It’s been less than a week since Ubisoft unleashed Roller Champions on the gaming world, and already the game has made quite a name for itself. In essence, Roller Champions is a simple arena-based skating game where you try to land balls into a goal. But like many esports titles, there is so much more to this game than what your first impressions may suggest.
There’s a distinct skill for tactical gameplay and intense competition that you need to hone in order to make it big in Roller Champions. There’s a deeper game at play here. Below we’ll break down the 5 top tips you need to follow if you aspire to become a Roller Champion and win Ranked Games.
Possession
This is one of the most important aspects of any ball-centred sport, digital or physical. It’s also one of the first things you learn in a discipline like soccer. Roller Champions is essentially an interpretation of soccer or another ball-playing sport, but with the added benefit of being on wheels. Therefore, the basics of games like soccer logically apply here.
Ensuring that the ball is within your team’s control is the first step to success. Your goal is to score goals. You can’t score goals if you don’t have the ball. Therefore, keeping possession of the ball is the best way to rack up those all-powerful points. You also want to be able to score points by lapping the arena without letting the opposing team touch the ball.
As soon as that ball falls into your opponent’s hands, your lap score resets. So work together on keeping possession of the ball and you’ll be on your way to the top.
The art of the tackle
Roller Champions takes a lot of inspiration from a lot of sporting disciplines. Roller derby and rugby are two sports that this next top tip has much to do with. Both of these sports involve a great deal of tackling, and you’ll need to get to grips with getting a little physical with the opposing team if you have any hope of winning Ranked Games. There’s a silent art to a well-executed tackle, and a skillful tackle may be just what you need to employ to get the ball away from your competitors.
You don’t even have to reserve a good tackle for exclusively when you’re on the offensive either. A good offense makes the best defense. If you spot someone attempting to tackle you, beat them to it and send them off balance. Better yet, run interference on anyone trying to tackle the ball carrier on your team. Tackling can save your lap score, bolster your possession and even protect your team.
The perfect pass
If you’re up against a team who knows its way around a roller arena, you’ll need to pull out all the stops. This is where the perfect pass comes in. The opposing team is going to have eyes on whoever is carrying the ball for your team at all times. You best believe that they aren’t just going to watch either; they’re going to tackle. The best way to avoid this is with a well-timed and skillfully-executed pass. Moving the ball frequently between your team makes it more difficult for the opposing side to zero in on a target. Keep the ball moving and you’ll rack up those points in no time.
Executing the perfect pass is relatively straightforward in Roller Champions. All you need to do is watch the other team’s players. When you deem it safe to take possession of the ball from a teammate, hit the pass button, and it’ll indicate that you’re ready to receive. The golden rule of passing is if there are opponents in front of you, pass to a teammate behind you.
The turnaround
I remember the days of Need for Speed Most Wanted, where hitting the handbrake and turning to face police cars or other racers head-on, if perfectly timed, was an invaluable manoeuvre. All you needed to do was pump the gas and hit that nitrous button like your life depended on it. It was easily the best way to land a critical hit or knock a racer out of a knockout. A similar technique can save your skin in Roller Champions.
There is, however, a time and place for such rollerskate histrionics. The rule of thumb is to never turn around once you’ve completed a lap. However, if you’re falling behind, you could take another player down a peg by turning to face them head-on and ramming them at full force. This is also a brilliant tactic when trying to get the ball from the opposing team. Few players expect such brazen actions.
Bank your points in Roller Champions
Making a lap is all good and well, but those points only count if you get the ball through the goal. If you’ve played a few rounds, you’ll know that the goal only opens once you’ve made a full lap. Doesn’t make sense to be able to bank points you don’t have yet, right? The good thing, however, is that once you’ve made your lap, you can bank your points.
This is sometimes even better if you lap the arena a few times between goal attempts. This way, you can bank more points at once and shoot a little less often. However, if you see you’re a target and close to being body-slammed by a competitor, don’t wait to rack up laps before you bank your points. Bank smarter, not harder, wherever possible.
