Multimedia whizzkids had to draw on all their reserves of skill, wit and ingenuity in the final heats of a competition to design the best computer game.

The students were taking part in the annual Game Girl event which was launched last year to encourage more women into the computer game industry.

Brighton and Hove City College students were challenged to develop a "lifestyle" game as a counterbalance to the shoot-'em-up, car chase and football games which dominate the market. Game Girl is organised by the college and new media business support group Wired Sussex, based in Castle Square, Brighton.

Three winning teams were selected for their innovative concepts, which included an interactive music game, a mobile-based quiz and a TV-style trivia contest.

All the students are currently studying for a Higher National Diploma in multimedia or a National Diploma in design.

Their ideas used the latest technology such as Bluetooth to put the players at the centre of the action rather than having to play through characters.

Lindsay Stevens, a 21-year-old from Brighton on one of the winning teams, said the competition helped her relate her studies to the "real world" of gaming.

She said: "It also helps us understand the changes that need to be made to help encourage more women to both play and develop computer games."

Mark Greco, centre of vocational excellence manager at City College, said: "Unless initiatives are launched to help women into gaming careers and studies, the industry will remain male-dominated.

"The Game Girl competition not only helps to raise the profile of women in gaming but also provides both male and female students with a real-life games development scenario."

Tara Solesbury, project manager for Wired Sussex, said: "Women have a huge contribution to make to computer and mobile games development. It is important we help to redress the balance before the industry as a whole begins to suffer.

Students were judged by top gaming experts from Brighton-based computer firms Babel Media, Kuju and Galaxy Life, who sponsored the competition.

Chloe Giusti, marketing manager at Babel Media, said: "The lack of women involved in games development means the industry is missing out on a massive pool of talent and on the potential to create products that appeal specifically to women and girls."

As part of the competition prize, Babel Media will take the winning students for a day's work experience this month.