Entertainment
10 Best Harry Potter Video Games
The Harry Potter franchise, as many already know, began as a series of young adult low fantasy books. Eventually, they took the world by storm and sold millions and millions of copies, eventually spawning a multi-billion-dollar movie franchise, a line of official toys and merchandise, a theme park at Universal Studios, an HBO original series, and a tie-in series of video games.
It’s one of the largest multimedia empires in the world, with young people continuing to find its story captivating almost 30 years later. When it comes to the video games, some of these are spin-offs, separate from the original books and films, whereas others are direct adaptations of the movies; not every one of them is a bad adaptation, as many movie-licensed games are. Whichever category they fall into, these are the best Harry Potter video games ever made. For the purposes of this list, mobile games will not be included—PC and console only.
10
‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (2005)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire takes a rare approach that most of the other movie-licensed titles don’t: it is level-based rather than open-world. What this means is that the gameplay is also more action-oriented and less puzzle-intensive than the previous entries in the series. The fact that there were levels instead of an open world also meant that the developers could get a little more creative in their design, with a few levels having a totally different gameplay style.
There are various enemies in the game, mostly magical creatures, all of which need particular spells or have specific ways in which they need to be defeated, meaning even the standard levels are far from repetitive. This game also allows players to choose their character between Harry, Ron, or Hermione, rather than limiting them to just Harry. Even though it’s a perfectly fine effort, it still had a lot that it was lacking, much like the film.
9
‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban served as the foundation for what Goblet of Fire became, except it actually does a much better job of things. Fundamentally, the gameplay is pretty similar. It’s level-based rather than open-world, though the perspective is much different. Rather than the zoomed-out perspective of Goblet of Fire, the camera is much closer to the characters and is a more traditional “over-the-shoulder” view, which helps a lot, as the camera in Goblet of Fire could be kind of janky at times.
This game is also a little less action-oriented. There are some action sequences, sure, but there are also detective sections, puzzles, and boss fights. Heck, the GBA version of the game was literally an RPG, if you can believe that. Like Goblet of Fire, the game allows players to choose between any member of the Golden Trio, being the first in the series to do so. It’s a little closer to the books than the movies, but it still does a fine job. While it’s above average at best, fans still like returning to the game every so often.
8
‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (2001)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is based on the first movie, though it takes more inspiration from the book. It should be noted, though, that the PC version of this game specifically is the only good one. The original PS1 game is sluggish and heinously ugly, to the point that it got the meme treatment. There was also a fairly different version that came out in 2003 for consoles, but this wasn’t all that great, either.
Hogwarts Castle is sort of open-ended but severely limited by the technology of the time, so don’t expect a sprawling open-world map. That said, this PC version is still a nostalgic piece of video game history for Potter fans who grew up with the saga, one that players still find themselves coming back to from time to time.
7
‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2007)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix brought in a new style of gameplay that was more open-ended than previous entries. The game expanded Hogwarts Castle, creating a near-perfect replica of the one from the movies, and making it completely accessible to players. It also added a climbing mechanic, where Harry can clamber up pipes or ladders, accessing new heights and providing new points of view.
The game also came with a surprising amount of side quests, mostly involving recruiting students for Dumbledore’s Army. A lot of book characters who don’t otherwise show up in the movies are present, and some characters even make a return, such as a more grown-up version of Colin Creevey. The combat is a little bit slow and sluggish, restricted to one-on-one duels, but overall, it’s a solid game that’s lots of fun for fans.
6
‘Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions’ (2024)
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a sports game that’s all about Quidditch, believe it or not. The game provides an immersive, authentic Quidditch experience that begins with customizing your character. Once that’s done, you get to choose your position, either as a Chaser, Beater, Keeper, or Seeker, each one with a unique style of play. Though you’re not strictly limited to anything, as you can also play as various characters from the franchise.
Since it’s a sports game, it is primarily focused on multiplayer. It was booming when it first came out, but is sadly pretty dead nowadays. Single-player is still available, however, involving the use of bots or the “Broomstick Adventures” mode. The game did have some flaws, most notably the fact that it took several departures from the actual rules of Quidditch in an effort to balance things out. For example, catching the Golden Snitch does not end the game and only gives 30 points instead of the usual 150. To be honest though, the changes are fair, because otherwise it would effectively win the game automatically for the team that catches it. In any event, it’s an entertaining sports game that was pretty solid all around.
5
‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (2009)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is definitely one of the better games in the movie-licensed line. Truth be told, most of them are good enough, but this one just hits different. It’s built on the foundations of Order of the Phoenix, only everything is improved upon. The combat is smoother and quicker, and it even comes with a co-op duelling mode. Plus, there’s an added potion-brewing mechanic, a minigame involving adding ingredients, stirring, and heating as per the instructions given. Each potion has different ingredients, too, so it’s consistently interesting.
Aside from the potions and the combat, the open world itself is by and large the most comprehensive and detailed map of the movie version of Hogwarts. It’s really well done, mainly because it lets players see how recognizable sites like the Great Hall, the Viaduct, and the Astronomy Tower all fit in together. There are also secret passages to unlock and a ton of collectibles to find, which keeps things entertaining. It’s actually a very fun game, even if it does have its shortcomings.
4
‘Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup’ (2003)
Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup is another sports game that does a better job of things than Quidditch Champions. Funnily enough, Quidditch Champions was actually intended to function as a sort of sequel to Quidditch World Cup, though it didn’t quite deliver in the same way this one did. This one functions a little more like a typical sports game, with players controlling an entire team rather than just one player. However, different roles can only be controlled at different times, as games function in phases so as to keep things balanced.
The game begins with Harry Potter and his third year at Hogwarts, but by the end, the game transitions into the World Cup itself, with nine teams available: Australia, the UK, Germany, the US, Japan, France, Norway, Spain, and Bulgaria. And yes, Viktor Krum is featured on the Bulgarian team. Players tend to favor this one over Quidditch Champions for two reasons: one, for nostalgia purposes, and two, because it is more akin to a traditional sports game, making it more accessible to fans of the genre.
3
‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ (2002)
As far as the original movie-licensed games go, this one really knocked it out of the park. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets follows the book a little more closely than the movie, but it still does an excellent job. Hogwarts Castle itself is pretty small, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t secrets to discover. The game boasts 101 collectible chocolate frog cards, which can be acquired through various means. You can buy them from Fred and George Weasley via the Gryffindor common room black market, or you can collect them by exploring the castle.
Outside, you can actually hop on and off your broomstick at will, soaring to new heights and accessing new areas of Hogwarts. Exploring and finding these collectibles is actually legitimately fun! In terms of gameplay, it’s a mix of puzzles and platforming, with some cartoony spell-casting mixed in. This game built upon the Philosopher’s Stone game and improved upon everything by a mile. The game has actual stakes, too, as if you break the rules too often or don’t earn enough house points, you might not win the House Cup at the end of the game. It might be limited due to the available technology of the time, but it’s still a nostalgic classic that fans always come back to.
2
‘LEGO Harry Potter Collection’ (2024)
The LEGO Harry Potter Collection consists of two entries released in 2010 and 2011. These games divided the saga in half, with the first covering movies one through four, and the second covering movies five through eight. In 2024, the whole collection was remastered and compiled into one glorious package. As the title implies, this game turns the story of the movies into LEGO. Between the levels, players can explore Hogwarts, attend classes, and search for collectibles.
There are over hundreds of unlockable characters to collect, as well as a custom level editor hidden beneath Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. Players can also purchase extra cheats and quirky features, transfiguration spells, and create custom characters, much like most other LEGO games. LEGO games made by Traveller’s Tales rarely disappoint, but The LEGO Harry Potter Collection was one of their best. It’s so much fun to play, with incredible level design and a ton of replayability.
1
‘Hogwarts Legacy’ (2023)
Hogwarts Legacy is actually not about Harry Potter at all. Rather, it is set in the same universe, specifically, a century prior to the events of the main saga. In this role-playing game, players will create a custom character and enroll at Hogwarts. You can attend classes, get sorted into your house, study the Dark Arts, and even customize your personal space: the Room of Requirement. There are loads of side quests, friends to make, and uncountable secrets to discover in Hogwarts.
The massive open world extends far beyond the walls of the school, though. Players can also take a trip to Hogsmeade village, sneak into the Forbidden Forest, and check out the tiny hamlets scattered around Hogwarts Valley. There are many magical life forms to encounter, potions to brew, magical plants to grow, and a fresh story to unravel in this enormous RPG. It’s an excellent game and a dream come true for Potterheads, which is why it’s easily the very best Harry Potter video game ever made.
Hogwarts Legacy
- Released
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February 10, 2023
- ESRB
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T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
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Avalanche Software
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