How to play Gridiron (football)
In the Gridiron limited-time game mode of Rocket League, teams of four work together to score more points than the opposing team. While most modes have goals worth a point, in Gridiron they can be 3 or 7, depending on how you score the goal. A basket, or kick, is when the ball enters an opponent's goal without being attached to a car. This is worth 3 points, while a touchdown is worth 7. You score a touchdown by pushing the ball into the goal while it is attached to your (or your teammate's) car.
The first big change in Gridiron from most other Rocket League game modes is that you don't shoot on goal by hitting your car in the ball. Instead, just like a football catcher, you grab it and try to throw it into the goal. However, each car can alternate between being the quarterback and the receiver, or maybe even a tackle.
The first kick-off is anyone's ball, with cars rushing towards him from both goals. Once someone hits him, he will attach in the same way as Spike's bonus in Rumble mode. However, you'll lose all of your boost at this point, so it's easy for the opposing team to steal the ball just by bumping into you or touching the ball over your car. So if you're close to the goal, drive it fast for an easy 7-point touchdown. If you are far away, now is the time to move on.
How to switch to Gridiron
Dodging, pressing A to jump and again pressing A while pointing the analog stick in any direction, that's how you pass. Sideways dodge to perform a spiral pass, hopefully sending it far towards your teammates. The front or back flip is a short pass, dropping the ball with a bit of momentum. This can be handy close to the goal, whether it's throwing it at certain opponents or for a nearby teammate for a quick touchdown.
After the first kick-off, the ball will go to the team that did not score on the last lap, flying towards the car in the middle of the peloton. If that is you, your goal should be to pass the ball down the field to some teammates, hopefully right in front of goal if they are good. If that's not you, you should try to be that teammate, rushing onto the pitch and blocking incoming opponents or positioning yourself for the incoming pass.
In defense, you have to try to steal the ball by bumping into opponents or blocking their shots and passes. Own goals score 3 points, so sometimes it's better to steal the ball and score the goal yourself, rather than letting the team score a full touchdown. But if you can get the ball out of your goal, much better. Don't go out of bounds, as the light line along the walls shows, or you'll be fumbling around.
Stick to these tips and strategies and score more points to win. And that's how playing Gridiron in Rocket League.
