First Encounter

For centuries, muggles the world over have been missing out on one of the most exciting and long-lived professional sports in history. Quidditch, a game played by broom-riding wizard athletes that blends aspects of hockey, football (the original flavor), and rugby. After extensive negotiations with the Ministry of Magic, EA Games brings Harry Potter’s favorite sport to the Xbox withHarry Potter™: Quidditch™ World Cup, a fast-paced game that’s easy to pick up and very hard to stop playing—sort of like a Harry Potter book, except with high scores.

Potter and Malfoy race for the Golden Snitch.

This is Quidditch
The history of Quidditch has been well documented in Quidditch Through the Ages, available from most fine bookshops in Diagon Alley. Let’s look at the modern game, which is what you’ll be playing in Quidditch World Cup.

Quidditch is played between two teams of seven players and includes three types of balls. The Quaffle, analogous to a soccer ball, is the main focus of the game. Putting the Quaffle successfully through one of the opposing team’s three goals gets you 10 points. The bludger is a heavy, metal, magical hunter-seeker ball that can knock a player off his broom and make him fumble the Quaffle. The Golden Snitch is the strangest of the three—a tiny golden ping-pong ball with wings that must be caught to end the game. After the snitch is caught, the team with the most points wins, and since catching the snitch also gives a team 150 points, the snitch usually ensures victory—though it’s not impossible to catch the snitch, get the points, and still lose, if the opposing team has scored a lot with the Quaffle.

Each team consists of three chasers, whose job it is to move the Quaffle down the field, intercept passes, dodge bludgers, and score goals. The two beaters carry short bats that can redirect the dangerous bludgers, and they focus solely on defense. The Keeper serves as “goalie,” and finally, there’s the Seeker, which serves as a key position on any team. Seekers are usually among the youngest players on the team because they need to be lightweight and sharp-eyed to catch the fast-moving snitch. (It’s also the position Harry plays.)

Bludgers don't play fair.

Today, Hogwarts … Tomorrow, the World!
Quidditch World Cup features a great tutorial system that rewards your improving skills as you unlock new features in the game. (You’ll notice, for example, that the World Cup matches aren’t unlocked at the beginning. You’ll need to win the Hogwart’s Cup to get there.) First, choose a house: Gryffindor (Harry’s house), Slytherin (home to Harry’s nemesis, Draco Malfoy), Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff. And, let’s face it, most Harry Potter fans will go for one of the first two, but eventually, you’ll find that all four houses have unique strengths. Ravenclaw, for instance, scores triple (30 points) with a Team Special Move, while Gryffindor only scores 10. Once you choose a team, you’ll go through a series of House Challenges that will quickly bring you up to speed without overwhelming you. You’ll start with passing and move on to tackling and shooting goals. Then, you’ll unlock the first full match by showing you can use your seeker to chase down the snitch. After winning that first simple match, the game becomes gradually more complex, with the introduction of bludgers and special moves. Along the way, you’ll collect Quidditch cards that unlock even more special moves, new brooms for World Cup teams, and even new teams.

Gameplay is amazingly fluid and smooth. The player you control (usually a chaser) is marked by a gold star—if you’ve got the Quaffle, just move it down the field and score. If you don’t have the Quaffle, you can tackle the opposing chaser and steal it. Or, you can launch a bludger strike to knock it loose (but watch out for that bludger after you take the ball!). As you play, you’ll fill up a special meter that will eventually unlock the golden snitch. If you’ve performed more combos and special moves than your opponent, you’ll be in a better position to catch the snitch. Using the seeker to catch the speedy little ball is a lot like snowboarding—you’ll get rewards for fine broom control.

After you’ve beaten the other houses at Hogwarts, it’s time to take your game to the World Cup! Choose among teams from all over the world (except fan favorite Bulgaria, led by superstar Victor Krum, which requires at least 65 Quidditch cards to unlock). Take on the best wizard athletes in a contest for the ultimate prize: the Quidditch World Cup. Choose your team, and get on that broom, muggles. It’s magic time.

By Danny Chihdo