I love footy. Desperately. But let’s be real — we haven’t had a genuinely good AFL game since AFL Live: Premiership Edition in 2004. Maybe that’s nostalgia talking — I was twelve, and it just felt so realistic back then. But for me, every licensed attempt since has delivered heartbreak and frustration — if not at least plenty of meme-fodder.
So, thank goodness for Pro Jank Footy. This unlicensed, unapologetically ridiculous retro take on Aussie Rules leans into the absurdity instead of pretending it can simulate reality. It’s only a demo for now, but for those that love footy, I’m pretty confident we’re onto something special here.
Aussie Rules, But Make It More Aussie And Less Rules
Pro Jank Footy feels like it was developed with the seriousness of a backyard kick-to-kick — and that is a good thing. Its chunky pixel art and retro aesthetic looks ripped straight from a ‘90s arcade cabinet, and the physics are as loose as a Mad Monday. The result is a game that is gloriously silly and deeply Aussie.
And who better to call the action than Broden Kelly? He may be of Aunty Donna fame, but he is also a bona fide footy tragic — Broden Kelly and Pro Jank Footy is like a Four’n’Twenty at half time. It just makes sense.
There’s also only about three buttons to worry about in Pro Jank Footy, and none of the overcomplication of the actual AFL rule book. That said, “easy” it isn’t. My demo runs ended with more beltings than the Suns in their first season.
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Full Jank Ahead
The demo offers two game modes: Normal Footy and Pro Jank Footy. Normal Footy mostly behaves like the real thing — or at least the janky, retro version of it.
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But Pro Jank Footy mode? That’s where things spiral into glorious chaos. Every goal scored against you earns a Power Card, a wildcare equaliser that ranges from the surprisingly useful to the spectacularly absurd. One might boost your kicking range; another might summon Broden Kelly onto the field, turn the Sherrin into a beach ball, or trigger a “next goal wins” scenario. It’s ridiculous, unpredictable, and a proper laugh.
Final Thoughts
Pro Jank Footy is a gloriously unlicensed, proudly ridiculous arcade love letter to Aussie Rules footy. If it keeps kicking on like this, we might finally have the footy game we’ve been crying out for.
A demo for Pro Jank Footy is available now on PC via Steam, with the full release on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 later in 2026.
