After last year’s hugely popular Hogwarts Legacy, one of the persistent questions among fans, especially sports and mini-game enthusiasts like me, is a simple one. did. It was, “Where’s the Quidditch?”
Hogwarts Legacy avoids this glaring omission by having the headmaster cancel the season due to an injury the previous year, despite being an important part of the books and movies. For those who were chasing Golden Snitch glory aboard the Nimbus 2000, this is a disappointing hand gesture. So when Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions was announced, my interest was piqued.
Developed by Unbroken Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games under the Portkey Games label, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a standalone sports title designed to bring the admittedly complex game of Quidditch to consoles and PC. As a casual fan of the wizarding world, I was skeptical, but equally interested. Can a standalone Quidditch game capture the appeal of the movie? And more importantly, can the broom flight mechanics be intuitive? Well, this is what I found.
Control: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Since the tutorial, I was pleasantly surprised to find a well-structured and smooth Quidditch experience that distills a complex fantasy sport into a fairly rewarding and addictive experience. Movement may be clunky at first, but dodging, drifting, and switching between characters becomes much smoother, making general flight a lot of fun to command. The learning curve can be steep, but the initial tutorial (despite some pretty cheap voice acting and story animation) helps players navigate the combination of roles and teaches them the unique mechanics of each position. Helpful.
For example, the Seeker role is easy to learn as it focuses on scoring goals with the Quaffle and fending off enemies, while the Beater role requires timing to utilize the Bludger effectively.
But I don’t think the single-player experience can match the immersive team sport it’s trying to emulate. Playing solo means you’re constantly switching between multiple characters: Chaser, Keeper, Beater, and the occasional Seeker, which can quickly become hectic and difficult to coordinate. While AI teammates do the work, the absence of human players reduces the fluidity of traditional sports titles.
When switching chasers frequently to cover more ground or outrunning Quaffles, the game’s weaknesses in measuring distance become very apparent and interceptions become more common. Most of the time I ended up wasting precious seconds on higher difficulties by changing direction from a pass or losing momentum trying to regain a sense of space. Similarly, playing as a keeper or beater can also feel redundant unless you have direct control over it, and leaving these roles to the AI is a great way to protect key spaces or effectively target opponents. It’s a gamble because you can’t.
In a way, this chaos is part of Quidditch’s appeal and makes it unique as a result, but it does pose a problem for single-player gameplay. Frequent character switching, pre-planning stages that rarely go off the rails, and disorienting 3D play can often be more difficult than exhilarating.
game mode
In campaign mode, players compete in cup matches against other houses, featuring jokes and familiar characters from the Harry Potter universe. The campaign is more of an exercise in online play, and feels more like a tutorial than a true story-based mode. The story isn’t groundbreaking, but it sets a good stage for a series of engaging matches as you play through.
Weasley Barrow Garden Cup Hogwarts House Quidditch Cup Triwizard School Quidditch Cup Quidditch World Cup
NPC teammates are competent enough to avoid frustration, but they feel a bit isolated and fail to emulate real player synergy, making the campaign a bit of a stepping stone to multiplayer modes. It feels like. Nevertheless, the progression from backyard to stadium is worth continuing for the campaign alone.
Online-centric design and appearance customization
However, where Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions really shines is in its multiplayer. Although currently limited to 3v3 rather than a full 6v6 setup (Quidditch Pro 6v6 is planned), matches were quick to jump into and very competitive. As you complete daily and weekly career challenges, the possibility of multiplayer in events and tournaments hints at a promising future.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is designed with an online focus, which may disappoint single-player fans. Coordinating with other players in real-time provides a more strategic and satisfying experience, but solo gameplay struggles with balance and complexity.
The lack of microtransactions is a relief, but it still takes time to progress through the game and unlock cosmetics for in-game currency. Decorations and customizations offer quite a bit of variety, and Hagrid’s mask, especially in low-resolution PS1 graphics, made me laugh a lot. Also, you don’t earn gold stars on microtransactions.
Opting for 3v3 gameplay is understandable, but would ultimately benefit from moving to 6v6. Having one player in each position (keeper, beater, seeker, three chasers) enhances the dynamics of the game, makes roles more specialized, and allows players to focus on developing their skills in one role. It will look like this. For now, the chaser and seeker positions have gotten the most attention, with snitch chases being an iconic but unsatisfying experience. The snitch’s movements are easy to spot, but they can be annoyingly predictable, with repeated U-turns and lackluster patterns, and may require fine-tuning.
Aesthetics and voice acting: cartoonish yet functional
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions leans into a distinctly cartoonish visual style, a noticeable departure from the down-to-earth aesthetic of Hogwarts Legacy. We understand that given the size and scope of the IP, it may not make economic sense to use original actors for authentic voice acting. This is a realistic and fair decision. Still, this exaggerated and colorful style has its pros and cons.
On the other hand, this aesthetic pairs well with lighter, more accessible games that focus more on competitive play than detailed realism. It makes room for more customizable options and allows players to enjoy creating quirky and colorful characters. However, this exaggerated look can also make the game feel more childish than the richly layered Hogwarts Legacy, with a slight tonal disconnect.
For me, this playful style is not a deal breaker. This is a great reminder that Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a sports game first and a Harry Potter story second. This is fine in itself, but it may turn some players off. Invest in the world around them.
final thoughts
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions provides a solid foundation with a variety of roles, engaging modes, and the thrill of Quidditch. However, long-term success depends on the developer’s ability to keep content up to date. Seasonal updates and consistent adjustments to gameplay are essential to keeping players interested, especially with 6v6 gameplay coming soon.
All in all, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a fun, if imperfect, introduction to the gaming world. Capturing the magic of Quidditch and giving fans the opportunity to participate in this beloved sport.
Despite its control quirks and chaotic nature, the game offers a promising experience that’s both fun and challenging. For die-hard fans and online players, it’s worth a try, especially if you want to grab a lucky win from the Golden Snitch or send the Quaffle into the goal post.
3 stars (out of 5 stars)
Highlight: Smooth flight mechanism. Various roles and exciting online play. No microtransactions
Cons: Single-player mode lacks ambition and scope. It’s difficult to control your team in 3D space. Lack of current 6v6 game mode
Developer: Unbroken Studios
Publisher: Warner Bros. Games, Portkey Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Windows PC via Steam and Epic Games
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on PlayStation 5 using an activation code provided by the publisher.