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Harry Potter’s latest adventure hits Nintendo’s handhelds. Harry Potter and The Goblet Of Fire is essentially identical for both the Nintendo DS and Gameboy Advance. While the game is solid on both platforms, especially the Gameboy Advance since it is less powerful; it’s a shame that EA didn’t make two separate games for the two different handhelds. Nonetheless, the core gameplay and presentation is strong.
In Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and friends have entered their third year at Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft. Through some trickery, Harry is entered in the Triwizard Tournament, chosen to co-represent his school in a tournament known for making sure that not all competitors leave alive. The game focuses on the actual adventure elements of the movie, leaving out all of the sappy romantic elements between Harry and his crush, and Ron and Hermione.
In the Goblet of Fire, you’ll play as Harry, Ron, or Hermione in an isometric point of view. The characters have unique abilities – Harry is best at attacking, Ron is the quickest, and Hermione has the strongest defense – but the actual gameplay is the same for all of them. All three characters are on screen at the same time. Like the console versions, the Goblet of Fire relies heavily on exploration, though the spells are a big part of the game as well. Again like the console versions, the spells are context-dependent, meaning that you’ll get a new spell depending on the situation at hand. This works particularly well for the Gameboy Advance version given the lack of buttons. Unfortunately, for the Nintendo DS, it feels a little bit too basic. The game includes a number of collectable cards which act as upgrades for the characters, adding a bit of complexity to the game.
The Nintendo DS version doesn’t add much to the main game. The bottom screen is seldom used to highlight certain items or portraits, but nothing important. You can use the touch screen to select certain items, though it is quicker and more efficient to use the L button, like in the GBA version. However, it does add a duel mode used in the battles. This mode heavily utilizes the strengths of the Nintendo DS namely the touch screen and 3D graphics. You’ll solely use the touch screen to cast the spells and participate in the battles.
Though the lack of story-mode multiplayer is understandable on the Gameboy Advance, it is sorely missed on the Nintendo DS because of the system’s wireless networking capabilities. The Nintendo DS does include a Vs. duel multiplayer mode, however. Unfortunately, it requires multiple copies of the game. Keeping in touch with the Nintendogs craze, EA UK added a mode called Care for Magical Creatures, which is strangely familiar to Nintendo’s own game.
The game’s visuals are very impressive if the game was running on the Gameboy Advance. The character models are pretty detailed and the animations are fluid enough on the small screen. The environments capture the feel of the Harry Potter universe very well. However, it doesn’t really push the Nintendo DS. The 3D minigames look pretty good and do push the DS graphically, so it’s a shame that this wasn’t applied to the rest of the game.
The game’s sound is equally impressive. The game’s sound effects are solid, though the orchestrated music fits in wonderfully with the rest of the game. EA UK included some voice clips from the characters, giving the game a more authentic feeling. Again, more is expected from the Nintendo DS, but then again it’s hard to complain.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire really pushed the Gameboy Advance, but doesn’t quite do the same for the Nintendo DS. Though it has a lower score, this isn’t a worse game than it was on the Gameboy Advance. It has solid gameplay and a good recreation of the Harry Potter universe, but it should have pushed the Nintendo DS more. -- Jake Wilson, PGNx Media
---- Nov 27, 2005
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