Lifted from the plot of the same movie, this semi-RPG starts from the Leaky Cauldron Pub where Harry stays for the night to begin battling book monsters and silly looking characters in red caps. All these to get poor Scabbers a rat tonic.

The battle arenas of the game are as exciting as Uncle Vernon's drill business. Each character is given a turn to cast a spell. While you deliberate between spells Flipendo, Verdimilious or Incendio, your opponent will gladly wait for you. No hurry. Being an equally gracious gamer, your character must wait while your opponent makes his move. Dodge or block to defend your character? What a ridiculous idea! You can't do that.

The purpose of these annoying little battles is to earn points, potions and strength to get you ahead in the game. You could simply avoid these little skirmishes if you're in a rush. But really, who could resist chanting, "Flipendo Uno?"

A plus factor is being able to switch between characters Harry, Ron and Hermione. Prisoner of Azkaban allows you to choose a partner and use his or her unique power. So while Harry battles giant spiders, Ron can illuminate dark areas and Hermione can fix broken staircases. All characters are designed to complement each other. Sometimes the trick is to figure out the best combination for certain tasks or missions. The three must combine their skills and powers to defeat Sirius Black and the dementors. (We know what you're thinking. Just read on. - Ed.)

Except for the plot, the game is really not much different from GBA's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. Fans will applaud the game's faithfulness to the book, though. As in the movie and the book, the game takes you on a train ride to Hogwarts where Harry and his happy gang run across Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin, and the glass-cracking presence of a dementor. From the train, the game takes off and progresses at Hogwarts through a series of battles, missions and clues, ending in the dramatic scene on the great lakeshore of the wizarding school.

Fans will also enjoy learning new spells in classes, flying on a Hippogriff, and uncovering the mystery behind Sirius Black while gathering magic collector cards. These cards can unlock doors that lead to sub-quests.

The real beauty of this game is its connectivity. Using a Nintendo link cable, you can connect two GBAs and then trade collector cards or take on multiple two-player challenges. If you have a Nintendo Gamecube and a version of the game for the same console, you can also connect your GBA. Purchase an Owl Care Kit from Fred and George Weasley from the Nintendo Gamecube and download it to your GBA. The Owl Care Kit allows you to groom, pet, exercise, and teach your owl. Once your owl is ready, you can upload it to the Gamecube and take part in the owl races.

If you're tired of quests and long for arcade type games, you can shift to the mini-games. Wizard Cracker Pop is a no-brainer where you pop crackers to your heart's delight. If anything, the popping, which sounds a lot like bursting bubble wrap, is addicting. Buckbeak's Hippogriff Glide is still a game I need to figure out while Riddikulus Boggart Challenge is exactly what it is: a ridiculously fun challenge wherein four wizards take turns in casting spells over a cornered victim. The fourth game remains unlocked until all three mini-games are completed. Now if only that stubborn hippogriff would cooperate.

Even for the GBA's tiny screen, the graphics are finely crafted with well thought-out details from sunlight pouring in through windows to nails on the floorboards. Harry and his gang however, look too small to be in their adolescent years. This would no doubt garner a "tsk-tsk" from Harry Potter purists. You could tone down the music because it's mostly the same all throughout the adventure and can get irritating. The sound effects aren't that bad. Doors unlocking, spells being cast, and a defeated Harry groaning all add to the charm of the game.

If you're on a long train ride dreaming you're on your way to wizard school, then this GBA game will be good company. But if you're at home, you'd be better off booting up your PC and immersing yourself in a game of real, hard-core RPG.