Rocket League: Duels Are Stressful As Hell, But So Worth It

Based on the way MMR needed to climb the ranks of Duels (1v1s, 1s, the worst mode etc.), we’re assuming that it’s the least played mode in Rocket League, or at least the least played in terms of the normal ranked stuff. It’s probably because, generally speaking, Rocket League is a team game, so playing with other people makes more sense.

Of course, it could also be because, in 1s, there’s nobody to blame but yourself when things go wrong. If a goal is conceded, it’s because you messed up, and if you get absolutely hammered then that’s all on you too. It’s a more stressful experience than the other modes because there’s no downtime.

Matches feel like they take longer because you have to be constantly focussing. There are no passing plays to other players, which means you have to be a lot more attentive than in 2s or 3s. It’s hard, but it’s also completely essential to your growth as a player.

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Why You Should Play 1s, Even If You’re Bad At It

According to this Rocket League rank tracker, the most common rank in both 2s and 3s is Diamond 1. However, the most common rank in Duel is actually Platinum 1 instead, which is a big old difference. It also takes around 300 less MMR to make SSL in 1s versus the other two modes, which is around 28 wins, assuming you win some and lose some and aren’t, well, Lethamyr in his latest Road to SSL series. It even has around half a million fewer players according to the same site, which is a huge difference.

Just because it’s not the most popular mode, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be playing it regularly. In fact, we reckon that if you make sure to squeeze in a handful of matches a day, you’re going to see your abilities in Rocket League skyrocket. That’s vaguely a pun, and honestly, we’re proud of it. Anyway, let’s talk about what it is that 1s will help you out with.

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So, the main thing that 1s will improve is your general game sense and your ability to read the ball. You get more opportunities to make contact with the ball in 1s than any other mode, and it means you’ll get a lot more experience of doing so. It also means you can experiment more with your own rebounds, your aerials, and basically anything else you want to practice. It’s also fantastic for improving your 50s, which are going to happen a lot in 1s.

The advantage of being solo is that you have to learn how to go for tighter angles, pass to yourself, and challenge things at the right time. You’ll have to improve your defence just to make it out of a single match, and you’ll often end up developing your own style of play depending on whether or not you like to be aggressive, methodical, mechanical, or incredibly patient. You might be terrible at the game mode, to begin with, but stick with it for a while, and you’ll find yourself improving at a frightening rate.