Traversal is a fundamental in Rocket League that has been stretched over time by players that have experimented with different forms of getting around. Whether it is wave dashing or using the ceiling of the net, this side of the game has been utlised for a while now and seems to be ever-growing.

Beginners of the game are taught to boost to gain speed. However, there are many forms of getting about that increase your speed without touching your boost, meaning you can conserve it for longer.

Flipping

Of course, this is a very basic maneuver. Flipping forwards can make you become 'Supersonic'. Reaching 'Supersonic' means when you get that burst of speed, and the trail that comes off your wheels begins to show.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of me flipping to gain speed and become Supersonic, and me simply boosting to become Supersonic.

The clip shows that in order to become supersonic from only flipping, this will require approximately three forward flips. Flipping in this clip involved no boost usage, whereas only using the accelerator and boost resulted in around 65 boost being used. In terms of the time difference, there is roughly a 1.16 second gap between the video on the left and the video on the right, regarding when the car reached Supersonic status.

With such a short time difference, this may make you consider your form of traversal around the field. Bearing in mind that flipping requires no boost and only using boost requires 65, you could choose for yourself the preferred method of getting around. However, combining the two serves as an even faster method of moving. The video below compares all three traversal methods, and there is quite a clear winner.

By combining boost and flips, it took an impressive one second to reach Supersonic. Not only that, but combining both used only 24 boost, compared to the 65 used when only using boost. This shows a very strong reason to flip while you boost, otherwise you may very well be wasting your boost.

As a side note, the way you flip while boosting may impact your speed. Flipping forward while constantly boosting can actually be slower than flipping diagonally. Flipping forward and boosting means the nose of your car is going to point directly down and then directly up. Doing this while boosting can make you accidentally aerial. Flipping diagonally while boosting, however, stops this from happening. So be sure to try flipping and boosting diagonally in games.

Wave Dashing

A more 'trendy' form of traversal in Rocket League is wave dashing. Wave dashing is seen in other popular games and is basically used to get around faster. The same goes for Rocket League. To wave dash, you should make your car jump, lean your car forward and then backwards and then as your back wheels touch the floor, flip forward. Your flip will not complete, as you are too close to the ground, and instead you will get a burst of momentum going forward. Below is an example.

The clip shows that three simple wave dashes can make your car Supersonic, much like flipping. In fact, flipping and wave dashing are both excellent forms of traversal when you are low or completely out of boost, as it allows you to become Supersonic when you might be at a disadvantage. This is frequently seen in higher ranks of gameplay, as knowing how to quickly move around without boost is great for rotational ability and will be a fantastic feature to have for your team.

In terms of wave dashing, then, holding the powerslide button is also seen in the gameplay of professionals. Instead of tilting forward and backward after jumping, you can air roll to the left or right, hold the powerslide button and flip to the right or left as your wheels first touch the floor. This will give you a burst of speed to either the right or left and can be a great technique to have especially when dribbling, as this can be extremely unpredictable.

Wave dashing off a wall to maintain momentum is also a clever way to stay Supersonic.

Recoveries

So assuming you went for a shot somewhere on the field and missed or did not make a good push, you will want to recover smoothly. In fact, quick and easy recoveries are crucial to maintaining your momentum. Below is a picture showing a few of the areas of which you can miss a shot and recover smoothly.

1. This is a simple shot towards the goal while remaining grounded. This could perhaps be a dribble or simply a shot on the net from a distance. After missing this shot, one very quick way to recover is to drive up and onto the ceiling of the net and wave dash off. This is demonstrated below.

2. Going up the ceiling and missing a ceiling shot can be slightly awkward, although a fast and quick recovery can stop the enemy team from capitalising on your mistake. If you still have your flip after leaving the ceiling, you can use this to recover. You could either flip in the air in the direction you wish to go when landing, or you could wave dash as soon as you touch the ground. Either way is going to help you and is a better alternative to slowly floating back to the floor,

3. Wall shots are extremely common. This is due to the many opportunities you can have that involve the wall. When on the wall, you could:

Perform an air dribble off the wall

Take a powerful shot towards the goal

Pass to a teammate who is center of the field

Take a powerful shot onto the backboard and attempt a double touch

If that last point is your forte, and you miss that second touch after the ball rebounds off the backboard, the best thing you can do is continue to boost until you land on the backboard. From there, you will want to jump off and Wave Dash onto the ground to keep your speed high.

In general, knowing how to recover after a shot of any type, from anywhere on the field is a huge aspect of traversal, as missing the ball is inevitable at some point and being aware of how to maintain momentum and carry on is very important.

Conclusion

In general terms, then, flipping while boosting is the fastest form of getting around the field. That is, however, making sure that you are diagonally flipping as opposed to forward flipping. Speed is a huge part of the game and knowing how to pull it off can aid you in:

Rotating in your team

Being available for passing opportunities

Being able to defend your goal quickly

I have written a previous article named 'Speed Is Everything - Tackling One of Rocket League's Greatest 1v1 Myths' and this surrounds how speed is crucial in Rocket League, although it is not compulsory in 1v1 matches, and this may help broaden your understanding of speed and traversal even more. Otherwise, get in some online matches and see just how much better your gameplay can become!

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