Play Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (XenoPhobia) Online

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix came out on the Nintendo DS in 2007, developed by Electronic Arts. It was part of that wave of licensed games trying to use the DS hardware in clever ways, fitting right in with the touchscreen focused titles of the era. The game captures the specific, oppressive mood of that book, where the Ministry is denying Voldemort's return and Hogwarts feels less like a school and more like a prison.

You play as Harry, exploring a surprisingly open Hogwarts castle screen by screen. The main goal is to recruit students for Dumbledore's Army while avoiding the watchful eye of Dolores Umbridge and her Inquisitorial Squad. Signature mechanics include casting spells by drawing specific shapes with the stylus, like a flick for Expelliarmus or a loop for Wingardium Leviosa, and using the Marauder's Map on the bottom screen to track character movements and avoid trouble. The pacing is deliberate, focused on stealth and conversation more than constant action, and the castle itself becomes a large puzzle to navigate. It feels like you are actually organizing a rebellion from the shadows, with every successfully cast spell and unlocked secret passage offering a small victory.