Review: Harry Potter Spells iPhone App Is Magical, If Imperfect

To satisfy millions of people’s desires to be able to cast spells like harry potter, an iPhone application was created. It is called Harry Potter Spells, and can be purchased on the iTunes store for $2.99.

The game starts off by having the player enter their name, and just like in the series, he is given a suitable wand. Next, the player is sorted into one of the four a Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin. After the player has finished that, he may proceed to lean spells.

There are fourteen possible spells, which the player has to unlock one at a time by successfully learning the previous spell. A spell is cast by making a particular motion with the iPhone which is unique to every spell. Apparently the games instructions for spell casting are not so clear, so a video was made to clear up all uncertainties. Finally, once the player has learned all fourteen spells, he can start to duel. Two players can play against each other if they both have the application. But if not, the player can still play against a CPU.

Each spell has an individual animation to it. As a spell is cast, its animation is played and a British female voice recites its name, just as they do in the series. However if the player is is unhappy with the default voice, he can record himself saying them.

By releasing this application, apple is getting closer to fulfilling its saying: “there’s an App for everything”. The application world has gone from reality into fantasy. By having such a broad spectrum of applications signifies society’s application of technology to most factors of life. As we accommodate to these accessories we create dependencies, which may lead to difficulties if in some point in the future if we run out of resources to continue spending on luxurious cell phones.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/11/review-harry-potter-spells-iphone-app-is-magical-if-imperfect