Lace up your skates and grab the ball to score, the time of champions has arrived. Players compete in teams of three versus three to gain possession of the ball, and score by making a lap around the roller-derby inspired course. Compete against other players for glory and earn fans to rise into roller champion stardom.
Inspired by the full-contact sport of roller derby, “Roller Champions” delivers a riveting, competitive experience — even if it’s a repetitive one.
The overall premise of each round is simple: two teams of three race around a track while trying to keep control of a ball, which they can use to score by completing laps while holding it and ultimately tossing it into a goal. One lap is one point, two laps is three points and if you’re feeling especially bold, three laps is five points. Teams compete until one side reaches five points or the time runs out.
Controlling my character was incredibly slick and responsive, and there were plenty of maneuvers for me to master. Speed is the name of the game, and learning how to ride curves and keep my momentum up was a blast as I got more familiar with advanced techniques. There are tackles, dives, high jumps and more to traverse the track while competing with your rivals.
Mastering movement is rewarding, and the tight inputs ensure I was in total control the entire time. With how competitive the game can get, this was really important when trying to take the ball from the enemy team. It never felt helpless or unfair, and every movement I made, whether it connected or not, felt like it was from my influence. There are plenty of opportunities for awesome displays of skill, whether it’s the perfect pass to a teammate midair, or a rapid rush down of an opponent just before they throw the ball into the goal.
There are three tracks to compete on, alongside a skate park that serves as both a training area and social space to hang out with other players. These maps don’t really have any differences outside of visuals, with the track layouts being exactly the same. While this does make for a consistent experience no matter the track, it can make things a bit repetitive. This was especially noticeable when I got the same track multiple times in a row. Adding some differences in the levels or curves would really help make the matches feel more interesting, or even change the location of the goal.
This is a free-to-play game, and in traditional fashion features many cosmetic items for purchase alongside a rewards pass. While many of the items in the store are priced normally for the industry, the rewards pass was fairly cheap, only costing five dollars of in-game currency. This is definitely a customer friendly approach, as reward passes are a great way to get a lot of items for just playing the game and leveling it up. Not to mention that the pass also includes in-game currency, meaning you could potentially buy more items from the store or get another rewards pass for free next season if leveled all the way.
I believe the biggest draw back at the moment is just how bare the game feels at times in terms of variability. With only three maps and one game mode, there isn’t much variance from match to match besides the skill of your team and opponents. There is a ranked mode, but it plays exactly the same as quick play, with the addition of a tracked skill ranking. If this game wants to stand long term, I think there needs to be more meat on the bone.
In spite of that, the game really is just plain fun. The high-octane rush of scoring a goal last second to win the match doesn’t dissipate, and blazing the track at rapid speeds is always enjoyable. I think fans of alternative sporting games such as “Rocket League” will feel right at home with “Roller Champions”, and with the game being free-to-play there is such a low barrier to entry that I recommend jumping in and giving it a go. If the developers can keep a steady supply of content and updates to keep players engaged, I think that this game can become something truly interesting.
