“Rocket League 2D” is the gaming equivalent of a cover band playing your favorite song on a kazoo. It is technically correct, tonally hilarious, and surprisingly skillful, but it will never replace the original.

Rocket League 2D is new, it’s weird, it’s free, and it’s the most confusing fun you’ll have all month. Don’t expect to go pro. Do expect to say “WTF” at least 12 times per match.

Let’s break down exactly what this “wtf new” phenomenon is, why it has the Rocket League community divided, and whether you should drop your high-end GPU settings for a game that looks like it runs on a calculator. No. And that is the first “WTF” moment.

So go ahead. WTF your friends. Send them the link. Lose 10 games in a row. Laugh. Uninstall. And then boot up the real Rocket League and hit a ceiling shot. You’ll appreciate the 3D depth more than ever.

It is the gaming equivalent of trying to write your name with your non-dominant hand. This is the most controversial take. Is this a genuine new genre, or just a memey flash game?

The “WTF” reaction is appropriate because it challenges a core assumption: Do we need 3D graphics to have fun? The answer, apparently, is no. A few pixels, a physics engine, and rocket boosters are all you need to make a fun soccer game.