Harry Potter: Hogwarts Battle has been the best-known Harry Potter deckbuilding game since 2016. Defenders of Hogwarts is the new one from Studio MinaLima. Players who know one keep asking about the other, so here is the short comparison.
At a glance
| Defenders of Hogwarts | Hogwarts Battle | |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | MinaLima (2026) | The Op, formerly USAopoly (2016) |
| Players | 2 to 5 | 2 to 4 |
| Who wins | One player: either one house, or the Dark Arts Player | Everyone together, or nobody |
| Structure | One-versus-many; each game stands alone | Fully cooperative; a campaign of seven numbered Games, each unlocking new content from a sealed box |
| Board | Map of Hogwarts with movement, obstacles and locations | Location cards and villains, no movement map |
| Play time | About 90 minutes (box) | Short early games that grow longer in later years |
| Age on the box | 13+ | 11+ |
| Where to buy | Late pledge now; shops from 2027 (details) | Widely available in shops today, plus expansions |
How they feel
Hogwarts Battle: a team against the game
Everyone plays one of the main characters and fights villains together. The campaign adds new cards and rules game by game, which makes it a good first deckbuilder for families and for groups who dislike direct conflict.
Defenders of Hogwarts: everyone has an opponent
One person plays the Dark Forces, the others play houses, and only one player wins. You move pawns around a map of the castle, collect items and watch a shared clock. There is more interaction and more tension, and the game depends a lot on who sits in the Dark Arts seat.
Which one should you get?
- Families with younger players, or groups who want to win together: Hogwarts Battle.
- Groups who like a bit of rivalry and a villain at the table: Defenders of Hogwarts.
- Collectors and fans of MinaLima's film graphics: Defenders of Hogwarts, for the art alone.
- You want to play this weekend: Hogwarts Battle is in shops now; Defenders of Hogwarts reaches shops in 2027.
- 2 to 4 players
- 30 to 60 min
- Ages 11+
- Co-op
- Amazon.com
- Amazon.co.uk
- Amazon.de (German edition)
- We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. The price stays the same for you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
More about it: our Hogwarts Battle guide and where to buy the expansions and sleeves.
Already own Defenders of Hogwarts? Start with our rules guide and strategy.