Heatseeker mode in Rocket League
If you're looking for even more fun in Rocket League, check out the extra modes. There's something for everyone. One of the variations offered by the studio is the Heatseeker mode. If you've ever thought that it would be cool if the ball directed itself, this mode is for you!
What is the Heatseeker mode?
The particularity of this mode is extremely simple to understand: the ball is attracted by the goal and goes "by itself". There is no central kickoff in this mode, the ball is returned to the opposing team after each goal.
To make a difference, this mode requires a lot of coordination within your team. Unlike Standard mode, there are no boost capsules. You have the maximum amount of boost at your disposal at all times.
How the ball works
As you can see, the ball is a bit special as it automatically aims at the goals. But be careful! It is not because the ball approaches your goal that it will necessarily end up in the net.
As the ball is touched, both teams influence the ball. It changes colour depending on which team touched the ball last, and thus its direction. When you make a stop, the ball is sent back to the other team. If none of your team has touched the ball and it hits the wall, it will change direction and colour spontaneously. You can easily see this in the video above.
In addition to the direction, each touch of the ball changes the overall speed of the ball. The more touches, the higher the speed. After a certain level, the ball changes its colour completely and turns purple. In this situation, it has accumulated maximum speed. You will have to be particularly careful to stop it.
How do I train for Heatseeker mode?
The Thermal Guidance mode is a temporary mode. It is therefore only available at certain times of the year. However, you can train in it outside these periods. To do so, you just need to create a private match, with bots in All-Star. If you have the possibility to play with 5 other people, it's even better. The bots are sometimes not very responsive, and the game can quickly become boring.
To create the private match, go to Play > Custom Game > Private Match > Create Private Match > Heat Guide.
Tips for making good progress
There is not really much more to understand about this mode. However, you can outperform your opponents with these tips:
- Always keep a goalkeeper! In a mode such as this, where the ball moves itself to the goal, it would be a fatal mistake to do without a goalkeeper.
- Keep your team on their side of the field. The more you defend, the less likely you are to concede goals.
- Shoot at the sides of the field, the ground or the walls. The idea is to create trajectories that are difficult to read and therefore difficult to counter.
- Try redirects. You can try to pass the ball to each other, especially at the kick-off, to give the ball an extra bounce and shoot directly into the opposition's goal.
- Destroying your opponents can be a good strategy. You can sacrifice a defender to put someone at the front of the field. With infinite boost, you can easily attack opposing players, both to destroy them and to hinder their defence.
Now you're ready to get into Thermal Steering mode! All you need is a bit of practice to get the most out of this intense, fast-paced mode. If you'd like to know more about the extra modes in Rocket League, check out all of our guides.
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