Initially, Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone hit the PlayStation One, Windows, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Mac OS X. Still quite a list of systems for a debut. Gamers today think there are a ton of consoles to port a game to,
For those that do not know what Harry Potter is about, check the wiki. For everyone else that is either a fan or looking to find out what type of game this was so they might try it, continue reading while the wiki readers are busy.
Fans of action games will want to check out the Windows, PlayStation One and Mac version. Played from the third person perspective with a few puzzles mixed to break up the action keeps the game somewhat fresh and interesting. Running around Hogwarts and casting spells is always fun.
Think of Sorcerer’s Stone on these platforms as you would Tomb Raider or Uncharted but with spells and a huge castle to explore.
Just like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the Game Boy Color version is a role playing game that is similar to Final Fantasy (though for true RPG fans, check out the third title, Prisoner of Azkaban). This design choice was obviously made based on the lack of power of the then aging Nintendo Game Boy Color hardware. 3D on that portable, well, it wasn’t pretty.
The Game Boy Advance version is another overhead action puzzle game, again like Chamber of Secrets.
As far as licensed gaming goes, these games are not all that bad. In places they could be better but that feeling of a “rushed” title is not apparent here. If you have ever played a licensed game before, odds are you have experienced “licensed crap” as I like to refer to it. Acclaim is quite a dealer in this, especially during their 8 and 16-Bit days. Talk about a tarnished brand name – to any seasoned gamer, the word Acclaim stinks. This is a surprise considering EA was behind publishing this game.
Due to the licensing agreements required, there have not been any digital, or otherwise, re-releases of these titles. I doubt we will ever see a re-release like the arcade Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games got on more recent consoles. I just don’t see many fan calling for these titles to resurface, and with the [controversy of the author of the books](https://www.vox.com/culture/23622610/jk-rowling-transphobic-statements-timeline-history-controversy), I don’t see that changing any time soon.