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Video Game Vintage Title: Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4

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Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1�4 is a 2010 video game in the Lego video game franchise, developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros. The game is based on the Lego Harry Potter line and its storyline covers the first four films in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The game is available on the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, OS X and iOS. The OS X version of the game was released on February 22, 2011 by Feral Interactive. A PlayStation 2 version was planned, but later was cancelled for unknown reasons and scrapped.

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 Gameplay

Lego Harry Potter's gameplay is similar to that of most previous Lego games, with an emphasis on collecting, exploring, and solving puzzles. Casting spells is an integral part of the gameplay, with a wide range of spells available for unlocking as the player progresses. As there are many spells available in the game, the player can use the spell wheel to select the spell. Potion-making is another integral feature; potions can help the player complete levels or, if created incorrectly, have adverse side effects such as turning the player into a frog.

Changes to the mechanics of previous games include 'Student in Peril' missions, which are a group of challenges to help a student, and Polyjuice Potion, which allows players to temporarily change one of the player's characters into any other mini-figure unlocked. A major change is to the hub system. The Leaky Cauldron works as a central hub for purchasing unlockable extras and returning to previous levels, while Hogwarts acts as a constantly evolving massive hub with the unlockable characters found by picking up their hidden portraits.

The bigger areas in Hogwarts have led developer Traveller's Tales to improve the overall level design. Also included is another bonus level that allows players to customize the level similar to Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. If the player is lost in-game, they can follow a trail of Ghost Studs to the next level. These do not count towards the stud total, but will guide the player to the next section of the level. However one of the collectible 'red bricks', found in the courtyard next to Herbology, gets the player an 'extra' that makes the ghost studs worth 1,000 each.

The central hub is the Diagon Alley and its entrance through the Leaky Cauldron. Players can access a room at the second floor of the building to watch videos from the game, as well as using a notice board with pictures from where the player can play completed levels again. The Diagon Alley serves as a series of stores where the player is able to buy characters or change a number of customizable ones, spells, and bricks that have a varying range of uses, such as changing the player's wand to a carrot, or making the player invincible. Players are also able to visit Gringotts or Borgin and Burkes in order to play extra levels. There are 167 characters purchasable in the game.

The game covers a wide range of characters of the first four parts, from notable ones like Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape, to others like Viktor Krum in shark form or the Trolley Witch from the Hogwarts Express.

The storyline is substantially unaltered from the movies, with slight changes to allow consistent two-player mode throughout the game.

Reception
The game received generally positive reviews. Official Nintendo Magazine gave the Wii and DS version 80%. Saying that it was "one of the best Harry Potter games ever", but that it lacked originality compared to previous Lego games. GameSpot gave the console versions an 8/10, complementing the large amount of secrets and charm. IGN praised the game giving it an 8.5, complementing the new additions to the game, while the PSP version of the game received a 7.0. IGN editor Nicole Tanner awarded it "Best Mindless Fun".


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