Hogwarts Legacy proved to be not only one of the best Harry Potter games of all time, fulfilling practically every wish fans had dreamed of, but also one of the best RPGs. Its enormous open-world faithfully brought to life the world that was so vividly described in the books, and its combat set the bar for magical battles in video games. For anyone who loves Harry Potter or open-world RPGs, Hogwarts Legacy will feel like the ultimate video game.

However, that’s not to say that there haven’t been other amazing Harry Potter games, including some that may even be better. From the original console releases to even a handful of the film adaptations, there have been a plethora of great Harry Potter games that are still worth playing today. Yet, by far, the best one and perhaps the only one to truly rival Hogwarts Legacy was the lesser-known and practically forgotten Game Boy Color RPG, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Before Hogwarts Legacy, There Was Another Harry Potter RPG

Long before we got Hogwarts Legacy and its complex RPG systems, developer Griptonite Games released Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for the Game Boy Color. It was one of many adaptations of the original book that were quickly conjured up before the release of the second movie, with its PC and PS1 iterations remaining the better-known versions. However, unlike its console and PC counterparts, Chamber of Secrets on the GBC was a turn-based RPG, inspired by Final Fantasy.

It more or less took its predecessor’s rocky foundations and improved upon them immeasurably. Everything from the gameplay to the music got better, making it not only the definitive version of this style of Harry Potter game but also one of the best in the series. Exploring Hogwarts became infinitely more enjoyable thanks to an enhanced chiptune soundtrack partially inspired by Jeremy Soule’s original and the implementation of maps.

The turn-based combat, which had always been somewhat complex, was vastly upgraded. It no longer ran at two frames a second, the improved UI made spells easier to identify, and the addition of companions meant battles felt more varied. Impressively, Ron and Hermione, the added companions, weren’t just copies of Harry using identical spells. Ron’s wand often backfires, much like it does in the book, and Hermione has the unique ability of lecturing her friends to buff their abilities, which seems fitting.

Playing older Harry Potter games in 2026 may feel like a step backwards, but Chamber of Secrets on the Game Boy Color surprisingly holds up. Sure, it lacks the fancy visuals of Hogwarts Legacy, but there’s a charm to it, inherent to its retro aesthetic and old-school gameplay, that the later games simply lack. That is, of course, not to imply that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets isn’t a complex game, as it remains a surprisingly challenging game, even all these years later.

Chamber Of Secrets Was Not An Easy Game

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on the Game Boy Color is actually quite difficult. Battles require you to actively think about which spells are effective against specific enemy types, a facet of its game design that’s made slightly easier with the aid of the vastly improved UI. It isn’t anything you haven’t seen in games like Pokémon or Final Fantasy, but it is executed just as well in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets as it is in those aforementioned games.

Additionally, bosses prove to be rather challenging, with several actually seeing the game become substantially and suddenly more difficult. Fighting Aragog, for example, is no easy feat, especially if you find yourself underleveled and ill-equipped. This is made all the more difficult by the game’s strange distribution of money and the inflated cost of important items. It isn’t uncommon to struggle in putting together enough coins (known as sickles in-game) to get the equipment you need to tackle the next challenging boss.

Of course, all of this is easier to get through the older you are (or the more patience one has), but just because it is an older title designed primarily for children, doesn’t mean that Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is pulling its punches. For those looking for the next best game to play before Hogwarts Legacy 2’s release date is announced, Chamber of Secrets may be a worthwhile option. It’s gorgeous pixel, great soundtrack, and evocative use of Harry Potter’s iconic landmarks certainly make it a fairly compelling offering akin to Hogwarts Legacy.

Systems

Released

February 10, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol

Developer(s)

Avalanche Software

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Interactive

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

Cross-Platform Play

Hogwarts Legacy doesn’t have crossplay or crossplatform support

Cross Save

you can freely use your saved data between each console as long as you are connected to the internet and signed into the same account where the saved data was created

Number of Players

Single-player