Even if you don’t like lizards, you have to admit: dragons are pretty cool. Maybe it’s because many of them can fly, have elemental powers, and are typically ancient creatures of unknowable power. From fables to films to folklore, you can find dragons almost anywhere.
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Video games are no exception. While dragons feature more heavily in medieval-style RPGs than anywhere else, that doesn’t mean that’s the only place you’ll find them. If you want a little more draconic influence, these games will keep you sated.
10Spyro The Dragon
Fighting dragons is cool. Being a dragon, though? Much cooler.Spyro The Dragonputs you in control of the titular purple dragon after an attack by Gnasty Gnorc in the Dragon Kingdom turned all his kin into crystal. So, it’s up to him — and you — to set things right.
Despite being over two decades old at this point, Spyro still manages to feel fresh — we just don’t get to play as dragons very often, so the novelty never wore off. Spyro is a little more cutesy than most examples, but, really, what would the world be without this PS1 classic?
9Any Pokemon Game
While they aren’t technically dragons, Dragon-typePokemonhave been a mainstay in the series since its inception. From the adorable Dragonite to the fearsome Rayquaza, dragons come in all shapes and sizes in Pokemon.
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Dragon-type Pokemon also often boast higher HP stats than most other Pokemon and have especially strong attacks. But, really, the reason you probably pick a Dragon-type Pokemon is because they look cool. It’s just a bonus that they have good stats.
8Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
What, it’s fun! The dragons ofPaper Mario: The Thousand-Year Doorcome in three variations, with two serving as mandatory boss encounters, and the third as the final test of a grueling combat trial. These dragons can and will speak, though they mostly chat about what (or who) they will eat next.
Despite their cartoony appearances, their sheer size and voracious appetites give them an intimidating edge, which feels unfamiliar in a Mario game. They eat your audience to restore health, all while bad-mouthing you. Who knew origami-like creature design could feel so spooky… and be so rude?
7Dark Souls
While every entry in the Dark Souls series has great dragons, there’s something about the scaled behemoths of the firstDark Soulsthat inspire awe and terror in equal measure. They are ancient, fathomless beasts, the usurped rulers of an age long since past, their power waning but not gone, not yet.
How could you explain your first encounter with the Gaping Dragon, a creature whose ribcage has become a maw in service of its ravenous hunger? Or the terrible beauty of Seath the Scaleless,who strikes fear into your heartnot due to his appearance, but his monstrous ambition? These echoes of a forgotten age shadow your every move, and the game is all the better for it.
6Elden Ring
If there’s one thing FromSoft loves, it’s ancient dragons. Much like in Dark Souls, the dragons ofElden Ringare the remnants of a powerful people brought to their knees by “divine” conquest. Even the weakest among them pack a punch — who doesn’t remember the first time they stumbled upon Flying Dragon Agheel and got utterly destroyed, after all?
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While the field boss dragons are wonderful additions to this rich open world, the ancient dragons you come across are the most impressive. Look at the design of Dragonlord Placidusax, at the sheer scale of it, and attempt to deny its magnificence. Elden Ring’s dragons feel endless and fill the world with complexity and questions.
5The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim
Well, of course. Dragons are one of the selling points ofThe Elder Scrolls: Skyrim— and you are playing as “The Dragonborn,” after all. You must defeat a dragon deity known as Alduin, a being of chaos poised to consume the world. To do this, you must strengthen your “Thu’um” ability by absorbing the souls of defeated dragons.
And, lucky for you, Alduin has been resurrecting his long-dead brethren left and right, giving you plenty of opportunities to test your mettle… and to power up. They’re out there in the snowy drifts of Skyrim. Don’t keep them waiting.
4The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Swimming through that endless sky, you see the silhouettes of dragons. No one forgets the first time they laid eyes on the three dragons ofBreath of the Wild, andTears of the Kingdomkeeps that sense of awe intact. Their soothing leitmotif as they carve through the clouds and the Depths fill you with peace. No matter what you’re doing, you’re able to take a moment to bask in their beauty.
Tears of the Kingdom adds a few more dragons to the medley. The Light Dragon circles the highest points of the sky, their tears serving as a guide to the past. It’s not all peaceful, though —the reimagined Gleeoks, who take the appearance of a three-headed western dragon, act as overworld bosses and will put the fear of the Hylian Goddesses into you.
3Dragon Age: Inquisition
Yes, of course, all theDragon Agegames feature dragons in one way or another. But it’sDragon Age: Inquisitionthat does it best — giving you massive, teeth-clenching battles that test your endurance, your will, and your party’s strength.
A few dragons serve as mandatory battles, depending on your choices. But it’s the overworld, optional High Dragon boss battles that make Inquisition truly worthwhile. Thrilling and terrifying, these dragons are forces of nature, and no two are exactly the same.
2Final Fantasy 16
Bahamut has been a mainstay inFinal Fantasyfor ages, a dragon that commands respect with its name alone. Still, it’sFinal Fantasy 16where Bahamut shines, not just because the character who acts as its “Dominant” is interesting and likeable. No — this Bahamut gives you one of Final Fantasy’s most dramatic, spectacular boss fights.
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There are other dragons in FF16, some big and some small, but they feel minuscule compared to Bahamut. There’s a reason Bahamut issuch a powerful summonin other Final Fantasy games — and FF16 reminds us of that.
1God Of War: Ragnarok
Many of the scaled creatures inGod of War: Ragnarokcould qualify as dragons in a loose sense. Even Jörmungandr, the World Serpent, could fit the definition if you wanted to stretch it. But, if you want to be more precise, creatures like Nidhogg and the overworld dragons you can find, fit the bill much easier.
The dragons of God of War generally feel more beastly and mindless than most of the other examples on this list. Instead of the creators of ancient civilizations, they are creatures with more primal instincts — more like the dragons of old European folklore.
