New Harry Potter to use EyeToy (News)

GamePro staff, GamePro Australia

15/03/2004 13:20:54

The upcoming Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be the first third-party game to fully utilize the PlayStation2’s EyeToy camera. Releasing alongside the new movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban allows fans to experience the excitement and peril of Harry’s third year at Hogwarts.

For the first time, you will play as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as well as Harry Potter, switching between characters and utilizing their different attributes and skills to solve puzzles and overcome enemies. Players must unravel the mystery surrounding Sirius Black and his escape from the infamous wizard prison Azkaban, in the most challenging Harry Potter video game yet. While the game will also be released on PC, Xbox and GameCube, PlayStation2 owners will be able to enjoy a unique experience as the player’s image appears on the TV screen via the EyeToy camera, enabling them to actually participate in the Mini-Games themselves. Up to four players can compete in a series of Harry Potter themed games.

To utilize the EyeToy feature, players start out by donning the Sorting Hat and are sorted into their respective Hogwarts house. Then there’s a fun variety of Mini-Games to play including Chocolate Frogs, where you clap your hands together to catch a Chocolate Frog and make a nice, chocolaty mess!

Other mini-games are Exploding Snap (match cards with the snap card to create explosions); Seeker Practice (attempt to catch the ever-elusive Golden Snitch -- but watch out for the Bludger!) and Zonko’s Joke Shop, where you have to stop the Dungbombs! Use Frog Spawn Soap to explode all Dungbombs onscreen; Hiccough Sweets causes them to jump and Stink Pellets slow them down.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is due for release on PS2, Xbox, GameCube, PC and Game Boy Advance on May 24th.