Ever since the original novels and the films rose to popularity, everyone has imagined wielding a wand just like Harry Potter. Well, with the movies being mega-blockbusters, video game tie-ins were inevitable. As a result, there have been seemingly endless amounts of Harry Potter games.
With Hogwarts Legacy making waves with its official announcement, it is the perfect time to reflect on the best Harry Potter games released thus far.
Updated March 26, 2022, by Jack Pursey: It may sound surprising today, given how few and far between movie tie-in games are today, but there was once a time when licensed games filled the top of gaming’s sales charts. Movie tie-ins were seen by publishers as near-guaranteed success’ in the mid-2000s, as people would jump at the opportunity to play video game adaptations of their favorite films.
Unfortunately, movie tie-in games developed a negative reputation, as the need to release the games around the same time as their corresponding films led to rushed products. Although the Harry Potter gaming franchise does have its issues, the games have created some wonderful memories for fans of the franchise by letting them explore the wizarding world. To highlight some more of the series’ best releases, we’ve updated this list to include a few more enteries.
Hogwarts Legacy
Before diving into the best Harry Potter games, it’s worth talking about the highly anticipated Hogwarts Legacy, which promises to fulfill the wishes of fans who have been asking for an open-world Harry Potter game since the genre reached mainstream popularity.
As the name suggests, Hogwarts Legacy is set in the wizarding school of Hogwarts in the late 1800s, and will let players explore the school grounds as well as other iconic locations like Hogsmeade.The action RPG is scheduled to release during the holiday season of 2022 on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch, giving most gamers the chance to play.
11 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was developed by EA and released in November 2005. The game made the divisive decision of not letting players freely explore Hogwarts, a beloved feature of the previous games that had been key to their success. Instead, Goblet of Fire offered a series of action-oriented levels.
Although many people were against this change at first, people grew to appreciate Goblet of Fire for what it did offer. Its seamless couch co-op was considered one of its best features.
10 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Although many people grew to enjoy the change of direction in Goblet of Fire, EA decided to return to the gameplay formula from the previous tie-in games where players could freely explore the wizarding castle of Hogwarts. The game expands on the game’s exploration elements by implementing side quests and “discovery points” to reward those who tried to fully explore the school grounds.
Along with a return to free-roaming, Order of the Phoenix also introduces a new dueling system which adds welcome depth to the series’ combat.
9 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was initially released in June 2009 and built upon the Order of the Phoenix’s free-roaming and dueling features. The game is also fondly remembered for including an excellent interpretation of the Marauder’s Map and for letting players cast numerous spells around the school.
The game is one of the most popular Harry Potter releases to revisit, given that it was the last movie tie-in game to let players freely explore Hogwarts.
8 Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
Following the huge success of Pokemon Go, many developers tried their hands at making their own augmented reality games. Some were good, some were bad, and others were just downright terrible. Thankfully, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite falls into the first of these brackets.
It was developed by Niantic, the very same developer that’s responsible for Pokemon Go. It may not be quite as popular, but it features many of the same mechanics and features and is arguably just as enjoyable as a result. Especially when compared some of the other Harry Potter games that are out there, it’s a fine addition to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.
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6 Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup is not just a great Harry Potter game, but also a very enjoyable sports game in its own right. The game of Quidditch is an exciting one and translates surprisingly well into video game form. Some may prefer the hyperrealism of a FIFA or Madden, but those looking for something a bit more magical can definitely find it here.
The game controls well and still looks pretty decent despite being nearly two decades old. It even has commentary for certain matches and a story mode to link everything together in a fairly cohesive fashion. The computer AI doesn’t provide the greatest challenge though, so it’s better when played with a friend. Also, the GBA version is terrible.
5 The Sorcerer’s Stone (PC Version)
What better way to start the best of the game than with that first? For any Harry Potter fan wanting to get into the games, it is best to start here. However, only play the PC version; the console version is a sluggish downgrade in every aspect.
From learning new spells, collecting Every Flavor Beans, and solving puzzles, The Sorcerer’s Stone is an addictive Legend OfZelda-esque game. Just be ready for some awkward voice acting and character models.
4 Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Want to experience being a student at Hogwarts but don’t want to wait for Hogwarts Legacy? Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is a mobile game that should do the job until, then. Obviously, since it is a mobile game, it won’t have the greatest gameplay in the world, but it is fun to experience the Wizarding World this way.
It does have one major drawback, and that is the energy system. It is too easy to run out of energy, thus forcing the player to stop playing for a day or two or pay to keep playing. So, that might turn off some gamers, but Hogwarts Mystery is still a solid mobile game to play that’s undeserving of all the negative feedback it garnered at launch.
3 Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
Chamber Of Secrets does what any sequel game should do: it takes everything that was great about the first, expands upon it, and does everything better. From fighting Aragog the spider to solving puzzles in the castle, Chamber Of Secrets is simply better in every way.
There’s not much else to say other than those gamers who loved the first game will enjoy Chamber Of Secrets. So, in a way, it follows the same pattern as the movie: more of what fans already enjoy.
2 Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban
The original trilogy of EA games reached the absolute peak of perfection. It couldn’t possibly get better than Chamber Of Secrets, but, surprisingly, The Prisoner Of Azkaban is pure gold. Rather than just playing as Harry, the player could control all three main heroes, including Ron and Hermione.
This allowed for more puzzle-solving as some characters had specific spells and abilities. Prisoner Of Azkaban also features the most live and expansive open map of Hogwarts; Buckbeak is ridable, there’s more to collect, and the main missions are a blast. The entire original trilogy of games deserve their own remakes.
1 LEGO Harry Potter: The Collection
Why settle for one of the LEGO games when there’s an option for both combined? LEGO Harry Potter: The Collection is like most LEGO games; tons of stud collecting, puzzles, and fun missions. In many ways, they are very similar to the early EA Harry Potter games.
So, for every LEGO games fan or Harry Potter fan, The Collection is obviously the perfect addition to the library of games. The Harry Potter-specific mechanics are well-done, the LEGO depiction of the Wizarding World is beautiful, and, as per usual, the jokes are hilarious. Plus, it goes through all seven years of Harry Potter in one game without feeling rushed.
