Nintendo’s latest Donkey Kong adventure swings into major Game Developers Choice Award nominations
Donkey Kong Bananza is already riding high after a strong awards season—and unsurprisingly, the momentum hasn’t slowed. Nintendo’s latest Donkey Kong outing has picked up even more major nominations, further cementing its status as one of the standout releases of the year.
On March 12, 2026, the Game Developers Choice Awards will host their 26th annual ceremony, and Donkey Kong Bananza is firmly in the spotlight. The game is nominated for Game of the Year, alongside several other prestigious categories.
Below is the full list of categories where Donkey Kong Bananza has earned nominations:
Best Design
- BALL x PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends / Devolver Digital)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Innovation Award
- BALL x PIT (Kenny Sun & Friends / Devolver Digital)
- Baby Steps (Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, Bennett Foddy / Devolver Digital)
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
Best Technology
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach (Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
Game of the Year
- Blue Prince (Dogubomb / Raw Fury)
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive)
- Donkey Kong Bananza (Nintendo EPD / Nintendo)
- Ghost of Yōtei (Sucker Punch Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
- Hollow Knight: Silksong (Team Cherry)
- Split Fiction (Hazelight Studios / Electronic Arts)
The competition is undeniably fierce—this is one of the strongest Game of the Year lineups in recent memory. Still, Donkey Kong Bananza has already proven it can go toe-to-toe with the industry’s best. If there’s ever been a time for Nintendo’s iconic ape to beat his chest and take home top honors, this might just be it.
Input Lag will be watching closely when the winners are announced.
About the Author
Scott (Scotty) Greenhalgh is the founder and owner of Input Lag, an independent Nintendo-focused publication. Scotty brings a player-first perspective informed by years of hands-on experience with Nintendo games to his reviews, rankings, and editorial coverage. His writing focuses on how games feel to play, their long-term value, and the impact Nintendo’s creative and business decisions have on players.
Outside of Input Lag, he also creates Pokémon-focused content online under the name Gr3atScotty.
