Fortnite Rocket Racing Review (PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Switch & PC)

When rumors about Fortnite Rocket Racing first started circulating back in March 2023, it didn’t make a penny of sense. I was still on the fence about it, even deeply considering freeing up some Fortnite disk space to install other games. Now that it’s finally here, though, well, folks, let’s just say Fortnite isn’t going to fade into your subconscious anytime soon. But let’s backtrack a bit. See, Fortnite creator Epic Games recently acquired Rocket League developer Psyonix in 2019. Most of you already know Rocket League by heart, if not from its booming commercial success. It’s essentially ‘soccer with cars,’ where instead of players scoring goals, they do so using rocket-powered vehicles to knock a ball larger than life into the opponent’s net. 

So, Epic did a quick assessment: Driving, check. Stunts, check. Taking the next step to have Psyonix develop a Rocket League spin-off seems logical enough, no? No, not quite. See, Epic had a different game plan in mind. They’re building some sort of Roblox metaverse, where players can access any number of free games off the Fortnite menu. At launch, they’ve released LEGO Fortnite, Fortnite Festival, and Rocket Racing, all spin-offs, and to an extent, more rightly, standalone games. Yet Fortnite is sheepishly branding them, ‘game modes available for free in Fortnite.’ 

So, hey, if you’re among the folks who have uninstalled Fortnite in favor of other games, this is your sign that Fortnite isn’t quite done with you yet. Of course, the Fortnite Battle Royale and Sandbox survival games are still ongoing. So, if you already have one foot out the door, I guess it comes down to whether Rocket Racing is worth getting dragged back into the Fortnite craze. Cue in our deep-dive Fortnite Rocket Racing review, shall we?

Karts on Wheels

By virtue of Rocket Racing being a Rocket League spin-off, it makes sense that you can spot quite a bit of similarity between them. You hit the gas on one of the rocket-fueled vehicles from Rocket League. In fact, you can cross over vehicles between the two games – leveling up to access new cars in Rocket Racing and going on to skid them in Rocket League.

The cars themselves aren’t as impressive as you may expect, especially when it comes to customization. The car model or body barely changes throughout your first couple of hours playing the game. If you want to switch your game up, you may need to step up your game to reach the latter levels, from which you can buy overly pricey models.

At least your XP does count toward scooping up rewards in Battle Pass, so Epic is truly trailblazing a more concise shop between games here. I might also add that Rocket Racing plans to release new content seasonally, as does the main Fortnite game. Maybe we’ll see better customization options with more depth and intrigue.

Canyon Delight

Tracks are a whopping number—up to 26 of them. They slide into action in rotation, though not fast enough to vary. Also, it’s pretty standout for Fortnite to slap on its unique aesthetic and art style. From the canyons to the shrubs, you’ll definitely spot Fortnite’s DNA here.

Of course, you can choose to explore individual tracks at your own pace, selecting them from a quite clustered menu. It simply isn’t fast enough in a game where you often have no time to waste. And from here, you begin to notice that hardly any of the tracks stand out enough to be remembered. 

Perhaps owing to the similarity in the courses themselves to games like Mario Kart. The way roads wind up and down and into tunnels is littered with obstacles. The way you randomly drive over speed pads to get an extra boost. You do have simpler-to-more-complex courses, so it’s good to experience an upward learning curve. 

Oh, you also spot some neat tricks and secrets along the way, like waterfalls that hide pathways to cut corners. Some low-hanging tunnels can let you drive over them; others are on their roofs and ceilings. It’s pretty creative in the way that you cannot predict incoming dead ends. And with the overall canyon theme, you do have plenty of tricky spots you can crash-dive into.

Lightning Bolt

Housekeeping aside, let’s get down to business by assessing just how slick the controls are. Well, if you’re booting up Rocket Racing with lots of Rocket League experience on your resume, you’re in luck. Plenty of controls cross over to the spin-off. However, it’s streamlined in the best ways possible, focusing purely on speed.

Your mantra while driving is to drift, fly, and boost your speed. Right off the bat, Rocket Racing tests your sensory skills. How fast can you press the button, and how accurately, at exactly when the traffic lights go green? Depending on your timing, you get a percentage boost that gives you a headstart, Mario Kart style.

Worth noting also is that the boost at the starting line seems inconsistent—that sometimes you get a 40% boost, other times an 80% boost, even though you press the button the same way. It can be quite frustrating, any millisecond counts against the competition, but moving on.

Drift Like a Pro

The key to success is drifting. You drift to stack up on rocket fuel, as it were. You do get passive drifts on winding corners, but you can also hold down the respective button to perform a sharp drift and get even more of a boost. Actively, though, you’ll need to constantly drift to charge your boost meter. The longer you drift, the more speed you gain, and the faster your boost meter fills up.

Here comes the trick, though. You only get a few chances to use your boost meter. Perhaps close to the finish line when opponents won’t see it coming. Or, earlier on, to get ahead of the competition. Either way, the boost meter does a hell of a job fast-tracking your way ahead of opponents. 

You can make it even more interesting by flying. While it can slow you down, flying is inevitable on courses that cut off rapidly. Those that lie vertically, making up, skid them on the walls or upward, thus skidding upside down—gravity be damned. To fly faster, you can use your boost charge. But, you will soon need to touch the ground to recharge.

Risk vs. Reward

This kind of push-pull system is what makes Rocket Racing so thrilling to play. It’s strategic in ways that aren’t as straightforward as they may seem. You tend to shift between the best times to drift or accelerate. Should you take the tunnels or cut corners via the waterfalls? Perhaps save your boost meter for the moments where it counts the most. 

There are so many possibilities, all in a matter of 2-3 minutes per race. Meanwhile, opponents who lag behind get a special boost of their own. They catch up to you faster, so you never feel safe until you’ve crossed the finish line. 

In that regard, it’d be nice to have some kind of map that tells you where each person is. 12 players are hard to keep track of, and you never seem to know for sure whether you’re safe. But I guess that’s the point of this game.

Tell a Friend 

Battle Royale effortlessly hosts 100 people on a server. So, it’s unsurprising that you have cross-platform multiplayer, too, for Rocket Racing, albeit with a 12-person cap. Still, everything runs tightly and smoothly. We’d just maybe have loved a local multiplayer option, too.

More to Come

Rocket Racing will have seasonal updates. So, despite seeming scarce at the moment, especially in customization and course variety, Epic promises lots of goodies due out next year. The track editor, in particular, is one to look forward to. I mean, it’s limitless, and users’ creativity knows no bounds. Until then, is Rocket Racing worth it as is?

Verdict

Evidently, Rocket Racing has plenty of good going for it. But there are also multiple letdowns that just can’t be ignored. On the one hand, it’s shockingly fun. With one sole goal in mind to cross the finish line faster than opponents, Rocket Racing manages to strip down the heaviness of other kart racers and focus on what matters most.

With the constant fear of never knowing how well you’re doing, it becomes a constant push and pull between charging up and using up your boost meter. Meanwhile, hard-to-predict obstacles lie in the most opportunistic places that slow you down and lead to epic fails. But you still get up and try again, quickly reclaiming your pride in just under 3 minutes.

On the other hand, though, Rocket Racing feels like it still has a long way to go. It’s too similar to other kart racers and needs to stand on its own two feet. Also, it’s in desperate need of more content to keep you glued for weeks or months down the line. Fortunately, we have the upcoming seasonal updates to look forward to.