Roller Champions: Complete Controls Guide for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S with Gameplay Tips for Beginners

Ubisoft has released a new free-to-start game, Roller Champions, for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC (though this will focus on the first two). It’s essentially a hybrid of roller derby, rugby, and basketball as you zoom around an oval track to open up the goal to toss your ball through, scoring points. You play three-on-three matches with the first team reaching five points declared the winner. There is an overtime with its own unique rules, and matches can end in a draw.

Below, you will find your complete controls for Roller Champions on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Following the listing of controls will be gameplay tips for those jumping into the new game.

Roller Champions general controls for PS4 and PS5

• Move: L
• Rotate Camera: R
• Jump: X
• Pump: R2
• Uppercut: Circle
• Throw: L2 (hold for stronger throw)
• Magnetic Pass: Triangle (when prompted)
• Call for Pass: Triangle (without ball)
• Draft: L (behind teammate or foe)
• Moves & Rules (Menu): Options

Roller Champions ground controls for PS4 and PS5

• Tackle: Square
• Tackle Dive: Square then Square
• Dodge: L + Square (L for direction of dodge with ball)
• Dodge Dive: Square then Square (with ball)
• Get Up: L (when knocked down)
• Brake & Tiptoe: R1

Roller Champions air, team moves, and extras controls for PS4 and PS5

• Air Tackle: X then Square
• Air Tackle Dive: X then Square then Square
• Air Dodge: X then Square (with ball)
• Air Pose: X then X (hold)
• Grapple: L1 (hold behind teammate)
• Speed Boost: L1 + L (after successful grapple)
• Super Jump: L1 + X (after successful grapple)
• Roll Ball: L2 (hold) + Circle
• Ball Focus: L2 (hold or toggle)
• Look Back: R3
• Emotes: D-Pad↑, D-Pad←, D-Pad→, D-Pad↓

Roller Champions general controls for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

• Move: L
• Rotate Camera: R
• Jump: A
• Pump: RT
• Uppercut: B
• Throw: LT (hold for stronger throw)
• Magnetic Pass: Y (when prompted)
• Call for Pass: Y (without ball)
• Draft: L (behind teammate or foe)
• Moves & Rules (Menu): Start

Roller Champions ground controls for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

• Tackle: X
• Tackle Dive: X then X
• Dodge: L + X (L for direction of dodge with ball)
• Dodge Dive: X then X (with ball)
• Get Up: L (when knocked down)
• Brake & Tiptoe: RB

Roller Champions air, team moves, and extras controls for Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S

• Air Tackle: A then X
• Air Tackle Dive: A then X then X
• Air Dodge: A then X (with ball)
• Air Pose: A then A (hold)
• Grapple: LB (hold behind teammate)
• Speed Boost: LB + L (after successful grapple)
• Super Jump: LB + A (after successful grapple)
• Roll Ball: LT (hold) + B
• Ball Focus: LT (hold or toggle)
• Look Back: R3
• Emotes: D-Pad↑, D-Pad←, D-Pad→, D-Pad↓

Note that the left and right analog sticks are denoted as L and R, respectively. Pressing on either is indicated with L3 and R3.

Below, you will find a brief overview of the match rules and then gameplay tips for Roller Champions. These will help make your matches more fun and successful.

How does scoring work in Roller Champions?

In Roller Champions, you score by tossing a ball through the elevated goal. However, the match doesn’t begin with the goal open. Rather, your team must possess the ball and pass through all four gates in order (pictured) to open up the goal. Even if you takeover the ball near gate four – next to the goal – you have to go back and start with the first gate, then the second, third, and finally fourth to open up the goal. Once open, you can shoot the ball through the goal using L2 or LT and the left analog to aim, holding the former for more power.

Now, after you make the first lap to open up the goal, you can score one point. If you complete two laps, you can score three points. If you somehow make it all the way around a third lap without losing possession, you can score five points, ending the match. However, if the ball is knocked loose and recovered by the opposing team, the goal will close and you must redo all the gates once retrieving the ball.

How does overtime work in Roller Champions?

If regulation ends in a draw, there is a three-minute overtime. In overtime, the first team to score wins, making it sudden death. If no team scores, then match ends in a draw.

There are some unique characteristics for overtime in Roller Champions. For example, if your team is losing when regulation ends and your team has possession of the ball, you’ll enter last chance. There are three different outcomes that can be achieved in last chance.

First, if your team keeps possession and ties the match, then overtime continues as normal, though depending on how long it takes you to equalize, there might not be much time left in the three-minute period.

Second, if your team keeps possession and rather than equalizing, scores enough to defeat the opponent, then your team gains an instant victory. Third, if your team is losing and you lose possession of the ball, it’s an automatic victory for your opponent.

Entering last chance as the losing team really puts you at disadvantage, but it’s better than the match ending right away.

How do you level up in Roller Champions?

To gain levels in Roller Champions, you must gain fans through playing Quick Matches and Ranked Matches. Unfortunately, playing Custom Matches against the A.I. will not result in fans gained (Custom Matches with invited friends has not been tested). For the first level (you start at level zero), you will need one thousand fans, for example.

You gain more fans by merely playing Quick and Ranked Matches, but you will gain more by scoring goals, winning matches, and completing your daily bonus (more below).

You’ll gain rewards for leveling up, though only by purchasing the season’s Roller Pass will you gain rewards at each level gained. Otherwise, the free tier gives you rewards at every other level. Most are character customization items like hair and attire, but also lootballs (more below).

You can also purchase in-game currency, Wheels, to buy more customization items from the store. One of the Wheels packages also includes a premium top for your skater. However, purchasing wheels costs real money, so do this at your own discretion.

With that brief overview done, here are a few gameplay tips to help you with Roller Champions.

1. Complete your daily bonus for a boost to fans gained

Like many modern games with an online component, Roller Champions has a daily bonus. While some games like MLB The Show 22 and WWE 2K22 merely require you to login, Roller Champions requires you to play Quick Matches.

You will receive a daily bonus for the first three Quick Matches you play daily. Check the Sponsors tab to check on that day’s bonus. Upon release, the first three Quick Matches added extra fans to your total with each match, thus quickening level progression.

Even if all three matches reach overtime and end in draws, the three matches should take no longer than 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

2. Check the Sponsors tab to complete even more challenges

Aside from the daily bonus, you can gain more rewards by completing challenges on the Sponsor page. The timer indicates that the challenges refresh every week.

The current sponsors and challenges in Roller Champions are:

• Umisan: Play in 15 Quick Matches to unlock a lootball.
• Actid: Score five goals in any match type (except Custom Matches solo or with AI) for an extra one thousand fans.
• Umisan: Win 15 Quick matches to unlock another one thousand fans.

Lootballs can also be earned and are, as its name implies, balls filled with loot. Similar to other games, the items you receive are broken into four categories: Common (green), Rare (blue), Epic (purple), and Legendary (gold). In the same order, lootball chances are 60 percent green, 30 percent blue, seven percent purple, and three percent gold. The above lootball gave a rare (blue) emote, for example.

3. Be a good teammate

There are a few ways to be a good teammate. First, if you don’t have the ball, then clear the way and protect the back of your teammate with the ball. The best way to clear the path is to tackle (Square or X) the opposition ahead of your teammate.

Second, if you do have the ball, then look to make smart passes (Triangle or Y when prompted) ahead or behind to your teammates. This is to throw off your opponents more than anything. For example if you’re around the corner to gate two and see your teammate all the way up just past gate three, pass the ball when prompted as a pass that crosses the gate functions as activating the gate. Then, the ball is that much closer to gate four and the opening of the goal.

Further, the best way to track the ball is to use ball focus (L2 or LT). This will center the camera on the ball whether it’s rolling around or a player’s possession. You can set ball focus to either hold L2 or LT or toggle so you merely press it to focus on the ball, hitting it again to return to standard view. This should help in terms of making defensive tackles and clearing the way with some off-ball offense.

While there isn’t even a semblance of the mechanic, play each match as if you’re receiving a teammate grade like in the NBA 2K games.

4. Score as quickly as possible, but when possible go for the second and third laps

Since it’s a race to score five points, quickly scoring goals is a fine and tactically-sound strategy. However, if you see that you or your teammate have a good bit of distance between the opponents, aim for a second lap. This will raise the potential score from one point to three (pictured). It is risky because of the goal closing and gates resetting if the ball is overtaken, but scoring three points at a time only means you have to score twice as opposed to five times.

If you can, aim for three laps and five points to end the match! Scoring a five-point goal will automatically end the match with a victory in your favor – if your team scored the goal, of course. There’s also a trophy and achievement for scoring a five-point goal, so that’s another reason to try.

To shoot the ball, hold L2 for power and aim with the left stick. Remember to adjust your aim, trajectory, and power because you are moving at high speeds! Otherwise, you may overshoot or undershoot the goal, or be rejected by the ring around the goal. However, you can hit Roller Champions’ version of a Tim Duncan bank shot by bouncing the ball of of the side panel parallel to the track and perpendicular to the goal. Try and get level with the goal, meaning up on the elevated portion of the track, to make it easier to score and win the match.

There you go, your complete controls guide and tips for Roller Champions. The free-to-start game is available for download now.