Make opponent's cards vanish with new Harry Potter game
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
The world of card games could be forever transformed this month and next when the Harry Potter Trading Card Game begins hitting the racks at retail, hobby and selected stores.
Online pre-order sales already have begun, and Hasbro, which owns the licensing rights through its subsidiary, Wizards of the Coast, is betting the game will move faster than a Golden Snitch at a Quidditch match once it's released Sunday.
The Harry Potter trading cards, which will start hitting stores this month and next, feature artwork of villains, heroes, creatures and more.
Inspired by J.K. Rowling's first book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the Harry Potter Trading Card Game was developed by Wizards of the Coast game designer Elaine Chase to remain true to the Potter tradition.
Fans play their favorite book characters, casting spells, using magical creatures and avoiding Muggles along the way. The object of the game is to make an opponent's cards disappear.
Each card is colorfully illustrated in the dramatic style to which Harry Potter fans have become accustomed, employing never-before-seen artworks of villains and heroes, spells and potions, creatures and plot developments from the novel.
The two 40-card decks come with each starter set, along with a premium Wizard card, damage counters, rule book and playing mat. The base set has six types of cards: Characters, Spells, Creatures, Items, Adventures and Lessons. The sets sell for just under $10 each. To introduce advanced strategies, 11-card booster packs are available and sell for around $3 each.
