Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4
A Lego adventure covering the first four Harry Potter stories.
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 is an action-adventure game from Traveller's Tales and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It follows the Lego Harry Potter toy line and adapts the first four books by J. K. Rowling and their corresponding films: *Philosopher's Stone* (2001), *Chamber of Secrets* (2002), *Prisoner of Azkaban* (2004), and *Goblet of Fire* (2005). The game launched in June 2010 for Windows, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, and PlayStation Portable, with later releases on Android (November 2010), OS X (January 2011), iOS (May 2012), PlayStation 4 (October 2016), Nintendo Switch and Xbox One (October 2018), and PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S (October 2024). A Nintendo Switch 2 version arrived in October 2026 as part of the Lego Harry Potter Collection, which bundles the game with its sequel, *Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7*.
Gameplay follows the standard Lego video game formula, focusing on collecting items, exploring environments, and solving puzzles. Spellcasting is central, with many spells unlocked as the player advances, selected via a spell wheel. Potion-making also plays a key role, helping players complete levels. New mechanics include 'Student in Peril' collectibles, which are challenges to assist a student, and Polyjuice Potion, which temporarily transforms a character into any unlocked mini-figure. The hub system sees major changes: Diagon Alley is where players buy extras, The Leaky Cauldron lets them revisit previous levels, and Hogwarts is a large, evolving hub where characters are found by collecting hidden portraits. The larger Hogwarts areas prompted Traveller's Tales to improve level design. A bonus feature lets players create their own levels, similar to *Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues*. If lost, players can follow a trail of Ghost Studs to the next section; these studs don't count toward the total but can be made worth 1,000 each via a collectible 'red brick' found near Herbology. Ghost characters can also pick up Ghost Studs without cheats. Diagon Alley serves as the central hub, accessed through The Leaky Cauldron. A room on the second floor of the building lets players watch cutscenes, and a notice board with pictures allows replaying completed levels.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4
- Developer
- Traveller's Tales · TT Fusion (mobile/handheld) · Double Eleven (remaster)
- Publisher
- Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment · Feral Interactive (OS X)
- Series
- Wizarding World
- Director
- Jon Burton
- Producer
- John O'Brien
- Composer
- John Williams / Patrick Doyle
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows · Nintendo DS · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation Portable · Wii · Xbox 360 · iOS · OS X · Android · PlayStation 4 · Nintendo Switch · Xbox One · PlayStation 5 · Xbox Series X/S
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game's existence was leaked in March 2009, with Warner Bros. officially confirming it in June 2009. A teaser trailer was released on the day of the announcement, followed by four vignettes beginning in December 2009, each focusing on one of the first four years. A demo was made available for Windows, PlayStation Network, and Xbox Live in June 2010. The game was initially released on 25 June 2010 in Europe, 29 June 2010 in North America, and 30 June 2010 in Australia and New Zealand. A mobile version for iOS was released on 19 November 2010, ported to Android on 28 September 2016, and the OS X version was released on 6 January 2011 by Feral Interactive. A remastered version was released for PlayStation 4 on 18 October 2016 in North America and 21 October in Europe as part of the Lego Harry Potter Collection, which bundled the game with its sequel. This collection was ported to Nintendo Switch and Xbox One on 30 October 2018 in North America and 2 November in Europe.
Reader's Guide
The game received generally positive reviews, with GameRankings scoring it at 81% and Metacritic at 80%. Critics praised the soundtrack, fidelity to the material, graphics (especially for PS3 and Xbox 360), story, and gameplay. The Official Nintendo Magazine gave the Wii and Nintendo DS version 80%, calling it 'one of the best Harry Potter games ever' but noting a lack of originality compared to previous Lego games. GameSpot gave the console versions an 8/10, complimenting the 'large amount of secrets and charm' and calling it 'easily the best Harry Potter game to date' and 'one of the finest Lego adventures to date'. IGN gave the game an 8.5 out of 10, praising new additions, while the PSP version received a 7.0. IGN editor Greg Miller said the game had a 'general sense of a great LEGO game paired with a great series'. IGN also awarded it 'Best Mindless Fun' on its favorite games of 2010 list. The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Lego Harry Potter for 'Family Game of the Year' at the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards. A sequel, Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7, covering the final three books and four movies, was released in 2011.
Did You Know?
- The game includes a 'Student in Peril' collectible system and Polyjuice Potion that temporarily changes a character into any unlocked mini-figure.
- The Nintendo DS, PSP, Android, and iOS versions have written sentences, unlike previous Traveller's Tales Lego games where figures only grunted.
- The Android version is not compatible with Android 10 and newer due to changes in the Android OS.
- The game's storyline differs from the books and films to allow consistent two-player mode, such as Hermione joining Harry during the first Triwizard task.
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