A TEAM of gaming enthusiasts from Huddersfield University saw off the competition to win one of the country’s toughest computer programming challenges.

Team Birthday Cake, one of six from the university to take part, emerged victorious in the marathon Microsoft XNA Game Camp challenge in Huddersfield.

The contest was to create a game in 30 hours on Friday and Saturday.

Fifteen teams of students got their brief from Microsoft representatives. Mentors from Microsoft, Screen Yorkshire and Rockstar games, who designed the Grand Theft Auto series, were on hand to offer tips.

This year’s theme was based on giants – inspired by the Huddersfield Giants rugby league club.

The teams had to design and programme games that were fully playable when the time was up.

Team Birthday Cake, comprising Huddersfield students Hal Blackburn, Josh Hackett, Lewis Ellington and Andrew Terrell, triumphed with a game was called Arrogant Incas.

And one of last year’s winners said the victory could pave the way for a career in the gaming industry. Ben Hinchcliffe, who graduated in computer game programming from Huddersfield University after helping the university’s Canalside Studios software house to victory in last year’s competition, now works for Rockstar games in Leeds.

The 22-year-old said: “The combination of winning competitions like these got me a job at Rockstar. If you can show potential and you can make an impression people will want to hire you – and there’s no bigger software house than Microsoft.”

Since its launch in 2006, Canalside has been commissioned to design games for Microsoft’s XBox Live Arcade.

Last month Canalside team Black Banshee won ‘best art’ for its game Squniverse at Microsoft XNA Game Camp in Birmingham.

Damien De Luca, computer games programming subject leader at Huddersfield University, said: “A competition like this is great for the region and the town. We’re already in partnership with Microsoft at Canalside Studios, so this is a great way to extend that.”