It is without a doubt that the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the biggest franchises in recent history with a successful series of books, movies, and some decent video games. Of course, with Warner Bros. announcing Hogwarts Legacy a few weeks ago, it appears that Harry Potter fans are finally getting the game of their dreams with its open-world environment offering players to explore Hogwarts and other areas in the Harry Potter universe.
However, while the game is still in development, it is worth taking a look back on past Harry Potter games that fans may have loved or hated throughout the years. Now, while every player will have their own favorites, here is a ranking of the Harry Potter games from the best to the not-so-best.
S-Tier
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-7
It is no secret that most games in the Harry Potter series are tie-ins to the movie franchise, which are all based on the popular book series authored by J.K. Rowling. Out of all the games that bear the Harry Potter name, fans took a liking to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Not only did it follow the formula of its predecessor, which is also a good game, but it also introduced several improvements that made it a popular choice among Harry Potter fans. Also, on this tier are both sets of Lego games that revolve around the entire Harry Potter franchise. Of course, the excellent story of Harry Potter, combined with the fun and unique mechanics of Lego games made both Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 and Years 1-7, a hit among fans of the franchise.
A-Tier
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
- Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
As previously mentioned, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which is the tie-in game of the movie of the same name remains to be one of the best games in the franchise. Despite its dated graphics and mechanics, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was still able to flawlessly depict the event of the movie it is based on, while offering players fun gameplay filled with unique levels. Also, Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, which is a full-fledged game dedicated to the popular wizard sport also tops this list, given that it allowed players to experience what it is like to actually play the broomstick sport.
B-Tier
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
In B-Tier are the Harry Potter games that are based on the second, third, and fourth films in the Harry Potter franchise. While these games are not technically bad, they really didn't offer anything new to players and were simply a retelling of the events of the movies they were based in. However, these Harry Potter games were still able to satisfy the needs of fans, especially those who just want to experience what's it like to live in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
C-Tier
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
On this tier are the last two Harry Potter games based on the fifth and six (which are divided into two parts) movies in the franchise. While again, they are not bad games, they are also not considered to be the best in the franchise, given that they don't offer anything new to the gameplay. For example, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2 had a pretty disappointing combat system, given that it mostly made players to duck and attack, and spells are cast by simply clicking on a mouse or a button on a controller. The only redeeming factor of these games is their graphics, but it is worth noting that they are also not the best visuals compared to other games released at the same time.
Also included in this list are the mobile games Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery and Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The former was marketed as an RPG game, but players were disappointed with its gameplay, with some calling it as a mere visual novel. On the other hand, Wizards Unite is an AR mobile game similar to Pokemon GO. However, unlike Pokemon GO, Wizards Unite wasn't really able to establish a giant community of players, despite the large fandom of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.