Magical Games That Don’t Go To Hogwarts

Consoles and cauldrons might be at the forefront of your mind with Halloween almost upon us. For anybody who isn’t applying to that big school of magic there are tons of wizard wielding magical games that don’t feature Harry Potter.

There are plenty of us that aren’t returning to the Room of Requirement any time soon. Whether it’s because you can’t separate the fictional world from the author’s own Twitter takes or you just want a change from a magical boarding school, we’ve got some magical games that will spook up your October without buying into the hype over Hogwarts Legacy.

Potion Permit

There are a bunch of potion focused games still brewing right about now but Potion permit is available right now. If you’re desperate to try out your own mixology right away, consider picking up this adorable RPG from PQube. Available now on PC, via Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Playstation 4, and Playstation 5 Potion Permit is an open ended top down adventure set around the town of Moonbury. As a new chemist in this sleep but sickly homestead, it’s up to you to diagnose a ward of patients, head out into the wilderness to collect and grow your stocks, discover remedies, then head back home and cure what ails your patients. Following in the footsteps of titles like Moonlighter, this open-ended RPG has a core gameplay loop with plenty of other deep gameplay systems. The RPG systems seem to intertwine with a massive crafting component to provide a mind boggling amount of brews, potions, and salves to discover. Just, be careful when trying to get coveted ingredients like honey. Bears are rarely friendly out in the big dark woods. If you love Stardew, Spirit of the Island, Moonlighter, and more then you’ll likely take to Potion Permit with glee, available now on PC, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo Switch. Find out more on the official website.

Ikenfell

Want the full school experience but don’t quite have the budget for the prestigious castle up in yon mountains? Ikenfell is an adorable indie adventure following the exploits of some troublesome magic school students, available for around £15.49 or the local equivalent. This turn based RPG combines cute pixel art, whimsical stories, friendship, trust, and love in a world where magic is at your fingertips. Players picking up this adventure on PC can explore all the nooks of a magical institution. The dorms, alchemy labs, astronomy tower, twilight yard, and a dozen more mysterious and magical locations are open for exploration, while myths monsters and annoyed teachers stand in your way, so you’d better brush up on your casting. Available right now on the Ikenfell Steam Store page.

Mika And The Witches Mountain

Brooming with charm and ready to sweep us away, Mika and the Witches Mountain isn’t quite out yet but it’s still worth checking out later this semester. After appearing on the Wholesome Direct 2022, this cute cartoon caper has been eager to take to the skies on PC later this year.

While you might not be batting some bludgers while up in the air, protagonist Mika has a much more important job. As an aspiring Witch with a half formed set of powers, this youngster is out to help the population of an idyllic town stuck at the bottom of an imposing mountain. With a massive sandbox world to explore and experiment in, Mika can help the townsfolk of the local village by making important deliveries and honing those high flying skills. Taking clear inspiration from KiKi’s Delivery Service and even Ni No Kuni, while exploring the simple joy of flight, this combat free adventure is a joy filled flight sim is due to land later this year. If you’re looking for magical games with combat, take a look across the horizon in the trailer above and head over to the Steam Store site to wishlist, and get ready to work for your magical might.

Little Witch Academia

Continuing our classroom full of cuties, we head to Luna Nova Magical Academy with Little Witch Academia. For fans of classroom antics, this anime spin off is certainly a way to get to magic school without having to get to Paddington Station. Following on from the first series of hit anime Little Witch Academia: Chamber of Time, this magical expedition down into the depths of this wizarding school finds protagonist Akko, Suzie, and co exploring dungeons, casting magical spells and using witchcraft to ultimately discover the seven wonders and solve the mysterious shift in time.

While the gameplay didn’t get the best reception, fun, friendship, and a predictable challenge for a younger audience mean that Little Witch Academia fills that unique space between preschool pleasantries and unrelenting desolation of something like DOOM for a magical adventure. Check out more in our Chamber of Time review or on the official website.

Weedcraft

Something of a different take on herbalism this time. While potion brewing is all the range on the indie scene of late, you might be better out in the greenhouse. Weedcraft, as we describe in our review,  isn’t quite the magical escape from reality you might want but, even wizards have to make a living. Cultivated by Devolver Digital, Weedcraft is a business management sim that takes those green fingers and applies those skills to building the biggest drug empire on the block.

Initially released on PC back in 2019 and out on console since September 2022, Weedcraft finds players out on the street and hustling to grow the best shrubbery on the block, before distrusting your magic mushrooms to the masses. Just be careful to negotiate for the best turf and don’t forget who you owe, or there could be something of a hostile takeover.
While it may not quite be selling magical vomiting sweets to the class, this management sim is a reminder that even wizards need an income, so why not take a look at this return to reality and make all of the money.

Witchbrook

Not quite ready to pop its head above the cauldron, Witchbrook is the full school experience, expected to arrive on PC sometime in 2023. Taking at least a little inspiration from many other indie RPGs, like Starbound and Stardew Valley, this slice of life sim takes a magical twist. Whether it’s a bit of Hogwarts or a dash of Little Witch Academia, there’s plenty of charm to go around here. Players signing up for Witchbrook college will enter some hallowed halls in the town of Mossport and embark on a magical coming-of-age adventure. Along the way, you’ll learn to brew potent potions, race on broomsticks, and learn the secret side of botany. It’s looking to be everything that any budding wizard would want with all the charm that an indie can muster. Find out more  about this magical misadventure over on the official Witchbrook website.

Potionomics

Brew, bottle, and profit! Not everything magical is all about defeating ancient evils. Potionomics launched just days ago. This brand new store management sim, pitting players against the forces of consumer demand using great customer service, great financial planning, and some epic mixing magic to turn a healthy balance sheet. Designed about magicked into life by Voracious Games and published by XSEED and Marvelous, this wonderfully vibrant mix of wheeling, dealing, mixing, and feeling puts players in the role of a witch named Sylvia . After inheriting grandad’s independent shop, its up to gamers to gather ingredients, get mixing, stock shelves, and charm the locals into handing over cash.

The magic here looks to be all the added extras. Outside of simple stock taking, there’s plenty of mixology, in game negotiation, visual novel style character development, in store decoration, and many ideas that come right out of modern RPGs. With a gorgeous aesthetic and an immersive tale of trading, you can take everything you learned in potion class and make all of the money in Potionomics, available now.

Whether it’s the spooky season or not, any of these games will bring a little magic to your desktop without resorting to the sorting hat.