Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
Platform(s): Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube, Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, PC
Developer: EA UK
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Harry Potter and his Hogwart's pals come to life PlayStation-style in EA Games' Quidditch World Cup, but the game lacks the magic and adventure of the Potter books and movies.
Rich with vibrant graphics and easy-to-follow tutorials, the game is visually brilliant and easy to master. Harry's face was so spot-on Daniel Radcliffe, I wanted to grab his cheeks and grumble, "You're a wizard, Harry." But easy to master led quickly and easily to boredom. I conquered the game within two hours of sitting down to play.
In order to move from one quidditch match to the next, players have to complete a series of team challenges, including outsmarting blodgers, nasty little bombs that opposing team members launch in an effort to knock your player off his broomstick. This, by far, was the most difficult challenge.
After conquering each of the other three teams and triumphing in the Hogwart's Quidditch Cup, players can advance to the Quidditch World Cup, an all-out broomstick brawl. The problem, though, is that little skill is required to actually win a match. In fact, despite all of the team challenges and tutorials, the only combination I used to win any of my matches was the dodge, pass, and then shoot maneuver. Not once did I launch a blodger of my own, as tackling an opposing player was as easy as the press of X-button. Use of the left analog stick to guide players became tedious and somewhat painful, but was easily remedied through use of the D-pad.
The best, most invigorating part of the game is definitely the race to capture the golden snitch - that evasive little bugger that ensures victory for its captor. Players can build power by riding the golden trail left behind the snitch and increase chances for capture by accelerating with the X-button. The rumble of the controller during the process alleviated the tedium of the game, and, on more than one occasion, persuaded me to play another match.
Bottom line: the game is rated E for everyone - everyone under age nine who enjoys a little bit of a challenge and the crazy quidditch action of Harry and his posse. For everyone else, the game is moderately entertaining and a great way to burn a couple of hours - no magic wand or ancient spells required.
Reach the reporter at kelly.vaughn@asu.edu.
