Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Our Favourite Australian Video Games

One of the biggest releases of 2025 has undoubtedly been Hollow Knight: Silksong, and as any Aussie gamer will proudly tell you, it was made right here in Australia. From mobile-game royalty Fruit Ninja, to period crime adventure L.A. Noire, there’s quite the laundry list of banger games we’ve exported around the world.

Here are some of our favourites:

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel — Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

When you think ‘Australian video games‘ odds are, your mind doesn’t jump straight to Borderlands; but spin-off Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel was actually developed in our nations’ capital! Not that I knew that in 2014, when the game released, but the writing was definitely on the wall. The Pre-Sequel is chock-full of Aussie lingo, accents, and references to the land down under: Waltzing Matilda, tuckerbags, billabongs, cricket… The boss ‘Red Belly’ a double reference to both the deadly snake, and infamous bushranger Ned Kelly. My favourite was the ‘boganella’ shotgun, that spewed out a variety of foul mouthed comments when fired, in true bogan fashion.

Australiana aside, the game was also fun as hell: Zero-G environments, jump pads, more Handsome Jack antics, and a playable Claptrap! I remember loving the style and abilities of Nisha: The Lawbringer. Her action skill, Showdown, auto-locked onto enemy crit spots for a short time… Which felt pretty OP with machine pistols or lasers, chewing through hordes of enemies without missing a shot.

The Borderlands IP might not have been created in Australia, but Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel is without a doubt, one of the most Aussie games of all time… And a cracker of a game to boot.

– Shaun.

Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical — Melbourne, Victoria

Aside from gaming, my other great love is musical theatre. There is something wonderfully whimsical about watching characters burst into song on stage, shifting from dialogue to melody as the story sweeps you along. So when I first heard that Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical was an Australian game blending my two favourite art forms, I could not believe my luck.

The game follows Grace, a college dropout on the brink of a life she never expected. One audition turns everything upside down. Suddenly she is a Muse with the power to shape stories through song. What follows is a heartfelt coming of age journey where every decision you make reshapes the entire narrative.

The magic lies in how those choices are expressed. You do not just select a dialogue option. You sing it. Each decision branches into a full musical number, complete with soaring vocals, rich orchestration and a cast of performers who know how to make a moment land. The theatrical drama is captured with real care, feeling like sitting in the stalls at a West End show, but also steering the story yourself.

It’s the kind of original Australian indie brilliance I adore. A bold idea, beautifully executed by developers Summerfall Studios. Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical is a game I fell completely in love with, perfect for anyone who adores musicals — you really can defy gravity.

– Dan.

Cult of the Lamb — Melbourne, Victoria

Cult of the Lamb took the world by woolly storm when it came out in 2022. This roguelike-simulation mashup by Massive Monster blended two genres into an adorably designed, twisted game involving being an ovine cult leader.

I’m not usually a roguelike fan, but Cult of the Lamb had me bleating a different tune and I was soon hooked on growing my cult AND taking down the Bishops. Between marrying my followers, cooking for them, or ascending them to heaven, I learned that stepping outside your usual game genre can be surprisingly fun. Just maybe don’t try the cult thing in real life.

– Sonia.

Unpacking — Brisbane, Queensland

Unpacking, from Brisbane studio Witch Beam, is a simple puzzle game that touched me so much, I think about it constantly.

The player follows the life of a woman from a young child to adulthood by unpacking her possessions each time she moves house. The mechanics of finding the right spot for each item are open-ended and not overly punishing, turning the real-life stress of moving into a relatively zen experience.

Seeing the belongings of the protagonist change throughout the years wordlessly convey a narrative of the struggles and growth she experiences, and the impact of the different people who come into her life. By implying major story beats instead of explicitly laying them out, the player fills in the blanks themselves, forcing a personal emotional response. I still get a lump in my throat thinking about the heartwarming self-discoveries she makes towards the end. Games don’t often enough tell stories of what it feels to simply live a regular life and Unpacking is one of the best at doing just that.

Aside from the storytelling, the overall game design is executed masterfully. The satisfying controls, gorgeous pixel art and an impressive audio tableau with thousands of sound effects. If you want to hear the echo of dumping a frying pan on bathroom tiles, they accounted for it.

Unpacking is just damn great at being a video game. It just wouldn’t be the same as a movie or book. The interactivity of this coming-of-age story is what makes it so powerful, and why it stands as my favourite Aussie game.

– Rivers.

Crossy Road — Melbourne, Victoria

Hipster Whale’s Crossy Road is the ultimate “easy to pick up, difficult to master” game. It’s equal parts simple and infuriating: tap to hop, don’t get flattened by a train, and repeat until your resolve shatters. The simplicity lulls you in — all in a blocky, 8-bit beauty — before the game delivers a swift, humiliating end only five seconds later. The stress, oh the stress, as you try to time a leap and instead meet your doom under a semi-trailer.

Who needs a detailed story arc or complex mechanics? Not Crossy Road. Its simplicity is exactly what makes it so special — and so addictive. You’ll swear off playing, then spend hours chasing pointless glory, determined to beat your own high score for reasons even you can’t explain. And if you haven’t tried the physical arcade version yet, do yourself a favour and track one down. It’s pure chaos, nerve-testing, and an absolute delight.

– Tim.

Untitled Goose Game — Melbourne, Victoria

Honk! When Untitled Goose Game was let loose on the world, it quickly became a chaotic and iconic gem. It’s the perfect blend of slapstick comedy and chaos, weaving in some clever and quirky piano music to tie it all together. Developed by Melbourne’s House House, players take control of a naughty goose on a mission; stealing, smashing, scaring people is this goose’s entire personality.

Untitled Goose Game has cemented itself as one Australia’s best. It has multiple accolades under its feathers, from BAFTA’s Best Family Game to The Golden Joystick’s Breakthrough Award — it was even nominated for an ARIA for it’s original soundtrack.

The piano music adapts to how you’re playing, creeping up as you move around and crashing down as you do something cheeky and disruptive. If you haven’t had the pleasure of playing Untitled Goose Game, I highly recommend you set aside an evening and fly on in.

– Julian.

Hollow Knight — Adelaide, South Australia

It’s impossible to create a list of Aussie video games without including Hollow Knight. I remember playing the original version revealed at PAX Aus in 2015, and even from that early build it was clear that Team Cherry were onto something special.

Hollow Knight took the Metroidvania formula and told a compelling original story about the world’s smallest underdog. Everything from the movement system, the mechanically demanding combat and the stunning original soundtrack made Hollow Knight one of the most outstanding Aussie adventures ever.

The recently released Hollow Knight: Silksong has effectively built on that base and expanded the formula in new and exciting ways. At this point, it’s no exaggeration to say that Team Cherry are Aussie gaming royalty!

– Nathanael.

The Drifter — Melbourne, Victoria

Point-and-click adventure game The Drifter is one of 2025’s best indies. It’s a mysterious tale of horror and corruption, created in the heart of Melbourne by Powerhoof. Set in Australia with a noir twist, featuring a rough sleeping drifter, an American detective and some secret service-like shenanigans.

It was an unsuspecting hit for me; as soon as the game’s time loop twist came into play I was sold. The Drifter’s pixel art world and voice acting filled me with nostalgia and it’s story strung me along nicely. It’s one of my favourite Aussie games — if you’re a lover of games like Monkey Island, you’ll love this one.

– Julian.

What’s your favourite Australian video game? Let us know on our socials.