Roller Champions Explained

Roller Champions
Developer:Ubisoft Montreal
Publisher:Ubisoft
Engine:Unity
Released:Windows, PS4, Xbox One
May 25, 2022
Nintendo Switch
June 21, 2022
Genre:Sports
Modes:Multiplayer

Roller Champions is a free-to-play sports video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It was released on May 25, 2022 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and for Nintendo Switch on June 21, 2022.

Gameplay

Roller Champions is a 3v3 competitive multiplayer sports game played from a third-person perspective. The track has four gates, with a net next to each one. The game starts with the ball dropping from one of them. Players can grab the ball, throw it, and pass it to their teammates, as well as tackle their rivals and jump.

To unlock the net, the team must put the ball through all four gates, without the other team taking possession of the ball. If the other team grabs the ball, all the gates are reset, and the team has to go through the same gates again. Once the net is unlocked, the team can shoot into it to score points.

If the team shoots to the net on the first lap, it earns one point. If the team goes through all four gates for a second lap without being intercepted, it can score three points by shooting on the net. If the team completes a third lap, it can score five points. To win the game, the team must either score five points before the other team or score more points than the other team before the timer of 7 minutes runs out.

After playing a match, the user gains “fans” that can be used to advance through the roller pass tiers to gain cosmetic items and unlock new arenas.

Moves

All this information can be found in-game under the “Moves & Rules” settings tab.[1]

Moves List!Move!Description!Key/Button!Tip
PumpCrouch to make player more aerodynamicShift, RT, R2
  • Hold Pump primarily on a downward slope to gain speed.
  • Use Pump in-air to land faster.
  • Pumping on flat or upwards surfaces will slow you down.
JumpAn upward leapSpace, A, X
  • Jump over opponents from higher ground.
  • You can jump through the Goal while holding the ball to score!
  • Jumping is the primary tool for gaining speed on the wall.
Magnetic PassPass the ball more accurately by using the players magnetic glovesE, Y, Triange
  • An input prompt for the Magnetic Pass appears above teammates within range.
  • When you are about to receive a Pass, you will see a Pass indicator on your screen.
  • Be careful - opponents can still intercept the Pass.

Development

Ubisoft officially announced the game during their press conference at E3 2019.[2] A pre-alpha demo was available via Uplay from June 10 to June 14.[3]

In a developer stream, Ubisoft confirmed that the game is in development for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One and mobile devices as well.[4] The game was stated to be set for originally release in early 2021, though it was subsequently delayed to May 25, 2022 for Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with the Nintendo Switch version being delayed to June 21, 2022.[5] [6] [7]

Reception

Roller Champions received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.

Ozzie Mejia of Shacknews gave Roller Champions a 7 out of 10 and praised the accessible core experience, crossplay, fast-paced sessions, arena design, and spectator options while criticizing the lack of character customization options, game modes, interesting character models, and long-term engaging gameplay. Jordan Ramée of GameSpot thought positively of the approachable movement mechanics, sense of speed, and incentive to progress, but felt that the skill ceiling was short, the matches were repetitive, and that the multiplayer communication features were lacking.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Roller Champions Terminology Guidebook 101 . 2022-12-20 . Google Docs . en.
  2. Web site: Report: Derby-style Roller Champions coming from Ubisoft, could appear at E3. Charlie. Hall. Polygon. May 28, 2019. July 27, 2019.
  3. News: Ubisoft's Roller Champions skates into a public test. Dominic. Tarason. Rock Paper Shotgun. June 10, 2019. July 27, 2019.
  4. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Roller Champions: Closed Alpha Dev Stream Ubisoft [NA] ]. YouTube.
  5. Web site: Nunneley. Stephany. Roller Champions will be released in early 2021. VG247. September 10, 2020. September 11, 2020.
  6. Web site: Ubisoft's roller derby game gets May 25 release date. Cass. Marshall. Polygon. May 18, 2022. May 19, 2022.
  7. Web site: 2022-06-21 . Ubisoft Confirms 'Roller Champions' Is Finally Out On Switch Today . 2022-07-12 . Nintendo Life . en-GB.