It is the true phenomenon of Harry Potter that does not make it hard to believe Pocket 20Q would invent a version solely dedicated to J.K. Rowling’s magical world.

The proud snitch-shaped game seems to holler, “I Know What You’re Thinking!”, into the minds of those who dare challenge its foreseeing abilities. It’s so smart it’ll see through your Invisibility Cloak. It will taunt you with its amusing banter and poke fun at you when you lose.

Now visualize anything and everything from Harry Potter and it will guess what you are thinking in twenty questions, maybe less. If it doesn't get it right, which it boasts with certainty that it will, it will ask you five more questions. Before you know it, Harry Potter 20Q will have you thinking of the most subtle details of the Harry Potter world just to see if you’ll win.

Appearance: What’s great about HP 20Q is that it’s small enough to take anywhere, comfortable enough to fit into the palm of your hand, quiet enough to play in the library, and lit with enough light to see in the dark. The cool snitch design, removable wings and display stand, add a nice touch to the Harry Potter theme. You might find yourself flaunting it with the rest of your Harry Potter memorabilia. Although it provides great flexibility with the notion of playing it everywhere, I do not recommend putting the sound on because it can quickly become as annoying as Peeves. Had it been the melodious tune of Harry Potter, I would have never even thought of shutting it off.

One major concern was trying to shut the game off. The instructions manual isn't too clear on that. At first, it was mind boggling, and I was concerned about wasting the battery. However, don’t be troubled—here’s the secret: after 60 seconds of inactivity the game goes into “Sleep Mode” which is another way of saying it shuts off, but like your computer, it will remember where you left off.

Buttons & Features: You have a variety of options to choose from when answering questions. HP 20Q gives you the opportunity to answer with confidence, because there aren’t just “Yes” and “No” questions (like in life). You can select “Sometimes” for the maybes, and “Unknown” when a question is irrelevant or you don’t know the answer. I was so amazed by how fast and accurate its guesses were, even when most of the questions seemed too vague for the specific person, place or thing in my mind. There were many times where I knew very little about my subject, but it ultimately guessed correctly. You can even control the pace of the text that rolls across the screen with the scroll buttons on each side of the game. This omniscient 20Q game includes content from all the Harry Potter books (1-7) and the movies up to the Order of the Phoenix (1-5).

Playability: It’s simple to play, but harder to answer the questions correctly. You have to be familiar with everything Harry Potter for some of the details or minor characters of the stories like Armando Dippet. Do you remember him? If not, have it guess a major thing in the film and you’ll do just fine. Chances are that it will surprise you either way. However, as fascinating as it may be, trivia games like this one can only hold your attention for so long. It isn’t as interactive as a board game.

Final Analysis: This is a game for all fanatics of Harry Potter who would like to test their knowledge in 20 questions. The game can be addictive and fun, but ultimately will not hold your attention for too long. Best times for a game like this would be in the car, when you can't sleep, or other moments where you might need the time to pass. But prove me wrong and find new ways to use this clever little game! Recommended for ages 9 - 13 as they will get the most use out of it.

For more information, or to play online, visit the 20Q Official Website.

This Reviewer's Rating: 3.5 / 5

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Read or add comments about this item.

No. 3 :

I love the Harry Potter movies and books.

Submitted by  • 2008-04-30 16:42:43

No. 2 :

Harry Potter lives forever!!! This is for any age!

Submitted by Ano • 2008-04-29 19:22:44

No. 1 :

I love you movies and books I wish you will make more than 7

Submitted by Courtney Weaver • 2008-04-29 14:38:59

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