Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4

"If there's a better kids' game this year, I'll eat my Sorting Hat.  Dan Whitehead, EuroGamer.com
"Harry's adventure into Lego land is exactly what you'd want it to be: charming, fun, and chock-full of secrets.  Kevin VanOrd, GameSpot.com
"It's often funny, addictive, and surprisingly good to look at...  GamingAge.com

IGN.com 8 of 10
The cards were stacked against LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4. This is the fourth franchise to get the LEGO treatment and something like the seventh LEGO game if you include the double-dip on the Star Wars adventures. People know the formula of stud collecting, character unlocking and drop-in/drop-out co-op pretty well by now. When I -- a seasoned LEGO vet -- sat down to play Harry Potter, even my eyes began to roll a bit at the thought of the "blast everything" quest I was about to set out on...Then, LEGO Harry Potter won me over with gorgeous environments, clever use of the famed spells, legitimate humor and adorable references that show how dialed in Traveller's Tales is to this franchise. After a few hit or miss LEGO outings, this is the game fans have been waiting for...The humor they've infused into this lore is also awesome. Zapping a radio only to have a bunch of skeletons run out and dance, watching Moaning Myrtle put on a synchronized swimming routine, and having the cheeseball ending image of the film Prisoner of Azkaban cranked up to an even more absurd level are just some of the things that cracked me -- a mid-range Potter movie fan -- up to no end. Oh, and don't even get me started on how cute the screeching mandrake roots are...LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is a love letter to fans of the Boy Who Lived. The comedic cutscenes toying with canon, the hundreds of hidden things to find, and the general sense of a great LEGO game paired with a great series really makes this game a standout. There are still a few issues to buff out, but there's plenty in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 to keep you coming back for more. - Greg Miller

GameStyle.com 9 of 10
Since Lego Star Wars appeared our imaginations have run wild wondering what games we could get with the Lego branding. So far gamers have been treated to adaptations of, Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Batman. Treated they have been too, as the games are solid and enjoyable, without ever getting stale. So on to the next choice in Harry Potter: Years 1-4...Those who know the Harry Potter story, will know that the source material is there and is an excellent choice to be given the Lego treatment. All the elements are there from the story, the settings and the characters. There may be fears that it is just more of the same and the games might start to feel stale, so what of Harry Potter?...Well fear not, as the young wizard uses his magic to produce a title that is full of quality gameplay, lovely visuals, along with tons of humour and charm. From the very first moment or the very first cut scene the tried and tested formula comes through, including the decision to use expression sounds over actual dialogue, once again this works a treat and allows Lego's idea of imagination to shine through. Characters are instantly recognisable to those who have seen the films with each looking like perfect Lego recreations of their live action versions. Levels look like they could be lovingly recreated at home, yet retain their identity from the films and books...As with the the preceding games, co-op play makes up a vital part of the games make up. Lego Harry Potter uses the dynamic split-screen, first seen in Lego Indiana Jones 2, when a second person decides to join in. The jump in/jump out nature works as well as you would expect from a Lego game. It is a shame that a third person cannot join in, however that is but a minor niggle. It is up to the user how they set up for co-op really. As mentioned the is the jump in/jump out mechanic, however it is also possible to have 4 different save games on the go. It means the family can all get involved without taking over each others games and get involved the whole family will...Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is another example from Travellers Tales of how to create a game that the whole family can enjoy. It cares not for gaming stereotypes and sets out to show that casual doesn't have to mean mini-games. The game is charming, funny, challenging and most of all, it is enjoyable. You would really need to hate games not to enjoy it. - Bradley Marsh