Fans of the Harry Potter franchise are having a great time in video games at the moment with the super success of Hogwarts Legacy and now a dedicated game for the Wizarding World’s favourite sport Quidditch.
In Quidditch Champions players have the ability to immerse themselves in the sport of Quidditch either solo or with the best experience via multiplayer.
You’ll take to the sky in one of the positions either Chaser, Seeker, Keeper or Beater each with their own unique play style. As you play you’ll use skill points to improve your play style and upgrade your broomsticks.
You can create your own custom champion or choose from an all-star lineup of iconic characters, such as Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Draco Malfoy and other popular characters across the franchise. There’s even a Hagrid character based on the infamous “Hagrid PS1 Quality” meme which is a wonderful meta joke to include. He’ll become unlocked at a higher level.
While not graphically groundbreaking, the very Fortnite-inspired stylised cartoon design is pleasant enough and inoffensive. The various stadium environments add a glimpse into the universe but are relatively low detail, they do feel like large areas and create a sense of scope.
Turning Quidditch into a real game that exists outside some limited time in the books and films would have been a difficult task. We’ve seen versions of the game played in real-life but to have a version that features the magical elements of the series does make for a fun experience.
There seem to be some changes to the rules from what we know of Quidditch that add balance to the sport without taking away from what we know as lore. In some ways, it feels like Rocket League with Harry Potter and in that respect, it would make a great esports title at conventions.
Although there is a “Campaign Mode” it’s very light with some fun cutscenes as you compete in three cups, School, Interschool and International. It’s a great way to learn to play the game properly before jumping into the rest of the game.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a fun game for hardcore fans, but if you are more casually into the stories you may not enjoy the nuances as much. As a sports title, it’s something unique and is best experienced with friends via the multiplayer options.
The game is out now on PS5, Xbox and PC and is coming to Nintendo Switch on November 8 2024.
Score 6 out of 10
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