We've got the secret of the kids' book market sussed. The subject matter is irrelevant: whether it's an author writing about talking rabbits, or a main character who's an acne-ridden adolescent wizard, the key is the name. Potter. Beatrix Potter. Harry Potter. Both of them sold millions.

Coincidence? We think not. Look out for our forthcoming blockbuster, Potty Potter, the tragi-comic tale of an insane ceramics expert and his zany adventures inside the asylum. With a double-whammy of a title like that, it can't possibly fail.

The latest Harry Potter game roughly follows the plot of the film and book, introducing a slightly darker atmosphere to the teenage wizard's hijinks. It's different to the previous outings in the series because it's less of an adventure and more of a straightforward arcade/action affair. The basic idea is to blast the monsters and collect the shields which unlock the later levels.

There is more to it than this, though. The standard game levels are tackled with three characters; Harry, Hermione and Ron. In a one-player game, the other two are controlled by a reasonably competent computer AI. However, the real fun is with the multiplayer mode. One or two mates can jump in (each will need a gamepad) and together you can dispatch the forces of evil, combining spell casts for various different results. We're big fans of co-operative modes, especially those that work on a single machine and don't require a home LAN, so kudos to EA for incorporating this.

As well as the normal levels, there are various one-off challenges to take on, for example, killing a specified number of bugs using a certain spell combination inside a time limit. There are also the Triwizard tournament sections which involve tasks such as out-flying a dragon on your Quidditch broomstick. Between levels, a basic RPG element is introduced in the form of cards that can be bought to power up various spells or character attributes.

And this is all well and good, up to a point. Unfortunately, the Goblet of Fire is only half-full (or is it half-empty?). Older fans of the series (and let's not pretend there aren't lots of those) may find it all a little too "kiddified". The straightforward gameplay - move to the next area, blast, blast, move on, blast, pick up shield - certainly won't be to everyone's tastes. There are some puzzles here, but not many of them and they're not particularly taxing either. The childish exclamations of the characters can also grate on the ears.

Then there are the control and camera issues. The characters run about with a slightly awkward inertia and while it's not so bad with a joypad, the keyboard controls are quite clunky. The camera follows the action from set angles, which can sometimes leave you blind, or at least not able to see very far ahead.

Overall, the latest Potter outing is somewhat repetitive and carries its fair share of annoyances, yet on a basic level, it's a decent little arcade run-out with a commendable co-operative mode.

It's not absolutely wizard by any means, but then again neither is it a pile of "extremus cackus." The Goblet of Fire is a firmly average game which is slanted towards the kids.