Beethoven & Dinosaur’s Mixtape has taken out the prestigious Game of the Year award at the 2026 Australian Game Developer Awards (AGDAs).
It has also received the Excellence in Art Award and the Excellence in Sound Design Award.
The game has been celebrated for its exploration of youth, in a tale charting the adventures of three friends looking to spend their last days together having the best time possible.
With a soundtrack of iconic licensed tunes, including international and Australian hits, Mixtape is a game that sinks you into a world where music feeds the soul, while guiding players on a journey of great depth and insight.
Mixtape wins AGDAs 2026 GOTY award – quick links
Mixtape is a well-deserving AGDAs GOTY winner
In the five-star ScreenHub review, we called Mixtape a powerful ode to the magic of music, and the imagination and freedom of youth.
‘Music can be transformative. For young people especially, it can be identity-shaping and confidence-driving. Mixtape, the latest adventure from the Melbourne-based studio Beethoven and Dinosaur, is a deep exploration of the power of music and how it changes the small-town lives of three friends – Stacy Rockford, Van Slater and Cassandra Morino,’ we wrote.
‘The game is defined by music video-like stanzas of classic tracks, from grungy Australian hits to spacey tunes hailing from the US, UK and beyond. It’s reflective of Stacy’s own desires to be a music supervisor, someone who soundtracks screen media with an artful and considered touch.’
‘Mixtape leans into a mix of curated classic rock and alternative music to add layers of depth and meaning to its story. Stand-outs on the soundtrack include Yesterday’s Hero by John Paul Young, That’s Good by Devo and Glory Box by Portishead – to name just a few.’
ScreenHub: Mixtape review: Aussie game is a powerful ode to music and the freedom of youth
‘And while the tunes are the focus – with various eye-catching segments soundtracked by popular tunes, Mixtape leaves plenty of room for the growth of its trio of protagonists, as they chart a turning point in their shared lives: the end of school and the journey into the adult world.’
‘Mixtape is a fantasy of what this period of life can be – or at least, how it can feel. Stacy, Van and Cassandra are the kings and queens of the world, experiencing such freedom, elation and joy that in some imagined sequences, they’re flying and leaving the real world far behind.’
‘Mixtape is a fantasy story’
Speaking to ScreenHub in 2025, developer Johnny Galvatron described Mixtape as being an intentional ‘abstraction’ of the idea of growing up, with its elements of idealised Americana feeding into a more magical version of growing up and coming of age.
‘Mixtape is a fantasy story,’ Galvatron said at the time.
The game’s depiction of coming-of-age is more conceptual in nature. It’s about the idea of growing up, rather than the actual act of growing up. In this space, Beethoven & Dinosaur explores a freedom and magic that grasps at how it feels to grow older and watch your friendships change.
It’s clear the game has had a significant impact on Australian audiences, with critics and players alike finding plenty of joy and relatability in its depiction of young dreamers, and how it explores music as an escape from the tension of the real world.
ScreenHub congratulates Beethoven & Dinosaur on their well-deserved AGDAs award win.
You can view the full list of winners from the 2026 AGDAs on ScreenHub.
Leah J. Williams of ScreenHub served on the judging panel for the 2026 AGDAs.
