Game Boy Advance

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fine portable adventure game, and as licensed movie games go, it's downright remarkable. The game is on the easy side, but it's good fun even for advanced players; they'll just blow through it more quickly, that's all. Harry Potter fans should absolutely check this one out.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire really pushes the Gameboy Advance. The gameplay is solid enough though the game excels in giving fans a good recreation of the Harry Potter universe. Though aimed at younger gamers, Harry fans will find a lot to like in the game. The game doesn’t include all of the additional features of the Nintendo DS version but includes enough to make it a worthwhile purchase if you don’t own Nintendo’s newer handheld.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a super-solid adventure with hours of replay value. This is essentially the same as the DS version minus the touch and dual screen features. Unless you hold the games side-by-side as I did you won’t be able to pick out many differences. As far as the gameplay goes The Goblet of Fire is a great experience on either platform. It’s engrossing and addictive. The puzzles are fairly easy to solve but are kept interesting by avoiding too many obvious solutions. Potter fans are going to love it.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is essentially the same game on both systems, and while there is simply no reason to purchase both copies of the game players will still enjoy a few of the added features the DS title offers. In the end, the DS version is better only because of the added Duel mode, but GBA gamers should rest assured that they aren’t missing much with a more true and focused version of the game. Goblet of Fire isn’t worse for what it offers on DS, just don’t expect it to be a system seller.

Overall, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is full of tiny victories for the realm of handheld licenses, but it has a few shortcomings that overwhelm the positives. The title was obviously rushed to sell before the movie came out, as shown by the lack of quality unlockables and rather arbitrary wanderings. With a little more time, it could have been something far greater, but as it stands, this game is a rental at best. With overly long levels, it's built for road trips, but will quickly become played out within a few days. If you have to buy a Harry Potter game for the road, consider getting the DS rendition of Goblet of Fire. If you want to kill a few hours, go ahead and give the Game Boy Advance Goblet of Fire a chance. It's entertaining for a little while, and if taken in small doses, could last quite some time.

In the end, The Goblet of Fire on the GBA and DS doesn't seem much better than any other action adventure game. The minigames in the DS version offer some amusing diversions, and the designs attempt to leverage the touch screen with some success. But the core campaign where you'll be spending most of your time seems like standard fare and gets repetitive after a while. Hardcore Potter fanatics may find some redeeming value in collecting all the cards and exploring the levels, but those of us who haven't submitted an application to the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft will probably find better action adventure options elsewhere.

Conçu sur le même moule que la version proposée sur PC et consoles de salon, Harry Potter et la Coupe de Feu en version portable est un jeu d'action facile d'accès et saupoudré de réflexion. L'adaptation est réussie dans la mesure où elle permet de revivre les meilleurs passages du film, mais l'aventure est relativement courte et guère originale.

The constant action means the Harry Potter series has always lent itself well to the video-game format, but EA's efforts have largely fallen on the console market, where presentation's much more important to guaranteeing a sale than on the handheld front. Most companies believe slapping a license is work enough, and while the Goblet of Fire isn't a terrible adventure, it's not nearly as compelling from a visual or gameplay standpoint than what you could pick up for your GameCube. It's worth checking out for fans on the go, though.