Quidditch is a Funny Old Game
EA Games’ Harry Potter™: Quidditch™ World Cupgives J.K. Rowling’s imaginary sport the mini-Madden treatment with leagues, tournaments, and championship matches that even the most sports-allergic gamer can get addicted to within minutes. (Hey, it happened to me, and I’m the lousiest video football player in the western world. Just ask anyone at Xbox.com.) But, while Quidditch is easy to pick up, it takes attention and quick thinking to master. Special moves, bludgers, and combos take practice to pull off effectively. But, when you leave Hogwarts behind and the competition gets really fierce, they’re crucial to victory. If you want to take your game to the international challenge of the World Cup, you don’t have to slog through page after page of Quidditch Through the Ages. Just check out these Quidditch tips. Even a muggle could understand ‘em.
Ow! A bludger to the chest!
School Days
Your career begins at Hogwarts, where you must defeat the three other schoolhouses to unlock international World Cup matches. And, the choice of schools is not just cosmetic. Some teams score more with a Team Special Move, for example. But, the real test will be how you play the game.
Take a practice match.
Sure, you could launch right into your first game (after completing the first three house challenges), but try at least once practice game before you go for that first game against Ravenclaw (or Hufflepuff, if you’re already playing Ravenclaw). After you go into that first match, practice passing frequently and work on mastering the tackle. After this game, you’ll move into the world of combos and special moves, and you’ll want the basics to be second nature.
Once you can combo, always combo.
Combo passes—where you hold down one or both of the triggers, while you pass the Quaffle with the A button—will give you style points that help speed up the search for the snitch. The trick is to pass again quickly. You just have a few seconds to continue the passing combo string, and if you wait too long, you’ll never get higher than “Combo 1.”
Gryffindor and Slytherin race for the snitch.
After you win the World Cup, go back to school.
The first time you play through, you’ll go straight from winning the Hogwart’s Cup to the International competition. Before you choose one of the World Cup teams, check your inventory for Quidditch cards. Also, make sure you’ve gotten enough to unlock all of the special moves. If not, go back and play through the Hogwarts tournament with another team to unlock more.
Unlock the Bulgarian team.
To unlock the mighty Bulgarian team led by Victor Krum, you’ll need 65 cards. The best way to get them? Play through the Hogwarts matches with all four teams. The matches are a little easier, so the cards will come faster.
Wo Ist Das Quaffle?
The difficulty level climbs fast after you get into the World Cup tournament. You have nine teams to choose from, and the competition is fierce. This is also where you can unlock international stadiums for multiplayer exhibition matches.
Track your special moves.
Pay close attention to those special move buttons in the upper left of your screen. When the indicated button goes from translucent to glowing, you can pull off the special move—Y gives you a dodge, X a bludger launch, and B a special move shot (if you’re on offense and close to the goal) or a special move tackle (if you’re on defense). And, when you see that Team Special Move icon (the black button) pop up, hit it as soon as you get possession. You’ll be rewarded with a nifty cut scene and at least 10 unblockable points. (Some teams can even score more than 10.)
Team special moves are unblockable.
Seek and ye shall snitch.
You should never pass without using a combo. And, don’t take a shot without trying for a special move. When the two halves of the snitch come together, you want to be as close as possible to the little bugger. If you’ve filled more of the snitch-o-meter than your opponent, your seeker will almost be on top of the snitch once the chase begins. But, don’t hit the boost right away, or you’ll waste it. Instead, line yourself in the center of the “track,” and hit the boost only when there’s a straight stretch ahead of you. Even if you’re down on points, the snitch can snatch victory from the opposing team in an immediate turn around. When your seeker is within reach of the snitch, hit that B button without delay, and victory will be yours!
By Danny Chihdo
