Harry Potter Wizards Unite: Beta game released in Australia and New Zealand

Players need to use spells to return magical creatures and artefacts back to the wizarding world

A Beta version of Harry Potter Wizards Unite has just been released for the public to try in Australia and New Zealand.

The new mobile game uses augmented reality - better known as AR - to layer a virtual world over the real world, similar to the format of Pokemon Go.

However, it's only a test version at the moment, which might have a few bugs or missing features, which will be sorted for the finished version.

In Wizards Unite, players can pick their wizarding house, build a wand, dual or team up with their friends to use magic to take down big threats.

Explore the world and cast spells to level up

Just like Pokemon Go, players can explore the real world using the virtual map in the game and interact with virtual magical creatures.

The story begins with you starting a new job at the Statute of Secrecy Task Force, established by the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards, to investigate and deal with something called 'the calamity'.

The calamity has caused artefacts, creatures, people and even memories to mysteriously appear in the muggle world - and it's a player's job to return these 'foundables' to the wizarding world, safe from muggles' eyes.

Players can also choose to specialise in different magical jobs - for example, aurors, magizoologists and professors. Each have their own unique skills and abilities which will come in handy at different times, particularly during wizarding challenges.

It also looks like the game includes an energy count - similar to that in the previous Harry Potter game: Hogwarts Mystery - which was quite controversial.

This means you can only do so many things before you run out of energy and have to wait for it to refill.

In Wizards Unite, it states you can stop at 'inns' to collect food and drinks, which will replenish your spell energy.

Players can also team up with their friends to take down high-level threats in big, real-time events.

There's no official release date for the game just yet

Games makers often release beta versions of games to get people to try them out and make sure they're working OK.

Wizards Unite is made by Niantic, the company behind Pokemon Go and WB Games.

The game will be a free-to-play but will also have micro-transactions, meaning you can spend real money in the game to help you progress faster.

The game was originally set for release in 2018, but it has been delayed until this year, with no official worldwide release day yet.