Three teams from the University of Houston have advanced to the final round of Microsoft’s annual game design competition.

These computer science students will head to Seattle next April for the 2011 U.S. Imagine Cup, in which some of the brightest computer students from throughout the country compete in various categories such as software design, digital media and game development.

A total of 12 teams will face off in the game design competition in Seattle, and UH took three of the six available slots this fall. Another six finalists will be chosen next spring.

The teams are:

Team Righteous Noodle  includes computer science undergraduates Jackchalat Chaiyakhom, Thien Pham, Kyubo Shim and Son Tran.

Team STC includes graduate students William Holtkamp and Philip Trevino and undergraduates Melissa Dickinson and Carlos Lacayo.

Team AAMP includes graduate student Mark Rojas and undergraduates Antonio Farias, Ashish Khatri and Patipol Paripoonnanonda.

The teams’ mentor is computer science instructor Chang Yun.

UH game developers have a strong record of success in past Imagine Cups. In the 2010 national competition, UH teams took second and third place. And in 2008, one UH team finished in the top 20 in the worldwide competition.

Visit the UH Interactive Game Development website here.