boardgamevideo
  • Trending
  • Videos
  • Games
  • Channels
  • Lists
  • Shorts

Explore

  • Home
  • Trending
  • Channels
  • Videos
  • Games
  • Lists
  • Shorts
  • Conventions
  • Year in Review

Browse by type

  • Reviews
  • How to play
  • Playthroughs
  • Unboxing
  • Top 100 lists
  • Featured videos
  • Trending this week
  • Rising games
  • Games with fresh review perspectives

Information

  • About
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022–2026 BoardGameVideo.com

Powered by BGG
  • Videos
  • Trending
  • Shorts
  • Channels
  • Games
  • Lists
Codenames: Back to Hogwarts

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts

2025·Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
5
Creators
5

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

4 - 8 players
15 - 30 min
Light weight: Learn it in minutes

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

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts

Which Codenames: Back to Hogwarts video should I watch?

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts has 5 videos from 5 creators: 2 reviews, 1 unboxing and 2 other videos. They date from 2025 to May 2026.

If you like it, try Mage Knight Board Game, Codenames, Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization and Star Trek: Frontiers, also by Vlaada Chvátil.

All videos

Why CGE's Harry Potter Decision Sparked Backlash| Mind Over MetaReview13:15

Why CGE's Harry Potter Decision Sparked Backlash| Mind Over Meta

Room 51

Room 51

Codenames Back to Hogwarts Review: Quick Take with Tom VaselReview5:41

Codenames Back to Hogwarts Review: Quick Take with Tom Vasel

The Dice Tower

The Dice Tower

CGE’s Harry Potter Game Controversy | The Cost of Funding Hate & Why You Should Care21:23

CGE’s Harry Potter Game Controversy | The Cost of Funding Hate & Why You Should Care

Meeple Malady

Meeple Malady

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts - Czech Games Edition - UnboxingUnboxing3:00

Codenames: Back to Hogwarts - Czech Games Edition - Unboxing

Spot Het Spel

Spot Het Spel

CGE Top 10 Games | Czech Games Edition | IMO Best Titles49:11

CGE Top 10 Games | Czech Games Edition | IMO Best Titles

Board in the House

Board in the House

Creators who cover this

All channels
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

All games

Mage Knight Board Game

2011·Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
131
Creators
52
Mainly playthroughs

1 - 4 players·60 - 240 min·Very heavy weight

Codenames

2015·Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
85
Creators
69
Mainly reviews and how-to-play

2 - 8 players·15 min·Light weight

Through the Ages: A New Story of Civilization

2015·Vlaada Chvátil

Videos
77
Creators
48
Mainly reviews and how-to-play

2 - 4 players·120 min·Very heavy weight

Star Trek: Frontiers

2016·Vlaada Chvátil, Andrew Parks

Videos
63
Creators
26
Mainly playthroughs

1 - 4 players·60 - 240 min·Very heavy 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

Publisher

Czech Games Edition (CGE)

Categories

Card GameParty GameSpies / Secret AgentsWord Game

Mechanics

Communication LimitsDeductionTeam-Based Game
View on BoardGameGeek ›
Home
Games
Codenames: Back to Hogwarts
cached: 450782