Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

2003 video game

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

North American PlayStation 2 cover art

Developer(s)| EA UK
Magic Pockets (Game Boy Advance)
Publisher(s)| Electronic Arts
Composer(s)|

* Jeremy Soule
* Giuseppe Verdi

Series| Wizarding World
Platform(s)|

* Microsoft Windows
* PlayStation 2
* Xbox
* GameCube
* Game Boy Advance

Release| Microsoft Windows, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox

* NA: 28 October 2003
* EU: 7 November 2003

Game Boy Advance

* NA: 28 October 2003
* EU: 21 November 2003

Genre(s)| Sports, action
Mode(s)| Single-player, multiplayer

Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup is a 2003 sports game that features the fictional sport of Quidditch from the Harry Potter franchise. The game was developed by two teams, EA UK and Magic Pockets, and was published by Electronic Arts. It was released for Game Boy Advance, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube. The game bears no relation to the abandoned Nintendo 64 project.[1]

This game serves as the first entry of Harry Potter: Quidditch spin-off series, with its followup known as Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions was announced on June 16, 2024, to be released on September 3, 2024.

## Characters/Teams

[edit]

Hogwarts House team rosters are based on Harry's third year (Prisoner of Azkaban). Other House and national team members not named in the books are named in this game, and their names are also listed on Chocolate Frog cards in the Half-Blood Prince video game.

As in the first three books, Lee Jordan returns as play-by-play commentator for the House Quidditch Cup matches, but unique to this game, Harry and Ron's dorm-mate Seamus Finnegan joins as color commentator. Meanwhile, Ludo Bagman returns as play-by-play commentator for international matches, with a set of color commentators. Other characters make appearances in the stands and elsewhere, such as Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Rolanda Hooch and Albus Dumbledore.

## Gameplay

[edit]

### Hogwarts

[edit]

In this stage, the player competes for the Hogwarts Inter-House Quidditch Cup for one of the Hogwarts House teams – Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Slytherin. Each House team is represented by its Seeker, and each Seeker is a specific character from the books (Harry Potter for Gryffindor, Draco Malfoy for Slytherin, Cedric Diggory for Hufflepuff, and Cho Chang for Ravenclaw). When the player chooses a team, the Seeker of the chosen House flies off on a broomstick. If this is the player's first time playing a team, the character will give a short statement praising the player's selection, and then the House challenges appear. These challenges focus on specific areas of a full Quidditch game and are used to learn the game for new players or polish skills as a returning player.

There are six House challenges: Passing, Tackle and Shoot, Seeker, Beaters and Bludgers, Special Moves, and Combos. Each is led by a relevant player – for example, Harry leads the Gryffindor Seeker challenge, while Angelina Johnson leads the Gryffindor Passing challenge, and Oliver Wood leads the Gryffindor Combo challenge. Only the first three challenges - Passing, Tackle and Shoot, and Seeker - are initially available to the player, with Beaters and Bludgers and Special Moves unlocked after the first Quidditch match and Combos unlocked after the second match. Completing the first set of challenges unlocks the ability to play a full Quidditch match. Winning the first game chosen unlocks the next set of challenges, which must then be completed to unlock the next match. Winning the second game unlocks the final challenge. Completing that challenge unlocks the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup final match.

During a Quidditch match, the player controls the Chasers, who try to score goals with the Quaffle to earn 10 points per goal. The Chasers' abilities depend on which challenges have been completed (e.g., special moves and combo moves are unavailable in the first game). New abilities can also be unlocked by collecting certain Quidditch cards. These cards are earned by completing certain tasks, such as winning without conceding a goal or performing a certain number of steals in a game. Along the top of the screen, each team's score display also features a thin bar with one-half of the Golden Snitch. Actions performed in the game by the Chasers such as any successful pass increase the bar slightly, and performing a successful string of combo passes and shots can increase the bar by an amount proportional to the length of the combo string, up to seven actions. The player can continue to chain actions to the combo, but the counter will not go past 7. The bar will increase until both halves join.

The Chasers can also perform moves to drain the opposing team's bar such as successfully hitting the opposing Chasers with a Bludger, performing a successful Special Move tackle, or performing a Team Special Move. Every team in the game has a unique Team Special Move that triggers a short cinematic of spectacular teamwork between the team Chasers (and sometimes Beaters) and has a possibility of scoring multiple goals. For example, the Ravenclaw Team Special Move, the Burdish of Raven, scores three times for 30 points total – something no other Team Special Move, even those of the national teams, does. Although the original Quidditch rule disallows having more than 2 Chasers in the scoring area at the same time (known as Stooging, as stated in Quidditch Through the Ages), doing such behaviour in this game will not result in a penalty.

Once both halves of the Snitch join, the game moves into the Snitch Chase, regardless of score (it is possible, though unlikely, to engage in the Snitch Chase with the score at 0-0). During the Snitch Chase, the player now controls the Seeker and follows the Snitch, in a race against the opposing Seeker to catch it. The player can use a speed boost, which drains a boost bar directly proportional to the size of the Snitch bar accumulated during the Chaser portion of the game. Staying in the Snitch's slipstream helps refill the player's boost bar and will cause the bar to extend its size if the bar is full. Using the boost, the player will be able to grab the Snitch once it is close enough. Successfully catching the Snitch grants the player's team 150 points and the match ends. This typically wins the match but is not always the case, though catching the Snitch is also useful for catching up with the opposing team in points. The Cup is based on points, not wins, so high-scoring teams have a better chance at winning, and the team with the highest point total after all three games have been played wins the Cup. Winning the Cup with any team unlocks the Quidditch World Cup.

### World Cup

[edit]

The World Cup stage is similar to the Hogwarts stage in terms of gameplay, with the exception that there are no challenges available to the player and the teams are the national teams based on real countries instead of Hogwarts Houses. Several different team choices are available to the player, including England, the United States of America, Japan, Germany, France, Australia, the Nordic Team, Spain, and Bulgaria, the latter of which features the "star Seeker" from the book series, Viktor Krum. However, Bulgaria has to be unlocked first by collecting Quidditch cards.

Apart from team selection, the key difference between the World Cup and the Hogwarts Cup is that the player is required to choose which model of broom to use, which is essentially a Difficulty selection screen. The four models available are Comet 260 (Easy), Nimbus 2000 (Medium), Nimbus 2001 (Hard), and Firebolt (Very Hard). Only Comet 260 and Nimbus 2000 are available in the beginning; the others have to be unlocked by collecting Quidditch cards. Each broom offers different handling in-game, although this is hardly noticeable. The broom selection more directly affects how hard the AI will play.

The player will play against every team in the World Cup twice, once at the player team's home ground and once at the opposing teams. The Cup is awarded the same way as the Hogwarts Cup, so the team with the highest score total at the end of the season wins the World Cup. The player can play multiple separate World Cups with different teams simultaneously but can only run one World Cup with any given team. For example, the player can play a World Cup as England and a separate World Cup as France at the same time but cannot play two separate World Cups as France at the same time.

### Exhibition

[edit]

Exhibition allows the player to play a one-off match between the Hogwarts House teams at Hogwarts during summer or winter. The player can also choose to play an international match, controlling a national team. Only the venues of the England and US teams are available initially, but as the player wins against international teams in an "away" game in the international tournament, more venues are unlocked. This mode also offers the game's multiplayer option. The team that the second player can choose depends on the team pool that the first player selects. In either single or multiplayer, a Hogwarts team cannot play against a World Cup team or on any international field, and no World Cup team can play at Hogwarts.

## Reception

[edit]

Reception

Aggregate scoresAggregator| Score

|

GameRankings| (PC) 71%[2]
(PS2 & GC) 70%[3][4]
(Xbox) 69%[5]
(GBA) 53%[6]
Metacritic| (PC & Xbox) 69/100[7][8]
(GC & PS2) 68/100[9][10]
(GBA) 53/100[11]
Review scoresPublication| Score

|

Electronic Gaming Monthly| 7.17/10[12]
Eurogamer| 7/10[13]
Famitsu| 25/40[14]
Game Informer| 7.75/10[15]
GamePro| (GC) [16]
(GBA) [17]
GameRevolution| C[18]
GameSpot| 6.5/10[19]
(GBA) 4.6/10[20]
GameSpy| (PC) [21]
(GBA) [22]
GameZone| (PS2) 8.2/10[23]
(PC) 8.1/10[24]
IGN| 7.2/10[25]
(GBA) 6/10[26]
Nintendo Power| (GC) 3.8/5[27]
(GBA) 3.4/5[28]
Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine| [29]
Official Xbox Magazine (US)| 7.9/10[30]
PC Gamer (US)| 80%[31]

The game received mixed to positive reviews. GameRankings gave the game a score of 70% for the GameCube version,[4] 71% for the PC version,[2] 70% for the PlayStation 2 version,[3] 69% for the Xbox version,[5] and 53% for the Game Boy Advance version.[6] Likewise, Metacritic gave it a score of 68 out of 100 each for the GameCube and PS2 versions,[9][10] 69 out of 100 each for the PC and Xbox versions,[7][8] and 53 out of 100 for the GBA version.[11]

GameSpot gave all versions of the game except the Game Boy Advance version a rating of 6.5/10,[19] citing sluggish controls and shallow gameplay, but praising the inclusion of easily recognizable characters from the books and films, and good graphics. IGN gave all console versions of the game except the Game Boy Advance version a 7.2/10[25] and GameSpy gave the PC version a score of three stars out of five.[21] In Japan, Famitsu gave the GBA version a score of two sixes, one five, and one eight, for a total of 25 out of 40.[14]

The game's critics generally criticized the game's feel, as the controls were felt to be sluggish. IGN cited the game as being "fun, but not compelling."[25] Eurogamer cited the game commentary track as being "painful at times", but also described "Quidditch World Cup above [as] being an average, if well-implemented, fantasy sports game."[13]

## Sequel

[edit]

Main article: Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions

In April 2023, a spiritual successor,[32] Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions was announced and will be released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and Series S, and Microsoft Windows on September 3rd, 2024.[33]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Nintendo pitched for exclusive Harry Potter video game rights". MCV/Develop. 9 February 2015. Archived from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
2. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for PC". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
3. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
4. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for GameCube". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
5. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for Xbox". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
6. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
7. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Critic Reviews for PC". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2014-11-28. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
8. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Critic Reviews for Xbox". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
9. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Critic Reviews for GameCube". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2015-06-03. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
10. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Critic Reviews for PlayStation 2". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
11. ^ a b "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
12. ^ EGM Staff (December 2003). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 175\. p. 201\. Archived from the original on 2003-12-13. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
13. ^ a b Fahey, Rob (2003-11-25). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Review (PC)". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
14. ^ a b "Famitsu scores for PGR2, Magatama". The MagicBox. 2003-11-06. Archived from the original on 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
15. ^ Mason, Lisa (November 2003). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (PS2)". Game Informer. No. 127\. p. 142\. Archived from the original on 2008-01-22. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
16. ^ Elektro, Dan (2003-10-28). "Harry: Quidditch World Cup Review for GameCube". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2005-02-09. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
17. ^ "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (GBA)". GamePro. December 2003.
18. ^ Dodson, Joe (December 2003). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on 2015-09-19. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
19. ^ a b Colayco, Bob (2013-11-12). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2019-08-19. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
20. ^ Provo, Frank (2003-12-19). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup Review (GBA)". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2018-04-25. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
21. ^ a b Bennett, Dan (2003-11-28). "GameSpy: Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (PC)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
22. ^ Villoria, Gerald (2003-12-10). "GameSpy: Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (GBA)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 2006-02-07. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
23. ^ Tha Wiz (2003-11-10). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 2008-10-05. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
24. ^ Ceradsky, Tim (2003-11-16). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on 2009-03-10. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
25. ^ a b c Casamassina, Matt (2003-10-27). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup". IGN. Archived from the original on 2015-12-21. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
26. ^ Harris, Craig (2003-11-03). "Quidditch World Cup (GBA)". IGN. Archived from the original on 2015-12-21. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
27. ^ "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (GC)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 175\. January 2004. p. 159.
28. ^ "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (GBA)". Nintendo Power. Vol. 175\. January 2004. p. 161.
29. ^ Rybicki, Joe (December 2003). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Archived from the original on 2004-03-25. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
30. ^ "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup". Official Xbox Magazine. December 2003. p. 92.
31. ^ Kuo, Li C. (February 2004). "Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup". PC Gamer: 88. Archived from the original on 2005-12-02. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
32. ^ "A BRAND NEW 'HARRY POTTER' QUIDDITCH GAME IS COMING SOON". 18 May 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
33. ^ "Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions - Reveal Trailer | PS5 & PS4 Games". YouTube. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup on Harry Potter Wiki, an external wiki
* Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup at IMDb
* Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup at MobyGames

* v
* t
* e

Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

* Wizarding World

Books|

| Main novels|

* The Philosopher's Stone
* The Chamber of Secrets
* The Prisoner of Azkaban
* The Goblet of Fire
* The Order of the Phoenix
* The Half-Blood Prince
* The Deathly Hallows

|

Spin-offs|

* Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
* Quidditch Through the Ages
* The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Short stories|

* Prequel
* Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide
* Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists
* Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies

Feature films|

| Harry Potter
(cast · music)|

* The Philosopher's Stone
* soundtrack, "Hedwig's Theme"
* The Chamber of Secrets
* soundtrack
* The Prisoner of Azkaban
* soundtrack
* The Goblet of Fire
* soundtrack
* The Order of the Phoenix
* soundtrack
* The Half-Blood Prince
* soundtrack
* The Deathly Hallows – Part 1
* production
* soundtrack
* The Deathly Hallows – Part 2
* production
* soundtrack
* accolades

|

Fantastic Beasts
(cast · characters)|

* Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
* soundtrack
* The Crimes of Grindelwald
* soundtrack
* The Secrets of Dumbledore

Characters|

* Harry Potter
* Ron Weasley
* Hermione Granger
* Lord Voldemort
* Albus Dumbledore
* Severus Snape
* Rubeus Hagrid
* Minerva McGonagall
* Draco Malfoy
* Neville Longbottom
* Fred and George Weasley
* Ginny Weasley
* Sirius Black
* Remus Lupin
* Cedric Diggory
* Bellatrix Lestrange
* Dolores Umbridge
* Luna Lovegood
* Blaise Zabini
* List of all characters

| Groups|

* Hogwarts staff
* Order of the Phoenix
* Dumbledore's Army
* Death Eaters
* Ministry of Magic

|

Fictional universe|

* Magic
* Creatures
* Objects
* Places
* Hogwarts
* Beauxbatons
* Muggle
* Quidditch

Other works|

* Wizarding World Digital
* The Cursed Child
* Hogwarts Tournament of Houses
* 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts

Inspired media|

| Video games|

* Lego Creator: Harry Potter
* The Philosopher's Stone (2001)
* PlayStation
* PC
* Game Boy Advance
* Game Boy Color
* The Chamber of Secrets
* Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
* Quidditch World Cup
* The Philosopher's Stone (2003)
* The Prisoner of Azkaban
* The Goblet of Fire
* The Order of the Phoenix
* The Half-Blood Prince
* Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4
* The Deathly Hallows – Part 1
* The Deathly Hallows – Part 2
* Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7
* Harry Potter for Kinect
* Book of Spells
* Book of Potions
* Lego Dimensions
* Fantastic Beasts: Cases From the Wizarding World
* Hogwarts Mystery
* Wizards Unite
* Magic Awakened
* Hogwarts Legacy
* Quidditch Champions

|

Attractions|

* The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
* Orlando
* Japan
* Hollywood
* Dragon Challenge
* Flight of the Hippogriff
* Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
* The Escape from Gringotts
* The Forbidden Journey
* Hogwarts Express
* Movie Magic Experience

Exhibitions|

* The Exhibition
* A History of Magic
* Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter

Other|

* Lego Harry Potter
* Trading Card Game

Fandom|

* A Celebration of Harry Potter
* Drarry
* Fandom Forward
* The Leaky Cauldron
* Mischief Management
* MuggleNet
* Wizard rock
* Wolfstar
* Wrockstock

| Fan fictions|

* All the Young Dudes
* Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality
* Hogwarts School of Prayer and Miracles
* My Immortal

|

Fan films|

* Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis
* Severus Snape and the Marauders
* Voldemort: Origins of the Heir

Parodies|

| A Very Potter Musical|

* A Very Potter Musical
* album
* A Very Potter Sequel
* EP
* A Very Potter Senior Year

|

Other|

* Epic Movie
* Muddle Earth Too
* Skulduggery Pleasant: Resurrection
* Potter Puppet Pals
* Puffs
* Wizard People, Dear Reader

Related|

* Influences and analogues
* Legal disputes
* List of organisms named after the Harry Potter series
* Politics
* Portkey Games
* Religious debates
* Translation
* Harry, A History
* Harry Potter and the Sacred Text
* The Harry Potter Lexicon
* The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter
* Pollomuhku ja Posityyhtynen
* Potterless
* Heyday Films

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