Niantic and Pokemon are a match made in heaven. Using augmented reality and geo-data to populate our mundane world with fantastical, collectable creatures fulfilled the childhood fantasies of many a grown-up ‘90s kid, while managing to win over their parents, grandparents, and children as well. It makes sense then to try and make lightning strike twice with an equally – if not even more voraciously – beloved franchise: the wizarding world of Harry Potter. A collaborative effort between Niantic, Warner Bros. Games San Francisco, and WB’s new Harry Potter publishing label, Portkey Games, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite shares a lot of DNA with Pokemon Go, from the encounter design to the global-scale geo-data underpinning the whole game. But although the central conceit doesn’t line up quite as perfectly as with Pokemon, it’s obvious that a lot of effort has gone into smoothing this disconnect with new features, fresh ideas, and a lot of nerdiness. A Wizarding World When you first load up Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, the familiar map interface looks very, very similar to Niantic’s previous games, Ingress and Pokemon Go, just wallpapered in Harry Potter’s characteristic faux-British style. Smoke rises from stovepipe chimneys on spired rooftops, while owls…