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Harry Potter hopes to introduce a new generation of fans to the franchise with the upcoming live-action HBO series, but that’s not the only avenue into the world. If you would rather experience the adventure of Harry, Hermione, and Ron in a more interactive way, you happen to be in luck, as there’s a new game on the way titled Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts, and not only is it now officially happening, but we have all the details on how it plays and what to expect when you finally jump in.
Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts has you and up to 5 players either defending Hogwarts or taking it down from the inside as a member of the dark forces. The game is being designed by famed Harry Potter designers MinaLima, and it has successfully passed its goal with almost $850,000 so far, and there are still 18 days to go in the Kickstarter campaign. Now that the game is funded and actually happening, MinaLima has revealed a host of new details, and not only does it look stunning, but it also gives players a unique way to experience this iconic world.
Everything We Know About Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts
Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts will allow you to choose one of the four houses, including Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Slytherin, or Ravenclaw, though you can also join the Dark Forces and side with Voldemort. The premise of the game is that Hogwarts has been infiltrated by Death Eaters and Dark Forces, and Lord Voldemort is set to arrive at any moment. You’ll choose your house and get ready to defend the castle or you can choose to work with the Dark Forces and undermine the students and staff to pave the way for Voldemort’s arrival. While the game can accommodate up to 5 players, 1 player has to be the Dark Arts player.
Once you’ve chosen your characters, you play a card and move your pawn through Hogwarts Castle. Those who are defending the house will find protective spells, locked doors, and more barriers to deal with, but the Dark Arts player is able to move through these using their Dark magic. House players will also have to look out for the Dark Arts player landing on the same space, as that will bump House players off.
After that, you’ll obtain a card from the Acquire Deck, giving them more powerful options for future turns, while Dark Arts players can draw from their Acquire Deck anytime they bump a House player. You’ll then restore your abilities by refilling your hand from your Draw deck, and when you do replenish your hand, the Dark Arts player can move further along the Dark Arts path towards victory.
As you move through Hogwarts, you’ll find special wizarding items that will allow you to acquire a Defense Shield, and you’ll need to find a Library Book card, a Parchment Scroll, and a Dark Detector or one of Dumbledore’s Army Coins to assemble one. Once a House Player acquires two Defense Shields, you win the game, but for the Dark Arts Player, you’ll need to secure all tokens from the Dark Arts path and navigate to the Dark Arts player locations to win.
There are also a number of add-ons for the game that might be up your alley, including the Wooden Token Upgrade Kit, which includes 25 premium versions of Defense Shields, House Markers, Hogwarts Tokens, and Parchment Scrolls. You can also add a protective card sleeve set with the game’s logo in gold metallic ink, a slick-looking Metal Player Pawn Upgrade Set featuring metallic plating, Dumbledore’s Army Upgrade Set with antique finish, and a luxury token bag.
If you want something more on the art side, there’s a signed artist’s portfolio, which features a color art print, 6 black and white art prints featuring sketches from the making of the game, and a MinaLima hand-signed marbled hardback portfolio.
If you are interested in getting a copy of Harry Potter: Defenders of Hogwarts, you can check out the campaign page here, and the game is set to ship to backers in October of this year.
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