5 Best Harry Potter Games

This year, the first Harry Potter film turned 20 years old, and this fall we can expect an expensive action RPG based on the universe — Hogwarts Legacy . In it, you will be able to create your own wizard, choose a faculty, freely explore Hogwarts, fight ancient creatures and fly on a hippogriff. Fans have dreamed of such a game their whole lives.

In honor of this, we recalled the five best games in the Harry Potter universe. Each of them evokes a hefty surge of nostalgia – you just want to return to this magical world as soon as possible and remember your childhood.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

• Release date: June 25, 2007
• Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance

Rounding out our top is the Order of the Phoenix game from EA Bright Light. The fifth part was supposed to fix all the mistakes of the fourth, which many fans consider the worst in the franchise. Then the developers created something between an action game and a puzzle with incredibly boring gameplay and lost all the fairy-tale atmosphere.

For the first time in the series, the authors have added a truly detailed Hogwarts, which is very interesting to explore. Here you will find secret passages behind paintings, and side quests, and even mini-games like wizard chess. The spells have also undergone changes: now they need to be cast using special gestures on the mouse or by moving the stick on the gamepad.

All this greatly diversified the gameplay and led to the fact that “Order of the Phoenix” is not in vain considered one of the best games based on “Harry Potter”. Many fans still call Order of the Phoenix their favorite game based on the universe.

4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

• Release date: November 16, 2001
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color

The first game in the series from the KnowWonder studio under the wing of EA. “The Philosopher’s Stone” marked the beginning of Harry Potter’s adventures in the industry. The gameplay was reminiscent of the early parts of The Legend of Zelda: the user went through small levels with many obstacles and enemies, learned new spells and even played Quidditch.

The plot followed the events of the original film quite closely, but the developers significantly expanded some moments. For example, hiding from the caretaker Filch in the dark corners of Hogwarts still haunts the fans of the game in nightmares.

The gameplay of “Sorcerer’s Stone” is quite simple. We cast simple spells with a magic wand and do physical exercises both in Hogwarts and beyond. There are many beans scattered around the game world, which can be exchanged for magic cards with images of the most famous wizards of all time.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone may be a very short and simple game, but it still sucks you into the magical world of Harry Potter. And sometimes that’s all you need.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

• Release date: May 25, 2004
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance

In the third game of the series, KnowWonder decided to greatly diversify the gameplay and experiment with mechanics. For the first time in the series, you could play not only as Harry himself, but also as Ron and Hermione. The change of characters occurred strictly according to the plot and changed the gameplay quite significantly.

So, each hero had his own set of tests and spells. For example, Ron learned runic magnetism, and Hermione controlled rabbits and dragons. Such moments greatly diversified the gameplay and brought a lot of fun. And here you could also protect yourself from dementors with your Patronus!

Unfortunately, the creators completely abandoned Quidditch: it only appears in a story trailer. However, the fan-favorite elements are still there: collecting magic beans, cards, and passing difficult tests were still at the forefront.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

• Release date: June 30, 2009
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS

The best Harry Potter game of relatively modern releases, Half-Blood Prince is a great take on the ideas of Order of the Phoenix and adds new and exciting elements to the tried and tested formula.

Thus, Hogwarts has become a more lively place, which has become much more interesting to explore. The lessons have become reminiscent of the best moments from Bully: for example, potions now need to be brewed by hand, strictly following the instructions. Wand duels have become even more interesting and more exciting, and gameplay situations have become more diverse.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is rightfully considered one of the best games in the series. And certainly the best if we take into account only relatively modern games, because the leader of our top was released in the early 2000s. EA Bright Light managed to do the main thing: immerse gamers in their favorite magical world and create an exciting gameplay. Let’s hope that Hogwarts Legacy will be at least no worse and the developers will be able to transfer the best elements of the Half-Blood Prince to their project.

1.Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

• Release date: November 15, 2002
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, Game Boy Color, Xbox, GameCube

The best Harry Potter game. In the “Chamber of Secrets” the developers from KnowWonder managed to combine all the elements into one big cyclical mechanics most successfully. The game has elements of metroidvania – at first you can’t get into this or that part of Hogwarts because you don’t know the necessary spell yet. Learning new spells, you open the most hidden corners of the castle and learn all its secrets.

The system of collecting beans and magic cards has finally been transformed into something meaningful by the authors: now you need to collect and buy them in order to open a secret room on the top floor of Hogwarts. You can also buy an improved broom and other Quidditch equipment for beans. There are more spells than in the first part, as well as gameplay situations.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the best Harry Potter game that can entertain even today, 20 years after its release. It is a truly magical project that fans of the universe revere even now, in 2022. And will continue to revere.

Bonuses

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

• Release date: October 28, 2003
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, Game Boy Advance

Few people know that EA released a real Quidditch simulator back in 2003. In it, you need to throw the Quaffle into special rings, dodging Bludgers and passing between the Chasers.

At the same time, for making combinations of passes, players are rewarded with special skills: be it a sharp acceleration or a super strike on goal. This is a really high-quality sports simulator, so if you dream of playing real Quidditch, then Quidditch World Cup is almost the perfect option for all fans.

Moreover, the project can host a full-fledged world championship with 9 countries, each with its own characteristics.