TL;DR
LEGO Harry Potter Collection brings the magic of Hogwarts to Switch and Xbox One, but shows its age. While visually charming and stable, it lacks voiced dialogue, features pantomime cutscenes that can interrupt gameplay, and enforces a strict sequential story progression. Unlike other LEGO titles, its hub world isn't always clear, and the building controls can be a bit clunky. Despite these limitations, the core puzzle-solving and cooperative magic gameplay is still fun. Ready to dive back into the Wizarding World? Read the full review to see if it's the right spell for your collection!
Anyone familiar with my work will know of my affinity for LEGO, as evidenced by my reviews of LEGO DC Super Villains, LEGO Incredibles, and my movie reviews. While I’ve never been a fervent Harry Potter enthusiast, despite having seen all the films and witnessed the Sorting Hat at Warner Bros Studios, my passion for LEGO led me to evaluate LEGO Harry Potter Collection, recently released for Nintendo Switch and Xbox One.
I continue to be impressed by the Nintendo Switch’s capabilities. Despite lacking 4K resolution and other modern graphical features, its gameplay is consistently engaging and stable. LEGO Harry Potter Collection comprises two titles: LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (2010) and LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (2011).
Compared to more recent LEGO titles like LEGO DC Super Villains (reviewed on this site), this collection exhibits some limitations, primarily due to its age. Notably, the characters rely on pantomime instead of voiced dialogue. These extended, pantomime-driven cutscenes can disrupt the gameplay flow.
Furthermore, the game restricts the order in which the movies can be played. In contrast to LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga (2007), which unlocks all movies after completing the first level of Episode IV, LEGO Harry Potter Collection requires sequential progression. Using Star Wars as a point of comparison, the hub area in that game, Mos Eisley Cantina, clearly indicates when you are not actively engaged in a level.
In Harry Potter, there were instances where I believed I was entering a level, only to remain in the hub area. This can be slightly disorienting. Finally, the building mode, which involves assembling structures from LEGO blocks, suffers from somewhat unwieldy controls, leading to potential frustration.
The game’s visuals are appealing and perform well in both handheld and docked modes. The textures and character animations are impressive, considering the game’s age.
Overall, LEGO Harry Potter Collection is a worthwhile addition to any LEGO game library. Despite its drawbacks, the core gameplay remains engaging, emphasizing puzzle-solving and cooperative play. The incorporation of magic and the acquisition of spells add a unique dimension to the experience.
While not necessarily a “must-have,” LEGO Harry Potter Collection for Nintendo Switch earns a solid recommendation.
