Parents' Guide to

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

By Christopher Healy, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Magical adventure is fun, funny, and fantastic.

Game Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 2010
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Game: Screenshot #1
  • LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Game: Screenshot #2
  • LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 15 parent reviews

Tessa C.
Tessa C. Adult
June 19, 2020
age 12+

So Hard and Frustrating. Waste of Money Because it's unplayable for an average kid.

I had this as a kid and it was incredibly hard. I had the Nintendo ds version so it might be a bit different from Xbox or ps4 but generally I know that it's going to be the same. Couldn't get past the first level. I remember learning that tons of other kids could not finish Lego Harry Potter. I found this recently and gave it to my little brother. He is way more of a 'gamer' than me and skilled with fast reflexes. He hated it and couldn't do it. Yah, it's a Lego game, you think it is for little kids, right? Wrong, Lego games may be less scary than video games for an older audience, but lego games are damn hard. I also had lego avengers and only got two levels in before getting utterly stuck. This game might frustrate your Harry Potter loving kids and hurt their confidence. There is nothing inappropriate abput this game, but it is unnecessarily difficult and not a high quality game.
1 person found this helpful.
Phoenix J.
Phoenix J. Adult
April 18, 2023
age 9+

Not for adults with autism

I have autism even though I am 31 so I have to mind of a 6-year-old I believe and this game was way too hard to where I got depressed but my 54-year-old husband is having no problem at all and when he does have a problem he just stops playing for a little bit and then goes back to it and it's like he's a new man.

This title has:

Too much violence
See all 15 parent reviews

What’s It About?

LEGO HARRY POTTER: YEARS 1-4 covers the same plot as the first four Harry Potter books (and movies). Young Harry discovers he comes from a magical lineage, goes to Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft, makes friends, discovers enemies, and learns that he must stop the return of the most evil wizard ever, Lord Voldemort. Covered within this game are such memorable Potter moments as Harry's first Quidditch match, the battle with the basilisk, the attack of the Whomping Willow, the visit to Hogsmeade, and the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15):
Kids say (56):

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is yet another winner in a long line of fantastic LEGO video games. The beautifully rendered story scenes are filled with tongue-in-cheek in-jokes and a lot of fun to watch, but here, more so than in previous LEGO games, much of the plot is revealed through gameplay sequences. The classes, for instance, in which Harry and friends learn new spells must all be played out. There are so many imaginative features and details that you may not even notice everything on your first playthrough; luckily the game is designed to encourage multiple replays. Exploration and trial-and-error are rewarded throughout, and it is so much fun just to wander around the halls of Hogwarts trying out different spells on different objects to see what happens. It would be almost impossible for Potter fans not to adore this game. But even those who aren't mega-Potterheads can appreciate and have a great time with this truly creative adventures.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Harry Potter fans can talk about this latest incarnation of their favorite story. How does LEGO Harry Potter compare to the books and the movies? Does it capture the spirit of the tale and its characters?

  • This is a game built for two-person cooperative play and requires a lot of teamwork. How do you like playing with another person as a team? Do you find it difficult to coordinate your actions? Or do you work better with a partner?

Game Details

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