pause an online match. If you tell them to come to dinner in the middle of a game, they are stuck. If they leave early, the game actually bans them from matchmaking for 5 to 20 minutes as a punishment.
Pro Tip: Give them a "one-match warning" rather than a "five-minute warning."
Rocket League is one of the "good ones." It’s a legitimate digital sport that rewards practice, patience, and teamwork. It doesn’t have the violence of Fortnite or the creepiness of some Roblox servers.
The "danger" isn't the content; it's the frustration. If your kid can handle losing a close game without throwing their controller or calling their teammate a "bot," they’re learning valuable emotional regulation. If they can't, it's a great opportunity to talk about sportsmanship in the digital age.
- Check the Chat Settings: Decide if your child is ready for "Quick Chat" or "Full Text Chat."
- Set a Match Limit: Instead of a timer, try saying "You can play 5 matches today."
- Watch a Match: Ask them to show you a "replay" of their best goal. They will be thrilled to explain the physics of how they hit a "double tap" or a "musty flick."
Check out our full guide on setting up an Epic Games account for your child