Key Takeaways
- New Quidditch Arenas, like Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, expand the game beyond Hogwarts.
- Brooms in Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions can be customized for aesthetics and functionality.
- The game introduces player skills and tactics to strategically impact Quidditch matches.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions has been long awaited by fans of the franchise, and now, it’s finally here. When the game was announced, it promised a thrilling experience for anyone curious about this magical game from the wizarding world. While the cinematic universe gave fans a glimpse into the sport and a few Harry Potter games have touched on it, no other title has covered it in such depth.
While playing the game, many people might be surprised by how different many elements of the sport are in Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, as opposed to what they’ve seen in movies and other references. Here are a few things Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions changes about the sport.
5 Quidditch Arenas
There Are Many More Than The Movies Show
- New Quidditch arenas that show Hogwarts isn’t the only school that has one.
- Revisiting the Weasleys’ Burrow.
One of the most interesting parts about Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is how it shows players new arenas that were never seen before in any of the games or movies. The Hogwarts castle grounds and the Weasleys’ Burrow are probably the only areas that players know well. Others, like the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang academies, are mentioned during the Triwizard Tournament, but never actually shown.
This changes the sport quite significantly. It shows players that, while Hogwarts has a very nice Quidditch arena, it might not be the best, and it’s certainly not the only one. That said, it’s probably one of the most pleasant to play a match in, as the cold in Durmstrang is likely very uncomfortable.
4 Customizable Brooms
Brooms Can Be Tuned To The Rider’s Liking
- Players can unlock aesthetic and functional broom upgrades as they progress through the game.
- Players must choose their upgrades wisely depending on the match they’re about to play and their overall play style.
When the first Harry Potter movie came out, everyone wanted a Nimbus 2000. After all, it was the flagship flying broom in existence, featuring a sleek design, with unmatched speed and unlimited comfort. However, that’s about it when it comes to the features mentioned in the Harry Potter universe up to this point. Luckily, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions changed this and the sport forever, allowing players to modify their brooms as they progress through the game.
As players win matches, they will be rewarded with certain forms of currency that they can use to unlock both aesthetic and functional upgrades for their brooms. This shows that, although some modifications might not be allowed during official Quidditch matches, broom optimization is an aspect of the sport.
3 Player Skills
Quidditch Players Have An Arsenal Of Tactics
- Skills add a strategic approach to Quidditch matches.
- Certain skills are exclusive to player positions.
Another great aspect of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions and how it changes the sport is that players can use power-ups and other abilities to beat the competition and take advantage of certain match events. While the cinematic universe doesn’t show players using any special skills during matches, this game doubles down on them. Many skills are exclusive to certain positions, such as the Playcaller skill, which can only be used by Keepers.
Skills open up a whole new world of possibilities for players, changing the way fans see the game and how it’s played. This feature allows players to strategically plan their moves and take advantage of their opponents’ mistakes in order to score points, and even make it easier for their Seeker to catch the Golden Snitch.
2 Match Duration
The Game Doesn’t Go On Indefinitely
- Catching the Golden Snitch no longer ends the game.
- A team wins when they either reach 150 points, or have a higher score than their opponent when the timer runs out.
In the wizarding world, there have been a few instances where Quidditch matches have lasted for several days, and it’s almost always for the same reason: the Golden Snitch couldn’t be caught. In the cinematic universe, Quidditch matches aren’t over until the Seeker of one of the teams manages to get their hands on the swift, winged golden ball. However, this changed with the introduction of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions.
In the game, there are two different ways to win a match. The first one is to score more points than the opposing team before the timer runs out, and the second is to be the first team to score 150 points. These rule changes have been well received by some players, while making others a bit angry. One thing that’s for sure, is that no other Harry Potter game has dared to introduce such bold modifications to the wizarding universe since Hogwarts Legacy, canon or not.
1 Golden Snitch Value
Seekers Now Get A Meager Reward
- The Golden Snitch is now worth 20% of its original value.
- Players are forced to think strategically rather than rely on a Hail Mary to win matches.
Every kid who grew up watching the Harry Potter movies when they first came out in theaters, dreamed of flying on a magic broom and catching the Golden Snitch to win a Quidditch game. And while Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions has kept many of the elements that make the sport great, it has also removed a few of its key aspects. The game no longer treats catching the Golden Snitch as an automatic victory. Instead, developers have chosen to nerf it and bring the reward for catching it down from 150 to a meager 30 points.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, especially considering how the game is meant to be played. Making the Golden Snitch worth 20% of its original value adds to the duration of matches and forces players to focus on developing better strategies to win, rather than hoping to catch a Hail Mary.