The Wonder and Spells : Wonderbook

We’ve seen quite a few AR games over the past several years. On the PS3, the first notable one was Eye of Judgement, and since then, there have been others like EyePet and Invizimals, among many more.

Before you skip this article, let me be clear—this isn’t one of those low-effort, gimmicky AR titles you sometimes see on the PS Vita, like the football or ice hockey games. This one actually has substance and delivers a genuinely engaging experience.

The concept behind the PlayStation Wonderbook is surprisingly natural. You buy a book filled with strange symbols and signs, then pair it with interactive “books/games” that bring those symbols to life on the screen. In this case, the physical book requires you to turn pages by hand, creating a surprisingly authentic and immersive experience.

The Move controller acts as a “wand” in the game, letting you cast spells, interact with effects, and select dialogue—again adding to the feeling of authenticity.

Currently, there’s only one book/game available: J.K. Rowling’s Book of Spells, taken straight from the Hogwarts library. It lets you learn spells and explore what it’s like to become a magician.

It’s worth noting that the Wonderbook requires both a PlayStation Camera and a Move controller. If you don’t already own these, the entry cost can be quite high: the bundled book/game costs around £20 when imported, or roughly 400 NOK (about £40) at retail in Norway.

The full bundle with Wonderbook + Book of Spells + Move Controller + Camera launched at around £80, which felt quite steep at the time. Thankfully, Sony later announced that future book/games would be available as standalone titles at a lower price, starting with the next release in early 2013.

The Wonderbook itself has 12 pages, but Book of Spells cleverly divides each chapter into two sections, giving you 24 interactive “pages” across its 5 chapters.

While the tech may feel dated today, back then, this was by far the best attempt at blending physical and digital play. The magic of tilting the book to make objects fall off the pages onto the TV, peering under tables, or rotating the book to look into holes without breaking the immersion was simply fantastic.

I usually played with the book resting on my lap instead of on the floor (as shown in the “how-to” video), and honestly—it worked perfectly!

And unlike EyePet, the game doesn’t suffer from awkward tech issues. It doesn’t need extreme lighting to function, the tracking is stable even when you move around, and the Move controller stays in sync throughout.

For families, this was a magical experience that felt truly interactive and fun.

The first game/book, Book of Spells, feels solid enough at first, but it does go a bit stale over time. There’s just so much to learn—spells, story, and mechanics—before you even reach the various tests, and I often found myself forgetting the why, how, and where of it all.

That said, is it good? Yes, I think so. It’s impressive that they put real effort and money into the production values. Unlike the rather harsh visuals of EyePet 2, this one looks gorgeous (and to be fair, EyePet 1 still looks great too).

As expected from Sony’s family titles, the game has been fully localized into many languages, with proper voice actors, quality scripting, and strong sound production. My son was thrilled when he recognised the Norwegian voice actor from “Andy & Kip,” and I have to agree—it was a smart choice by Sony to use him.

Would I recommend this to people? Honestly, no—not right now. It’s simply too expensive, especially if you don’t already own the camera and Move controllers. At the moment there’s only one book/game available, which makes it hard to justify the cost. That said, once more books/games are released, the value proposition will change dramatically.

However, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, then this is an instant buy. While I’m not the biggest Potter fan myself, I still picked it up because I love big boxes and new tech—no matter how childish or silly it might seem.

Replay value is where the game struggles. Unless you’re a young kid, most players will likely finish it once and never return. Still, it’s an enjoyable experience while it lasts.

Edited/Updated: I did a follow-up article to this game and series 1 year after the release of this game, check it here: https://blog.amigaguru.com/?p=927

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