Ready for Windows Phone Rockstars?

In March, Microsoft announced the Windows Phone 7 “Rockstar” Award, a contest for student developers looking to build a top-of-the-line mobile application for the upcoming Windows Phone 7 platform, using either Silverlight or the XNA framework.

Since the contest’s launch, 131 teams submitted applications. From those, a winner (the “rockstar”) was chosen plus two-runners up. The winning team gets a free trip to Poland for the Imagine Cup, plus $8000 USD. The first runner up earns $4000 USB and the second runner up gets $3000 USD. All winners receive a new Windows Phone, too.

So who won? An app called “Droid,” as it turns out. The app is a game that involves controlling a machine that destroys other machines using the accelerometer. Players can shoot, repair and defend themselves using the provided controls, while making sure their health doesn’t run out.

One of the runners up also built a game, this one with a funny littel guy that moves about a forest, and another built a comic book reader. All of the winners (and other submitters) have impressive offerings, especially considering these are not professionally built games, but those built by students, 16 years or older currently attending either high school or college.