While it's nice to be able to switch between characters, sometimes it feels a little crowded to have Ron or Hermione trailing around behind Harry. Though it seems small, the crowded party slowed me down immensely while playing through some of the more challenging platforming sections. Since you can't control these spare characters, they often get in the way when you're trying to jump, and a few times, Ron was on the receiving end of a nasty spell meant for snakes and spiders. Other than the visual effect of Harry, Ron, and Hermione running around Hogwarts together, I can't see a reason to have the static characters constantly tagging along.

The Mac and iOS versions of LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 are quite similar overall. Identical cutscenes and scenery make appearances in both of the games, but the Mac version is much faster paced. On the iPhone and iPad, you perform spells by tracing their unique shape on the screen. This takes you out of the action a bit, which is why I prefer the Mac game, where you flip through a menu of spells, select one quickly, and fire it in the desired direction.

LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 is entertaining to look at, has hours of gameplay that somehow still feels fresh, and its just plain fun--especially for younger players who already in love with the cast of characters. Additionally, I found that the game ran well on my 2.4GHz iMac Intel Core 2 Duo with quick load times and no glitches to speak of. The game is so dense with characters, spells, and magical objects that I found myself uncovering new aspects of each segment nearly every time I revisited. LEGO Harry Potter really captures author J.K. Rowling's sense of exploring a new, magical world where the limitations of living among the Muggles can be left behind.

Again, I love the sense of humor LEGO brings to its series of games. From Ginny tormenting Tom Riddle to Harry mooning Ron while wearing the invisibility coat, the game brings a certain playfulness to the Harry Potter brand. Despite some minor camera and pathfinding issues, LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 is a blast to play, particularly for those who are already familiar with the franchise.