Beethoven & Dinosaur’s Mixtape won three awards at the 2026 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs): Game of the Year, Excellence in Art, and Excellence in Sound Design. The organizer announced the winners on 7 October 2026, the night of the ceremony.
The three awards Mixtape won
The organizer’s full winners list gives the results with its own category labels. ScreenHub’s winners report, which is independent of the organizer, lists the same three wins.
| Award (organizer’s label) | Winner | Wording used in other coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Game of the Year | Mixtape | Game of the Year |
| Excellence in Art | Mixtape | “Visual art” (ScreenHub); “Excellence in Visual Art” (finalist materials from Melbourne International Games Week) |
| Excellence in Sound Design | Mixtape | Sound design |
The art award appears under slightly different names, but it is one award and one win. The organizer’s announcement is the reference for the wording. Use “Excellence in Art” when quoting the result, and avoid treating “Excellence in Visual Art” as a separate prize.
What Mixtape is
The organizer describes Mixtape as a narrative-driven adventure and a coming-of-age story told through stop-motion 3D visuals. The official game page sets up the premise: “On their last night of high school, three friends embark on one more adventure together. Play through a mixtape of memories, set to the soundtrack of a generation.” The page also uses the short lines “Skate. Party. Avoid the law.” and “Make out. Sneak out. Hang out.”
#1 Best Overall
- 🎁 Perfect Gift for Any Occasion – Mixtape makes a fantastic gift for music lovers and game enthusiasts alike! Share the soundtrack of your life and create lasting memories with friends and family through hours of fun and laughter.
- Relive your Memories - Share your life's soundtrack with your friends! Behind every memory is a song, and MIXTAPE lets you share the most memorable of life experiences to your friends through music.
- Endless Possibilities - With 200 cards, the possibilities are endless! MIXTAPE lets you be vulnerable and show emotions by playing songs instead of telling people about the way they feel.
- Sharing Memories with Friends - What's the soundtrack of your life? MIXTAPEisn't your ordinary card game. Share the most memorable of life experiences to your friends through music. Behind every memory is a song.
- For Ages 12 and Up - 3+ Players, MIXTAPE is the perfect card game for family game night. Whether you're reliving memories or making new ones, it’s sure to provide hours of entertainment.
The soundtrack features artists including The Cure, Joy Division, and DEVO. Melbourne International Games Week’s finalist announcement describes the same setup: three friends on one final adventure on their last night together, playing through memories set to a generational soundtrack.
The game is developed by Melbourne-based Beethoven & Dinosaur.
What the judges and developers said
The AGDA judges’ statement, as printed in the organizer’s announcement, reads: “Mixtape is a triumph in virtual storytelling, pairing a distinct visual identity with heartfelt music to deliver one of the most memorable experiences in recent memory.”
Beethoven & Dinosaur director Johnny Galvatron said the game “was the outcome of an amazingly talented team,” and added: “To go from wanting to make a game around DEVO to creating something that resonates with so many people is mind blowing.”
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #3
Other winners at the same ceremony
- Bits & Bops: Excellence in Gameplay and Excellence in Accessibility
- Schrodinger’s Cat Burglar: Excellence in Narrative
- Uppercut Games: Studio of the Year
About the event
The Australian Game Developer Awards celebrate achievements in the Australian game development community and are presented by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA). According to the organizer, the awards span 12 game awards, two personal awards, and one studio award. The 2026 ceremony took place on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre as part of Melbourne International Games Week.
IGEA CEO Ron Curry said: “This year’s selection of winners and finalists is a great showcase of Australia’s games industry.”
Rank #4
- 80s Retro Cassette Tape Mixtape TV Television Set Video Game Machine Design. Totally rad nineteen eighties graphic art style for the 80s girl, 80s bro, or 80s dude, video game player, gamer, or music lover who was born in the 80s or 1980 something.
- Rewind time by keeping it old school. This cool throwback artwork will take men, women, boys, or girls who love 80s pop culture funky music back to the 8os with nostalgia for colorful '80s themed costume party designs like a boombox, cassette tape, mixtape
- Hardcover journal with 240 line-ruled pages (120 sheets)
- Built-in elastic closure and ribbon bookmark
- Includes an expandable inner storage pocket and a pen holder
The organizer’s material does not report sales, review scores, or audience figures for Mixtape, so the win is the only measure of reception covered here.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 80s Retro Cassette Tape Mixtape TV Television Set Video Game Machine Design. Totally rad nineteen eighties graphic art style for the 80s girl, 80s bro, or 80s dude, video game player, gamer, or music lover who was born in the 80s or 1980 something.
- Rewind time by keeping it old school. This cool throwback artwork will take men, women, boys, or girls who love 80s pop culture funky music back to the 8os with nostalgia for colorful '80s themed costume party designs like a boombox, cassette tape, mixtape
- Soft 100% polyester surface ensures smooth, precise mouse movement in an 7.1x8.7 inch size with rounded edges
- Natural rubber base keeps the pad firmly in place on any desk surface
- Low-profile 0.12 inch thickness offers comfortable wrist support while maintaining a sleek, compact design
“
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
