HARRY POTTER TOYS & GAMES, PART 6

ELECTRONIC ARTS VIDEO GAMES

Electronic Arts, Inc. (EA) has the exclusive license to develop Harry Potter videogames for all platforms, from the Sony PlayStation to cell phones. EA presented its first sneak preview of the games at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California, in May 2001.

The games were released on 16 November 2001, and all of them will have the cover art as shown at left, with Harry going for the Golden Snitch. (His scar placement is like the movie, just to his right on his forehead. In fact, the artwork is mostly movie inspired, down to the design of the Snitch and the Nimbus 2000 broom, though the robe is not a Gryffindor Quidditch team one.) On 25 February 2002, a Macintosh game created by Aspyr was finally released.

In these assorted games, the player becomes Harry Potter himself and navigates through the magical challenges and complexities of Hogwarts School. As Harry, the player "enrolls" in Hogwarts, begins wizard training and must complete assorted challenges. Though all based upon the novel and movie plots, the games all will vary in format.

The game for PlayStation will be a third-person format in a three-dimensional environment, with some similarities to the Tomb Raider series.

The personal computer version (at right) will require Harry to use cunning and stealth to maneuver around Hogwarts. There will be 20 interactive characters, including Harry's friends and teachers. The assorted monsters he encounters, such as the Mountain Troll, also will be present. Hogwarts, its grounds and secret passageways and magic staircases will be there for exploring.

The PC game also will have challenges, such as the wild ride through the Gringotts Bank vaults, and using a broomstick to get Neville Longbottom's Remembrall back.

Harry on one of Hogwarts' many staircases in the Advance game.

EA's Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance HP cartridges were developed by KnowWonder. The Advance game will be an action-adventure approach. The tutorial section is liking being a Hogwarts first year, as the player trains for the upcoming struggles and puzzles. There will be man eating plantings and attack broomsticks. Puzzles and timed challenges also must be solved. When Harry jumps through a large portrait, this means he faces a big feat to be achieved.

In a Game Boy Color screen, Harry appears to be at Eeylops.

The Game Boy color game is a full role playing game in Harry's Hogwarts world. He spends much time talking to people to receive information and completing puzzles. There are no fights, so to speak, but contests with other students that Harry must solve. One writer compared this game to the Legend of Zelda without the action, and Pokemon, because the player can collect 100 wizard cards either hidden on characters or after winning a challenge.

Argonaut is creating the PlayStation Harry game cartridge. This company had programmed two Disney-based titles drawn from Aladdin and The Emperor's New Groove and is known for a liberal use of colors and cartoon-like characters.

The Argonaut Harry is a wide-eyed guy traveling all over the corridors of Hogwarts and grounds. There is one sequence where Harry is riding through the Gringotts vaults trying to grab as many coins as possible.

Other highlights to this game, according to the British vid-game magazine PlayStation Max:

A broomstick race through the Forbidden Forest against Draco Malfoy.

Harry in Hogwarts halls (left) and wearing the Invisbility Cloak in the PlayStation game.

Game points are earned just like the movie and book through profs awarding or deducting them.
Ron and Hermione can be recruited to help Harry with different tasks.
There is a battle with that big, stinky mountain troll.
McGonagall will be on hand to provide help with puzzles and spells.

Expect more Harry Potter games in 2002 for the Sony PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo Gamecube.

Here are the other game covers:

Game Boy Color	Game Boy Advance
PlayStation

Sources: British Broadcasting Corp., Cable News Network, IGN; PlayStation Max
Image sources: Harry PC game, Electronic Arts; Game Boy screens, IGN; PlayStation shots, CNN/EA

More game details are available after 16 November at EA's official Harry Potter games site. (There's currently just a front page.)

ON TO HARRY POTTER TOYS & GAMES, PART 7 >>