If you're looking for a fun way to entertain your entire family, board games are a solid choice. But, not all board games are created equal. Some are created precisely for muggles with a certain trivia skillset who call themselves Potterheads — like the Harry Potter Hedbanz game.
Grab your invisibility cloak and invite your fellow wannabe witches and wizards to join in on this magical adventure and test your Hogwarts knowledge. Filled with references to both the Harry Potter films and the books, this game from manufacturer Spin Master can yield hours of fun for fans.
If you've never played the original Hedbanz game before, you're in for a treat. The basic premise of Hedbanz involves each player wearing a card on their headband facing out toward the other players so that the wearer can't see it. When it's your turn, you ask the other players yes or no questions in an attempt to guess what image is shown on your card.
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Each card in this version of the game features an image from a Harry Potter movie. Your card could show one of the main characters like Harry himself, Hermione, or Ron, but more minor characters like Moaning Myrtle and Nearly Headless Nick can also make an appearance. Some cards also feature places like Hogsmeade and artifacts like the Marauder's Map.
When you correctly guess your card in the Harry Potter version of Hedbanz, you collect a chocolate frog token. (And no, the chocolate frogs unfortunately don't actually come alive.) The first player to collect five frog tokens wins. With 72 Harry Potter-themed cards to choose from, you could play this game many times over without repeating any cards.
One fun twist to the Harry Potter version of this game is the inclusion of potion tokens, which can literally change the entire course of play. You may be tasked with acting out a clue for another player or to come up with a rhyme to describe the clue. Just like a real wizard's potion, you never know exactly what's going to happen once you take it.
Naturally, my kids will have to fight their Gryffindor-loving mom for the red headband — I absolutely must rep my house. But, if you're so inclined to sport a house color other than the signature crimson of Gryffindor, you can. Color choices also include blue for Ravenclaw, yellow for Hufflepuff, and green for Slytherin.
Best suited for ages 7 and up, this game is perfect for your next family game night. You could even spend a day (or a weekend) marathon-watching the Harry Potter movies before playing or gift the game to your kiddo after they finish reading the entire series. Not that they need a reward for reading, but it could definitely be a fun way to test their reading comprehension skills.
You can order Harry Potter Hedbanz on Amazon and have it shipped straight to your door for your next game night. If you love it but want to try additional versions of the game, there is also a Disney version, a Shopkins version, and Hedbanz Junior for the littlest players. One game is even made specifically for millennials called Hedbanz Adulting that features pop culture references tailored to the millennial age group.
While the game of Harry Potter Hedbanz itself is not too competitive (yes, even younger fans can get in on the action), true HP fans will likely turn this giggle-inducing game into their own version of the Triwizard Tournament. There may or may not be broomstick battles and Patronus charms involved. I can make no promises.
