Even a filmmaker known for creating a unique Australian cult TV series that features World War II spies battling giant robots and bringing dinosaurs back to life recognizes the absurdity of Australian rules football. David Ashby, the mind behind the show “Danger 5” and the 2007 parody short film “Italian Spiderman,” admits that explaining the game to outsiders can sound quite bizarre.
“Describing the sport to someone unfamiliar can make you sound a bit crazy,” Ashby notes. “You have two teams, each with 18 players, running around a cricket oval trying to kick a ball between goalposts, much like two classrooms in a chaotic chase.” Now, Ashby has shifted gears from filmmaking to video game development with his project “Pro Jank Footy,” an arcade-style game inspired by Aussie rules that introduces increasingly ridiculous rules as the game progresses.
Channeling the look and feel of 1990s video games, “Pro Jank Footy” is distinctly South Australian, featuring teams like the Salisbury Park Snags, Port Noarlunga Chips, and Ceduna Doonas. “The humor of the game lies in celebrating and poking fun at Australian culture and its sporting traditions,” Ashby explains. “Through this game, we aim to highlight our unique eccentricities that we often take for granted in Australia.”
Broden Kelly, a member of the comedy group Aunty Donna, contributed thousands of lines of commentary to the game. Having previously hosted a football podcast with ABC journalist Marnie Vinall, Kelly sees this project as a blend of his passions for comedy and football, despite not being a video game enthusiast. “I started a light-hearted football podcast called ‘The Footy with Broden Kelly,’ merging my love for comedy and the sport,” he shares. “When David approached me about creating a game reminiscent of the classic NBA Jam but focused on Aussie rules, I thought it would be an exciting venture.” After a year of development, Kelly found himself as a key voice in the game.
Recording his lines in the Adelaide Hills before a comedy performance, Kelly described the process as tedious, leading to some spontaneous improvisation. “I don’t want to exaggerate, but recording for the game felt like the worst day ever, with four to five hours spent saying thousands of lines repeatedly,” he recalls. One of his improvised lines, “These are all just pixels, and one day we will all die,” gained some attention online, reflecting his frustration during the marathon recording session.
Kelly emphasizes the unique connection football creates among fans, noting that it can bridge gaps between people just as humor can. “I can engage in conversations with older individuals about our shared support for a team, which I find truly special,” he explains. “Comedy has this disarming quality; once you make someone laugh, it feels like you know them on a deeper level. The game is filled with cleverly crafted jokes that add layers of humor throughout.”
In collaboration with Ashby, Melbourne game designer Louis Roots was commissioned to create two custom arcade cabinets for “Pro Jank Footy,” which players can enjoy for free at two pubs in Melbourne. Roots aims to infuse joy into the gaming experience, seeking to add a tactile element to digital gameplay. “Why should we only engage with games through keyboards, the same tools we use for office work?” he asks. “Building these machines is incredibly satisfying, and I can’t emphasize that enough.”
Roots designed the cabinets to evoke the nostalgic ambiance of classic pubs and arcades, incorporating textures reminiscent of a football ground. “I wanted the visual experience to reflect the diverse feeling of being at a footy match,” he states. “I love the idea of creating something that invites people to physically interact with it.”
Additionally, Roots incorporated the auditory experience of a live game by embedding an FM transmitter in the cabinets, allowing players to hear Kelly’s commentary from across the pub. “My dad was a passionate Subi supporter in the WAFL, and I fondly remember listening to the game commentary on an old AM radio while watching from the stands,” he reminisces. “This sparked the idea of broadcasting commentary so that it could be enjoyed by everyone in the vicinity.”
Ashby is currently developing a comedy series for Netflix but expresses interest in creating another game in the future. “Having experienced this process, I would definitely consider it again,” he says. “This morning, I checked PlayStation, and the game is now available on the store. It’s a thrilling moment; my younger self would be thrilled!”
“Pro Jank Footy” is set to release on August 13.
