Wizard 101 is a Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (MMORPG/MMO) created by KingsIsle Entertainment and marketed as a children’s game. Players assume the role of wizard children (think Harry Potter) and adventure in Wizard City, among various other dimensions. Being a shameless Harry Potter fan, I was excited at the prospect of a sort-of Hogwarts Online, and Wizard 101 definitely does not disappoint!
Download, Patching and Account Creation
As South Africans, internet caps often play a large role in determining what games we can and can not play. Thankfully, the Wizard 101 installer is a minor download of approximately 175Mb. Once the game is set up and you’ve logged in, you can proceed to the character creation menu. The game will continue to download files necessary for play in the background while you move through this process. The option to download the high-detail graphics files is also available from the options menu, should you be able to afford that extra data usage.
A free “unlimited” trial is given to all new accounts that allows play through a number of areas. Your level will not be capped and you will basically experience the game as any paying user would up until you’ve played through those areas. Once you’re done with those areas you have the option of unlocking the game area-by-area for a small free, or subscribing for $9.99 per month (substantially cheaper than the usual $14.99 asked by other MMO’s).
Character Creation, Customisation and Controls
Character creation in itself is rather limited. Due to being an MMO designed with children in mind, strict controls have been put in place to ensure their safety and innocence on the internet. As a result, you may not manually name your character and instead you will choose three names from a list of names that have been made available, which in turn make up your character’s name and surname. Facial, body and clothing options are also limited; however the clothing issue is easily solved due to the wide selection of armour that is available when playing through the game.
Players will then be able to choose which school of magic they wish to subscribe to. These schools range from the School of Fire to the School of Transmutation, School of Death, School of Life etc. Players will be able to select a second school of magic later on in the game, effectively creating a dual-class combat system. The player’s choice of class will establish the cards they may use in their deck, as well as the items they may make use of.
Graphics and User Interface
Wizard 101 is not jaw-droppingly beautiful, but it is not ugly either. The developers have cleverly chosen an art style that allows for a good-looking world and effects without demanding too many resources on the host machine. Many kids will not be playing on high-end systems and this ensures that they will not be disappointed with client-side lag. Today’s standard machines will run it easily with all the settings maxed out, as well as older systems dating back to around 2005 even.
The user interface was also designed with children in mind and this is clear from the get-go. Information is presented to you in a very simple fashion and your screen will lack much clutter. The default interface consists of health and mana stats, as well as a menu button and an “upgrade” button should you be playing the trial. The character information, deck construction and other menus are all well-presented.
Communication
Communication is limited to words and phrases that can be chosen from a drop-down menu. This is arguably the most frustrating aspect of the game. Selecting sentences from a menu can become tedious, and one will find that people are not particularly chatty despite the game teeming with players. It is however possible to log into the user account on the Wizard 101 website and select an option that will make it possible to freely chat with party members.
Combat
One of the key features of Wizard 101 is its combat system, which is rather different to almost anything else currently present in the genre. It is a turn and card-based arena-type system. To engage in combat, one must approach a target enemy, which in turn will summon a duelling arena. Players are then presented with a list of cards that they can play. When all involved combat participants have selected a card, their characters will play their cards in turn. This can range from a simple wand attack, to the more common occurrence of monsters being summoned in the centre of the arena and attacking your target (much like the popular “Yughio!”). Player’s health and mana do not regenerate during battle.
General Gameplay, Mini-Games and Arenas
General gameplay is quest-based. This is by far the quickest way to progress through the game. The option of simply grinding for experience is also available, but rather silly and unnecessary in the long run.
As an added bonus, mini-games have been included that will earn players in-game rewards. Their primary use, however, is to regenerate mana. These games are much like popular mini-games one would download for their computer, such as “Bejeweled.” Quite a variety is available and on the whole these mini-games are not difficult. They are definitely worth the small amount of time they require.
Economy and Items
Throughout their travels players will automatically loot creatures for gold and items, as well as win rewards through questing and mini-games. These items can be sold to vendors and other items can be bought in return. Players can also buy the second in-game currency known as “Crowns” with real-world money, which can be used to buy special in-game items. It is important to note, however, that these items provide cosmetic advantages instead of statistical advantages, meaning that no unfair compensation is given to those who choose to buy these items.
As players level, more powerful items become available. Some of these may only be used by specific schools of magic and cannot be obtained by players not prescribing to those particular schools. Cosmetically, they differ to quite a large degree, meaning that different characters have little chance of looking exactly like one another.
Overall Experience
By now you may be wondering why on earth anyone who isn’t a child would want to play a game so clearlysuited for children. In all honesty the game is just truly addictive and is likely to keep you coming back for more. Upon reflection I can safely say that the majority of people I met in-game were adults.
Wizzard 101 truly appeals to a wide audience. It may have its frustrating issues, such as the lack of communication and PvP options, but on the whole it offers a unique experience, and is ultimately a refreshing change from the norm. Couple the above fact with its cheap price and KingsIsle definitely has a winner.
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