Software:Aussie Rules Footy
| Aussie Rules Footy | |
|---|---|
![]() Art cover of Aussie Rules Footy | |
| Developer(s) | Beam Software |
| Publisher(s) | Laser Beam |
| Producer(s) | Sue Anderson |
| Programmer(s) | Darren Bremner, Gregg Barnett, Andrew Davie |
| Artist(s) | Paul Mitchell, Grant Arthur |
| Composer(s) | Marshall Parker (Music), Gavan Anderson (Sound) |
| Series | AFL |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Sport |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
Aussie Rules Footy is the first AFL simulation video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was developed by Melbourne based Beam Software and published under their "Laser Beam" publishing title in 1991.[1] The release was Australian-only with distribution handled through Mattel's Australian operations.
Gameplay
The game involves playing a game of Australian rules football from a third-person perspective, with the ability to perform the basic actions of a typical Australian rules football player. The game can be played by one person playing against the computer team, or by two players against each other. There is also a kick to kick mode, and a season mode where 1, 4 or 6 players can play multiple games in a season finishing with a grand final.
The objective of the game is for the players team to have the highest score at the end of the game. A team can score by kicking either a goal (6 points) or a behind (1 point). To move the football, a player with the ball can either kick or handball the ball, and a player without the ball can either mark the ball or tackle an opposition player with the ball.
Scoring
When a player is close to the goal (approx. 55–60 metres), an accuracy bar appears at the bottom of the screen. When the ball is kicked, the closer the marker is to the centre of the bar, the more accurate the kick to goal. The accuracy bar makes it considerably difficult to kick a goal on the run, especially from a distance. When a player is very close to the goal (approx. 15 metres), the accuracy marker will always be in the centre of the bar and any kick by the player will be a goal.
Start of play
As in the real rules of Australian rules football, there are times in play where a player from each team tries to take possession of the ball that has been bounced (for the start of play after a goal, or a ball-up), or thrown (for an out of bounds) by the umpire. During a bounce, using the arrow keys will start the player moving, only after the ball has touched the ground. Pressing A at the moment of contact will tap the ball to another team member, while pressing B will knock the ball a larger distance but not to a particular player. During a ball up or a boundary throw in, pressing A will make the player leap into the air, and then the same actions apply as a bounce when the player reaches the ball with his hand.
Teams
The teams in the game are based on 14 of 15 teams in the 1991 AFL season. However, despite West Coast Eagles players being depicted on the games cover, within the game itself the Western Australian team was simply known as Perth. In addition, fictional teams based in Darwin, Canberra and Hobart were playable in the game.
References
Notes
- ↑ Beam Software Timeline. Documentation for the 2006 exhibition Hits of the 80s - Aussie Games that Rocked the World at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image
External links
- MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.
Features
Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]
Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.
History

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]
In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]
On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]
In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]
See also
- IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
- ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
- ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
- ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
- ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
- ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
- ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
- ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
- ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
- ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
- ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
- ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
- ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
- ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
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