Codenames: Back to Hogwarts

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts

2025Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
5
Creators
5

Mainly reviews. Codenames: Back to Hogwarts is covered on BoardGameVideo.com by 2 reviews and 1 unboxings.

4 - 8 players
15 - 30 min
1.7/5 weight

From BoardGameGeek

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts puts a fresh spin on the classic Codenames word association gameplay, while offering thematic new mechanics to change up the gameplay for both longtime fans and new players alike. As new first-year students at Hogwarts, players will be sorted into two rival houses, each with their own prefect who knows the secrets of the fabled school's mystery card grid. On their turn, prefects give their team of students a clue consisting of a single word and a number suggesting how many cards are associated with that word. Students must then follow these clues to explore Hogwarts by guessing the corresponding words and revealing one card at a time. If they're correct, they can keep guessing words up to the stated number of times. If they encounter a card for the rival house, a dead end, locked door, or other obstacle, they'll end their turn. Take care not to get caught by groundskeeper Argus Filch, however, as that ends the game and marks a win for the rival house. Every win also earns points for their house, which can be tracked across multiple play sessions in the House Cup. Beneath the surface, this should sound very familiar to existing fans of Codenames-at least mechanically. Codenames: Back to Hogwarts also adds new layers of strategic depth onto the classic Codenames gameplay in the form of unique asymmetrical abilities. Each house has access to two powerful and distinct special abilities. These abilities have been designed to meaningfully transform the fundamentals of Codenames, providing both muggles and wizards with some surprising new gameplay possibilities. Because each game features two different houses, and each house will use only one of its two abilities, there are a multitude of possible combinations for players to explore and play! -description from the publisher

Creators who cover this

Board in the House
Board in the House
1 video of this game
Meeple Malady
Meeple Malady
1 video of this game
Room 51
Room 51
1 video of this game
Spot Het Spel
Spot Het Spel
1 video of this game
The Dice Tower
The Dice Tower
1 video of this game

Games like this

2011Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
129
Creators
52
Mainly playthroughs

1 - 4 players60 - 240 min4.4 weight

2015Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
83
Creators
68
Mainly reviews

2 - 8 players15 min1.3 weight

2016Vlaada Chvátil, Andrew Parks

Videos
62
Creators
25
Mainly playthroughs

1 - 4 players60 - 240 min4.3 weight

About Codenames: Back to Hogwarts

From BoardGameGeek:

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts puts a fresh spin on the classic Codenames word association gameplay, while offering thematic new mechanics to change up the gameplay for both longtime fans and new players alike. As new first-year students at Hogwarts, players will be sorted into two rival houses, each with their own prefect who knows the secrets of the fabled school's mystery card grid. On their turn, prefects give their team of students a clue consisting of a single word and a number suggesting how many cards are associated with that word. Students must then follow these clues to explore Hogwarts by guessing the corresponding words and revealing one card at a time. If they're correct, they can keep guessing words up to the stated number of times. If they encounter a card for the rival house, a dead end, locked door, or other obstacle, they'll end their turn. Take care not to get caught by groundskeeper Argus Filch, however, as that ends the game and marks a win for the rival house. Every win also earns points for their house, which can be tracked across multiple play sessions in the House Cup. Beneath the surface, this should sound very familiar to existing fans of Codenames-at least mechanically. Codenames: Back to Hogwarts also adds new layers of strategic depth onto the classic Codenames gameplay in the form of unique asymmetrical abilities. Each house has access to two powerful and distinct special abilities. These abilities have been designed to meaningfully transform the fundamentals of Codenames, providing both muggles and wizards with some surprising new gameplay possibilities. Because each game features two different houses, and each house will use only one of its two abilities, there are a multitude of possible combinations for players to explore and play! -description from the publisher

Designer

Vlaada Chvátil

Artists

Štěpán Drašťák, Ondřej Hrdina

Categories

Card GameDeductionParty GameSpies / Secret Agents

Mechanics

Communication LimitsDeductionTeam-Based Game
View on BoardGameGeek ›