These are the best Harry Potter games of all time
Electronic Arts/Warner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentWands at the ready! To celebrate the release of Harry Potter Quidditch Champions, we’ve put together a definitive ranking of the best Harry Potter games.
If you’re of a certain age, then it’s very likely that the world of Harry Potter holds a powerful spell over you. Yes, we know some of the later Potter movies haven’t exactly been great, but this is a franchise that meant an awful lot to people when they were growing up.
So, with that in mind and the release of a new Potter game (Yes, we know it’s Quidditch Champions, but it counts!), we think there’s no better time than now to rank the ten best Harry Potter games. Ten was a surprisingly tough job because there are a lot of rubbish Potter titles out there, but I’m confident I managed to pick the best games for this list.
So why don’t you make like Professor McGonagall and give this list a read before giving us an Outstanding grade?
10. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Electronic ArtsWhat it’s about: As Harry starts his fourth year at Hogwarts, the Boy Who Lived must deal with not just the resurrected Voldemort but also the conniving bureaucrat Dolores Umbridge, who’s been installed at the school to spy on Dumbledore.
Why we like it: Order of the Phoenix is better than Goblet of Fire (A low bar, I know), but it’s not a good game. Why’s it on this list, then? Well, because most Harry Potter games are pretty terrible, to be honest, but still, at least you get to explore a screen-accurate Hogwarts, which may not sound like a big deal but was basically 15-year-old me’s dream.
9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Electronic ArtsWhat it’s about: A tie into the movie of the same name, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, lets you explore Hogwarts as you and Dumbledore prepare for the coming war with the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
Why we like it: While Half-Blood Prince is unlikely to be anyone’s favorite game, it’s probably the best of the later movie tie-ins, offering broad improvements on Order of the Phoenix’s exploration and some pretty fun mini-games. The highlight is probably the potion-making segments. The gameplay’s not exactly challenging, but it’s engaging enough and certainly better than the repetitive wizards duels you’ve got to go through.
8. Wonderbook: Book of Spells (2012)
Sony Computer EntertainmentWhat it’s about: An augmented reality game, Wonderbook lets players live their Hogwarts fantasies, learning spells and passing wizard tests… wait a minute, did they trick us into doing schoolwork?
Why we like it: A surprisingly innovative game, Wonderbook’s clever use of the PlayStation move controller made this a fun title to play. Unfortunately, while learning the gestures needed to cast spells is challenging to begin with, the game’s shallow library of spells and repeated levels means it quickly loses its charm.
7. Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
What it’s about: Would I shock you if I told you it was a quidditch game?
Why we like it: Blimey, you know we’re in trouble when this was on the list. OK, that’s not entirely fair. While the rules of Quidditch make about as much sense as Peeves the Poltergeist’s ramblings, the actual game itself is fun if you don’t stop and think about the rules, and it looks pretty enough. Sadly, Quidditch World Cup is let down by sluggish controls and repetitive gameplay, which fails to capture the speed and excitement of the Wizarding World’s most beautiful game.
6. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2003)
Throneful/Electronic ArtsWhat it’s about: After learning he’s a wizard, Harry Potter heads to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to start his studies. As Harry makes friends and collects beans, though, an old threat emerges, and it wants whatever Dumbledore’s hiding on the third floor.
Why we like it: There’s definitely a degree of nostalgic bias here, but the 2003 remake of The Philosopher’s Stone (the original might be fun to laugh at now, but it was a hideous and dull platformer) offered Potter Heads a magical experience back in the day. True, the gameplay was basic, but getting the opportunity to explore Hogwarts, learn spells, and go on your own fantastic adventure was a dream come true.
5. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets (2002)
Electronic ArtsWhat it’s about: When a mysterious creature starts attacking the students at Hogwarts, Harry must act to find the Chamber of Secrets before the Ministry of Magic closes the school forever.
Why we like it: This was the first Harry Potter game I played, so it holds a special place in my heart. Yes, the gameplay was relatively basic, but who cares? This was the first game to let you explore a coherent 3D Hogwarts (I’m sorry, the school in the original Philosopher’s Stone game was rubbish), and for that reason alone, I’m giving it a spot on the list. Even better, it lets you fly around the school on a broomstick, exploring all the building’s nooks and crannies and learning all Hogwarts’ secrets as you poke around.
4. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004)
Electronic ArtsWhat it’s about: As Harry and his friends return to Hogwarts for their third year, a dangerous dark wizard escapes from Azkaban prison, and he wants revenge on the Boy Who Lives.
Why we like it: The first Harry Potter game to let you play as Ron and Hermione, Prisoner of Azkaban, is a fun RPG that doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, but it certainly refines it. It’s probably the best of the movie tie-in games, mostly because it’s just iterating on what came before it. Still, the introduction of new mechanics and spells keeps things fresh.
3. LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1–4 (2010)
Warner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentWhat it’s about: A LEGO game that retells Harry’s Adventures across his first four years at Hogwarts, culminating in the terrifying rebirth of Lord Voldemort.
Why we like it: As charming as Gilderoy Lockhart and a lot more fun to be around, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1–4 balances great gameplay with a rather delightful sense of humor. In fact, it’s this latter point that’s probably the game’s greatest strength; every level is packed with secrets, hidden gags, and Easter eggs that will surprise even the most dedicated Potter fan.
2. Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7 (2011)
Warner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentWhat it’s about: A sequel to LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1–4, this game finishes Harry’s story with the climactic Battle of Hogwarts.
Why we like it: There’s not a lot between this game and its predecessor, but as I prefer the later books, I’m ranking this one just a bit higher. What can I say about this game that I didn’t say about the first? The pair share all the same strengths, including brilliant level design, engaging gameplay, and a sense of humor so dazzling you need sunglasses to look at it. I suppose I should mention the fantastic multiplayer and co-op mode, which allows you and a friend to explore the Wizarding World together; what more could you want?
1. Hogwarts Legacy (2023)
Warner Bros. Interactive EntertainmentWhat it’s about: Set a century before Harry Potter ever stepped foot in Hogwarts, this game puts you in control of a new fifth-year student who uncovers a sinister conspiracy involving dark wizards, goblins, and ancient powers.
Why we like it: This was the game every Potter fan would have seen in the Mirror of Erised when they were growing up. Visually, the game is astounding, and the decision to let you explore not just the school, which is beautifully realized, but the surrounding countryside (which is full of characterful villages and quirky characters) was an inspired one. Still, it’s all window dressing for the awesome story and dynamic gameplay. I loved the combat (A rare thing to say about a Potter game), and the ability to weave spells together into devastating combos is wonderfully cathartic. It’s the best Potter game we’ve ever got and probably the best one we will ever get… unless the Hogwarts Legacy 2 rumors turn out to be true.
If you’re a massive Potter fan, you’ll want to check out some more of our magical content. We’ve got an article breaking down everything you need to know about the upcoming Harry Potter TV show, and we’ve taken a look at whether a Harry Potter and the Cursed Child movie could happen. Finally, we’ve got a list of every playable character in Harry Potter Quidditch Champions and a list of all the Harry Potter Quidditch Champions easter eggs.