Not impressed by Wonderbook. I gave it to a group of 9-year-olds. It turned out that the lack of Harry Potter (the game was developed in cooperation with J.K. Rowling) was not an issue and they did not complain that they had to do practically same things over and over again. [CD-Action 02/2013, p.64]

Fair future potential, questionable playability and extremely short life span makes Wonderbook workable but a bit-too-expensive of a “reading“ experience. [Jan 2013]

Combines excellent tech with first-class production values to create a really splendid Christmas toy. [Issue#226, p.80]

The great design and high level of creativity is to be commended and appreciated, the game provides an effectively immersive environment, and Harry Potter followers should really love the style and the chance to become a virtual wizard. The end feels anticlimactic, there's no multiplayer option, and there are a few small technical bugaboos but other than that, this is a really solid step in the right direction.

This is an above-average game for kids failing to prove it is able to use the technology potential behind it. Anyway, if you have children around the block fitting the age range, you cannot go wrong with Book of Spells.

Wonderbook is one of the greatest Augmented Reality device of its generation. Creating immersion like you've never experienced before and using cleverly the PS Move, Book of Spells will entertain young players that love Harry Potter's adventures. However, quickly the gameplay shows its limits and appears to be too simple to amaze us more than an afternoon. But, we're still looking forward to the future Wonderbook title!

The technology is fantastic and presentation is impeccable – although the low-res EyeToy visuals really do show their age alongside the slick gloss of the game itself – but as a whole Book of Spells is not the charming experience it promised to be.

Technically one of the most successful AR games we have ever seen. It works perfectly, and seeing this book coming to life on the TV screen is a delight even for our adult eyes ... But of course it is dedicated to children (6 to 10 years)! They will be even more delighted when they take the magic wand in their hands and try to learn the most famous Harry Potter spells (the "adventure" is set in the same universe, thanks to a collaboration with JK Rowling). Too bad the game is so short, so repetitive and leaves us a little hungry once completed. When all the spells are learned we would like to put them into practice in an real adventure or a series of mini games, but no. A very good start for the Wonderbook anyway, full of promise. We are looking forward to get the next games using it.

Even though my son is just three years old, as soon as the music started we had his attention. Or to be more exact: Wonderbook had his attention. Curious as he is, he joined the action and judged the game worthy of his attention. To see himself on the telly, how cool is that? [December 2012, p.74]

Book of Spells is a children's game that retains the magical appeal that makes Harry Potter's world so intriguing, even for older players. The games are easy, true, but if you, as a grown-up, can read a young adult novel on a packed bus without shame, you can probably enjoy Book of Spells in the comfort of your own home.

In the end I see Wonderbook: Book of Spells as being a a hit with the kids and it is a good start for the peripheral that makes it all come alive. Sure, there is certainly some room for improvement; however, the future is bright for future "books" that utilize this unique peripheral and I cannot wait to see what is next.

You're left with a book that can't be read, a game that isn't really played, and a sense of disappointment that can't be waved away by all the wands in Ollivander's shop.

If you can ignore the eyesore low-res video feedback of the PlayStation Eye, the book itself and the creative crap it spawns looks sharp, well animated, and it grows in complexity. Likewise the interactive stories and narration are top-notch stuff. [Christmas 2012, p.76]

Book of Spells' biggest draw is the new Harry Potter content written by Rowling herself. Other than that, it is nothing more than a mini-game collection that benefits from being based on one of the world's most popular and beloved literary works.

Absolutely delightful.

It is fun to play around and experiment with spells; it gives Wonderbook: Book of Spells a charm only to be matched by the Harry Potter universe. It is a shame, however, that the exams you have to take lack creativity and become predictable in time. It degrades an atmosphere that is otherwise magical.

Great for younger Potter fans, fully-grown Muggles may want to rent for JK's new stories. [Christmas 2012, p.88]

It's a title recommended to children and a young adult obsessed with the Harry Potter universe, there is no problem with that, but it's not much to introduce a peripheral like this.

Even with all of its problems, I genuinely love the technology. It feels like a strangely inventive step forward for Sony. And, if developers can get behind the tech, we might see a string of educational and entertainment titles hit the market soon. That'll just depend on the bugs getting worked out of the system.

Wonderbook it's just marvelous, as fairy tales are when you listen to them with the curiosity of a child.

One of those rare cases where a game manages to create a unique experience by adding a physical object to it, rather than something that just seems gimmicky.

Book of Spells is a decent proof of concept for the Wonderbook's augmented reality technology, but the rest of the experience fails to deliver anything memorable or worthwhile, quickly collapsing into an endless parade of gimmicks and dull, overly simplistic minigames.

At first glance it is fascinating, but the longer you look you'll realize that augmented reality still is in its infancy. Wonderbook shows what potential lies in the fusion of camera, motion recognition and game. And in its best moments it creates something magical – but rather visually than in terms of gameplay.

Whether you classify it as a game or not there's some very clever technology at work here, but it's hampered by boring mini-games and a meandering story.

If you have children, this is definitely a magical present for Christmas.

Wonderbook: Book of Spells is the first game for Sony's new Wonderbook system and therefore has to be good in order to sell the device. Fortunately, the game delivers in almost every way, aiming at young gamers and implementing augmented reality and the PlayStation Move superbly. Based on the Harry Potter universe (and co-produced by J.K. Rowling) this game will also give Potter fans a kick with its magical atmosphere.

It's easy to understand and offers a different experience, something not very common these days. Technically surprising, it's hard to forget the fact that it's has been developed for kids, but if you're a Harry Potter fan, you should give it a try.

There's a more nuanced approach to family inclusiveness here than in most games aimed at this age group, and - perhaps helped by the confidence in the power of words that bleeds through the whole Potter universe - a touching emphasis throughout on the importance of becoming wise.