Rocket League is basically pure fun that someone poured it into car-shaped molds before throwing the results into a repurposed soccer pitch. Rainier and I checked out the game at E3 2015, and I found the game to be a great mix of interesting mechanics and a fun premise. You basically play as rocket-powered RC cars on an open field with curved ramps and walls instead of sidelines. Your goal is to get the giant ball to bounce into the other team's goal, but it's a lot more difficult than it sounds.

From the opening kickoff, the ball drops in the middle of the field. The two teams of cars then rocket toward it, attempting to hit the ball into a favorable position. Everything is very physics-based, from how you hit the ball to how you can use the curved ramps on the sides to launch into the air. "Dribbling" the ball requires careful maneuvering, made all the more difficult by how the other team is trying to steal it from you.

Not only can your car boost, but you can also hop into the air to knock the ball airborne or make amazing mid-air blocks. You can also double-tap the jump button to perform a forward kick, which still gets the ball airborne but with more forward momentum. The matches end up being fast-paced and fun, and scoring a goal is accompanied by a cinematic replay of the last few seconds before the goal occurred. It's a nice touch, considering how much player skill it can take to snag some of the flashier goals.

Before we took to the pitch, we decked out our cars. There are nearly a dozen vehicles of various types, and they can be customized with different boost effects, decals, rims, and (oddly enough) hats. It's silly and seemingly inconsequential, which makes you all the more free to throw together whatever a pleasing design combination and roll it out. Besides, nothing's flashier than a sports car spiraling through the air with a sombrero and glitter coming out of its rear while making an awesome goal.

The game supports up to four-player, split-screen multiplayer in any combo of co-op or competitive play. You can also take your friends online and play in up to eight-player matches. Any slots not taken up are filled with AI, which seemed competent enough in my experience. Additionally, the PS4 and the PC versions will support crossplay, so there will only be one game community, regardless of who is on which platform.

Rocket League is incredibly simple in its concept but surprisingly fun in its execution. It's not difficult to learn the game basics, but its combination of controls and physics allows for a whole lot of player expression and skill. The game is due out on July 7 for the PC and the PlayStation 4, so there will be plenty of fun to pass around in just a couple of weeks.