Rocket Racing is a shockingly fun arcade racer built in Fortnite
Fortnite's more than just a battle royale game, a sandbox survival game with Lego and an upside-down playground where you can watch a giant Eminem perform. It's now also an arcade racer, thanks to the addition of Rocket racinga new game in Fortnite built by the team behind it Rocket League.
It's also incredibly fun, and with only 2-3 minutes per race, Rocket racing is worth a look if you have even a marginal interest in games like Need for speed, Track maniaor Hydro thunder. (I only mention the latter because the trailer for Rocket racing includes flying race cars launching through waterfalls that hide shortcuts.)
Rocket racing adopts the imaginative car physics and customizable cars Rocket League and throws them on fantastic, impossible race tracks. Cars fly through the air, have a turbo boost of hundreds of kilometers per hour and even drive over walls and ceilings.
It's the opposite of a driving simulation; this is boiled down, heavily pared down arcade racing action, delivered in short but powerful doses. Developer Psyonix describes it as an arcade racer in which people play 11, with mechanics focused on rocket-powered boosts and freedom of movement. After playing it earlier this week at a hands-on event in New York City, that description was of Rocket racing feels accurate. The tracks are littered with obstacles that can damage your car, but also with speed pads that give it a boost of acceleration. Drifting through corners also immediately gives your car a boost And fills a turbo boost meter, which you can immediately use for ridiculous speeds. There's even a starting line boost, à la Mario Kart, if you're looking for even more speed-boosting potential.
Rocket racinglike Lego Fortnitealso brings with it a number of cosmetics that players already have Rocket League and the basic version of Fortnite. (Epic says the Octane, Cyclone, Jäger 619 and Lamborghini Huracán STO bodywork Rocket League transfer to Rocket racingjust like certain wheels and decals.) And just like the others Fortnite games, XP earned Rocket racing goes towards you Fortnite battle pass, so you can be sure that no matter what you play, you'll unlock things across multiple games.
More details on cross-game ownership for players of Fortnite, Rocket LeagueAnd Rocket racing is available on Epic's website.
Psyonix launched Rocket racing with 26 songs. The racing game's first season is themed around the canyons of the southwestern US, with future seasons bringing new themes. Psyonix also promises more modes, including a speedrun time trial and a track editor in 2024 that will let players design their own crazy courses.
Rocket racing is now available for free in all versions of Fortnitewhich is available for Android, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One and Xbox Series