Wizards Unite

Three Features I would like to see in Wizards Unite

Are you playing Wizards Unite, the Harry Potter mobile game?
I downloaded it the day it was released and have been hooked ever since.

The Wizards Unite game is created by Niantic the same people who make Pokémon Go. And as a result, a lot of the same features are in both games. Whilst Pokémon Go! involved exploring an area for Pokémon, with the aim to complete your Pokédex. Wizards Unite comprises finding “foundables” in your area, making sure the muggle world does not discover the existence of the Wizarding World. A foundable is a can be anything from the Harry Potter universe, a niffler, snitch or even a person.

Foundables from Wizards Unite
Niffler & Newt

As with Wizards Unite, I also started playing Pokémon Go! The week it was released and was addicted for several months. But then about a year ago, I started playing again. In the two years since the game had launched a lot of new features had been added to the game. A lot of which I discuss here.

Many of these features are also in Wizards Unite, for example, last month they celebrated the first Community Day in Wizards Unite. As with the Pokémon Go! community day, for a three-hour period there were increased foundables in the area. And players were encouraged to get out play and connect with each other. Other features, like week-long events, also happen in both games. However, these are the 3 Things from Pokémon Go I would like to see in Wizards Unite!

3 Things from Pokémon Go I would like to see in Wizards Unite!

1. Nests

A nest in Pokémon Go is an area, normally in a park where a certain type of Pokémon appears more frequently. When Pokémon Go was first launched and everyone was determined to catch ’em all. Nests were a great way to guarantee you got enough candy to evolve your Pokémon. I remember finding a Reddit board that listed all the nests in London and visiting various parks around the city. Then after about a month, all the nest migrated. For example, the park that had been a Charmander nest became a Bulbasaur nest.

The nest migrations now change every two weeks, they are still useful as they are a great way to hunt for shiny variations or collect candy to power up your more powerful Pokémon. However, nowadays the list of nests is shared via Discord and WhatsApp groups, rather than on Reddit.

Flags in Wizards Unite

How would it work in Wizards Unite?
Whilst there aren’t nests in Wizards Unite there are Flags. The flag on the flagpole denotes the family of Foundables within that area. So, a dark blue flag with a footprint will show that most of the foundables in that area would be from the Magizoology family.

How cool would it be if these flags changed every few weeks? Migrated as they do in Pokémon Go So, every two weeks, the flag changes and a new family of foundables could be in that area.

2. Raid Bosses

Right from when the game was launched, Pokémon Go it included gyms. However, now gyms can randomly take over by a Raid Boss. Each day a player gets a raid pass to enter a raid and try to defeat the boss. (you can also buy extra passes if you like). There are 5 tiers of raid bosses, which are significantly harder to defeat. A one-star raid can be done by an individual. However, a 5 star needs a team of players working together. Working as a team is great as you get bonuses for winning the raid. Plus, you can increase your friendship level with teammates to earn extra XP. Most 5-star raids are for Legendary Pokémon like Mewtwo. So, the only way to get these rarer Pokémon is working in a team.

Fortress in Wizards Unite and Gym in Pokemon Go!
Fortress in Wizards Unite & Gym in Pokémon Go

How would it work in Wizards Unite?
In Wizards Unite, they already have gyms which are called Fortresses. As the games use the same framework a lot of gyms from Pokémon Go are a fortress in Wizards Unite. As with Pokémon Go, you can take on a Fortress on your own or with friends (you also can get XP bonus for working as a team). Unlike Pokémon Go, fortresses have built-in levels or chambers.  You can only enter the next chamber once you have beat all the foes in the previous chamber. Currently, the foes are a collection of Dark Wizards and Creatures.

However, I think it would be amazing if foundables linked to villains from the Wizarding World appeared on Fortresses randomly. In someone like Voldemort or Grindelwald, briefly appeared in a fortress and you would have to work in a team to defeat him and collect a rare foundable.

3. Gifts

One of the biggest changes in recent times in Pokémon Go is the option to add friends. Something that already exists in Wizards Unite. like within Pokémon Go, you already get bonuses for teamwork. However, in Pokémon Go, you can trade Pokémon with friends and send each other gifts. You randomly get a gift when you spin a poke stop in the game. Which you can send to your friends. Gifts can include, poke balls, stardust or eggs.

How would it work in Wizards Unite? ­
Instead of Pokestops in Wizards Unite, there are Inns and Greenhouses. From Inns, you get food which is equal to spell energy and from Greenhouses, you get ingredients for potions (and occasionally spell energy). I think it would be cool if you could send food (spell energy) to friends or ingredients for their potions.

So those the 3 Things from Pokémon Go I would like to see in Wizards Unite! For all, I know the team at Niantic have already planned to implement these additions. Or have decided that whilst these ideas work in Pokémon Go, they would not translate will into Wizards Unite. Either way, I am loving playing the game and can’t wait to see which direction this game will head and what new additions to gameplay they introduce.

Did you join in the Wizards Unites Community Day?
Do you play both games?
What features from Pokémon Go! would you like to see in Wizards Unite?