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No Joystick Required: How Melbourne’s Pothole Hell Became a Video Game

Issued by Melbourne Pothole Dodger

No Joystick Required: How Melbourne’s Pothole Hell Became a Video Game

Goran Fak’s satirical game takes on Melbourne’s rancid roads and machete bins ahead of the November Victorian state election.

MELBOURNE, Victoria – 10 November 2026 – Goran Fak of Bayside web design studio Three Nine Digital has revealed how a pothole-filled drive to his daughter’s cheerleading training became Melbourne Pothole Dodger, a free retro video game released weeks before the 28 November Victorian state election.

The game, playable on computers and phones, is styled after early-1990s console kart racers. Players drive a battered hatchback down roads including Sydney Road and Punt Road. Every hit drains the car’s energy, and there is no finish line, only how long the car survives.

“I was driving my daughter to cheerleading and I was so focused on the road, trying to dodge all the potholes, that I felt like I was playing a video game,” said Goran Fak, creator of Melbourne Pothole Dodger. “I asked her, ‘Do you think it would be a good idea to create a game about dodging potholes like we are right now?’ She said, ‘Yeah, of course it is.'”

Hazards include a machete amnesty bin, a lollipop lady with a stop sign and stolen car chases. Roadside “Illegal Tobacco Pickup” shops are the only way to restore energy.

“I wanted it to show how long a driver can survive Melbourne’s terrible roads,” Fak said. “You’re going to die in the end.”

With roads an issue in the election campaign, Fak said: “The state of our roads is a real concern, and it’s something we have to address coming into the next state election.”

Under Victoria’s Road Management Act 2004, road authorities are not liable for vehicle damage at or below a threshold of $1,681 for 2026–27. In 2022–23, just one of 1,532 road damage claims to the Department of Transport and Planning was assessed as payable, CarAdvice reported.

The website also includes a guide to reporting potholes on Melbourne roads.

Melbourne Pothole Dodger is free to play at https://melbournepotholedodger.com

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About Three Nine Digital
Three Nine Digital is a Bayside-based web design studio in Melbourne that helps local businesses go from invisible to unstoppable with smart, mobile-friendly websites. Its services include website design, SEO and website maintenance. Founder Goran Fak has spent 20 years in the digital industry and brings a background in digital analytics to every project. Visit https://threeninedigital.com.au

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About Melbourne Pothole Dodger

Three Nine Digital is a Bayside-based web design studio in Melbourne that helps local businesses go from invisible to unstoppable with smart, mobile-friendly websites. Its services include website design, SEO and website maintenance. Founder Goran Fak has spent 20 years in the digital industry and brings a background in digital analytics to every project.

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