As a society, we tend to give “classic” status out to movies a bit too often. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, now those, are classics. Movies you can pop in and watch no matter what time of the day. Movies you can quote on end. The best of the Lego games tap into this and remind you just why you love source material in the first place.

The Lego games succeed mostly because they see this, and take advantage of it. The Harry Potter movies could be as close to a classic series as this generation has seen, and that's just why, even after almost ten years of games, the LEGO Harry Potter Games still work.

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 isn't a brand new experience, and there's very little that's fresh, but you know what you're getting, and sometimes that makes all the difference in the world. It's packed with content and fans of the series, especially the younger ones are going to love it - even if it's dramatically showing its age.

"Lego Harry Potter maintains the love for the original..."

Years 5-7 takes the final four Harry Potter films and gives them the brick treatment, recreating the entire experience as if they were made via Legos. The transition here is an impressive one, and all of your favorite scenes, characters and in-jokes are well represented. This is exactly why some of the LEGO games work, and others don't, LEGO Harry Potter maintains the love for the original, and you're going to love seeing your favorite moments in a new way, and since the Lego characters don't speak, expect to recite all of your favorite lines.

On that same note though, LEGO Harry Potter often feels too similar. After all of the Lego games, after all of the franchises, Traveler's Tales hasn't addressed a number of key issues that nag both gameplay and style. The game is built on co-op, and when the LEGO Indiana Jones sequel came out a few years ago, it finally supported split-screen, but it still feels lacking and confined. There's also a nagging issue with being able to judge your distance between objects in platforming sections that also pops up with trying to interact with objects in the environment that can be incredibly frustrating.

The latest LEGO Harry Potter game knows what the franchise does well, and does it often. Light platforming mixed with fairly simple puzzles that will make the game's young target demographic feel incredibly rewarded when they solve them. The game features drop in and drop out co-op play, so friends or parents can play whenever they have time. Be warned though, much like previous Lego games, there's not going to be much of a challenge for more seasoned gamers, but perfect for the younger demographic.

The real reward of playing through the entire game is unlocking all of the game's extra content and rewards. The LEGO games have always been known for being packed with extras and unlockables and this game is no different. As you play through you'll unlock a ton of new characters, cheats and abilities. The sheer joy of smashing through as many bricks as you can to find new content is incredible. Smashie smashie.

LEGO Harry Potter does almost nothing new, but it really didn't need to. The game rests heavily on the franchise's strengths, making fans (especially young ones) remember why they love the source material in the first place. Packed with content and steady in its mechanics, fans will want to check it out, but it's obvious that the series is showing its age.