Footy fever is always high at the beginning of every AFL season, with every fan ready to see how their team’s season unfolds. But when footy is not on the TV, fans have limited avenues to satiate their Aussie Rules needs, with only one AFL game currently available, and even then, it’s more simulation that perhaps some fans want. This is where Footy Bash from Melbourne’s Danger Thumbs hopes to fill the void. It’s a rendition of our great game that captures the spectacle and all of its brutal glory. We caught up with Danger Thumbs’ Daniel Utkovic to chat all things Footy Bash as the season kicks off and development enters the pointy end.
WellPlayed: You’re developing a game called Footy Bash – what’s the pitch?
Daniel Utkovic: Footy Bash is fast-paced twist on our national game; it’s all about big moments! Big Tackles. Big Marks. Big Hits. Big Goals.
WP: How did the idea for Footy Bash come about?
DU: We played a lot of AFL games, and we kept going back to Aussie Rules Footy on NES. The main draw was the simplicity of it, and we figured that we could make an Aussie Rules game that focused on simple fun and action. NBA Jam was something we loved the gameplay of, which followed the same recipe of simple fun for the NBA, which made it a perfect model to base off of.
WP: Aussie Rules football is very much a niche sport globally, was this ever a consideration when developing the game? How did you decide on the elements in the game?
DU: Yes and no. It was something we knew could limit our potential player base, but we played NFL Blitz despite knowing nothing about the NFL. It comes back to that ‘simple and fun’ formula when we think of NBA Jam and Aussie Rules Footy on NES. Inversely, when we think of a potential limitation on playerbase, we also think that we could be the onboarding game for Aussie Rules globally. It’s how you frame any potential challenge!
WP: How much has changed since the game’s reveal at PAX Aus 2023?
DU: Oh goodness. Everything? We learnt A LOT from those 300+ played games at PAX23, and we’ve since changed almost everything. This ranges from game speed, to physical player size, team composition, AI smarts and even the code structure to make adding new things like perks significantly easier. I’d almost say that it was a completely different game in 2023.
WP: The game’s Steam page says that players will have to manage resources during a match. Can you explain how this will work?
DU: So in each game the player will have their stamina to manage, which is shared between sprinting, punching and some of the special moves. But even with things like a player going down after 2 hits, you’ll need to be careful if your ruck is all banged up and could potentially give up an easy goal!
WP: Can you tell us what is involved in the story mode and how that will work?
DU: Very excited about this one actually! The career mode will let you start and manage a team from scratch. We’ll release the details when we have something to showcase, but I think what we’re confident in sharing is that you’ll be able to manage your own home ground, team, and individual players. Home ground changes won’t only be cosmetic, there will be a set of things to manage in terms of staff, training, etc.
WP: What inspired Footy Bash’s art style?
DU: The in-game art is definitely aimed at 80s retro art! Think Marvel super heroes, Double Dragon, etc…We ended with a mix of classic Weg style, crossed with super human caricatures.
WP: Will players have the ability to create players or teams?
DU: Yes they will! They will be able to customise the appearance of each individual player, as well as team aesthetics.
WP: Have you approached the AFL about any potential collaborations at all?
DU: Yes. They were really supportive and fantastic people to deal with, but we decided to go our own way to keep a bit of the biff.
WP: Has there been any conversations with potential publishers?
DU: None at all. If we can make a game, we can surely publish it.
WP: Footy Bash has had a constant presence at game conventions like PAX Aus and The Game Expo. How has that player feedback helped shape where the game is today?
DU: We’ve taken every piece of feedback from the events and from the public beta we had during NextFest. As feedback came in during the beta test, we aimed to have a fix out within a few hours of the report. As for the expos, we used the normal games as well as the competitions to help refine the balance of the mechanics. So even if you’re not giving written feedback, we’re always looking at patterns and issues as you play the games at the events.
The Footy Bash arcade looks great
WP: Will Footy Bash have online co-op on release?
DU: In its current form, the online is catered more to 1v1, but once the online is finished it’ll be easy to implement. Other factors will influence this as well, such as online playerbase dilution, etc.
WP: What other platforms are you looking to bring Footy Bash to?
DU: Steam as everyone would know is our first, followed closely by Android and iOS. Switch will hopefully be not far behind.
WP: Are you able to share a release date or release window with us?
DU: We’ll have something public for people to play around the Gather Round. For the full release we’d love to have it out by finals.
WP: If you had to pick a player, past or present, that wouldn’t be out of place on a Footy Bash field, who would it be?
DU: Probably most players from the 80s, but if we had to choose it would be Tony Lockett for sure. Although we get called the Barry Hall Simulator a bit too!
If you like what you’ve heard, you can add Footy Bash to your Wishlist below. Otherwise you can stay up to date with Footy Bash’s development by following Danger Thumbs on Twitter/X or joining its Discord.
