12 Best Video Games Where You Play As A Dragon

Dragons are a staple of fantasy in books, movies, and of course, games. Powerful and intelligent, they’re usually a critical ally or dangerous enemy. It’s rare for the protagonist to actually be a dragon, though.

We’ve put together a list of games that put the player in the role of an honest-to-Bahamut dragon. Specifically, these games let you either play as a dragon or transform into one as a key element of gameplay. We aren’t including games that have the hero riding or commanding a dragon, so games like Drakengard and Panzer Dragoon Saga are out. If you’re looking for a game that lets you burninate the countryside in epic fashion, these are the ones for you.

Updated on November 4, 2022 by Matt Arnold: One of the best new fantasy 4X games around, Age Of Wonders 4, has an option to play as a dragon right from the start of a campaign, so naturally we had to add it to the list. We also added Day Of Dragons, an ambitious early-access survival sandbox.

12

Pathfinder: Wrath Of The Righteous (2021)

The newest Pathfinder title includes a questline that spans almost the entire game. If your character is a paragon of virtue and mercy, they’ll be rewarded with the ability to transform into a Gold Dragon, unleashing their full might as a protector of the weak.

Throughout the game, you’ll need to recover the claw and scale of Terendelev and spare the life of a cultist in the dragon’s lair. If you’ve done everything correctly, you’ll be offered the chance to claim draconic power for yourself in the final act!

11

Reign Of Fire (2002)

Video game adaptations of movies don’t always turn out well, so it would be easy to dismiss this game based on the mediocre CGI-fest of the same name. However, Kudu Entertainment’s decision to have both a human and a dragon campaign in Reign of Fire made the video game the best thing to come out of the Matthew McConaughey/Christian Bale film. Like the movie, the game takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting where dragons have appeared in vast numbers and replaced humans as the dominant species on Earth. Once you’ve played through the human campaign, where you drive around in various combat vehicles shooting dragons and eventually saving the world, the dragon campaign unlocks and the real fun begins.

Once you’re given the chance to fly around as a dragon, torching fields and exploding trains with well-placed fireballs, there isn’t much reason to return to the human campaign. Sure, the missions don’t always feel balanced, but the catharsis of the dragon gameplay in Reign of Fire is undeniable. Best of all, an unintended Easter egg is written into the game’s story through the magic of hindsight; the final battle where the player’s dragon destroys the last bastion of humanity takes place in 2020.

10

Day Of Dragons (2019)

While it’s been in early access for some time now, Day Of Dragons has plenty of promise. If you like open-world survival games with a competitive bent, consider trading in your cobbled-together axes and jury-rigged shotguns for wings and fire breath. That’s right, every character in Day of Dragons is a mighty wyrm!

You’ll start each character as a mere hatchling, but given enough time to grow and establish dominance over your territory, you can grow into a dragon whose name is feared throughout the land. Of course, other players will be vying to do the same, and dragons aren’t known to share.

9

Dragon Rage (2016)

Dragon Rage lets you get out all your pent-up aggression as a chonky red dragon whose sole purpose is destruction. This side-scrolling dopamine overload sees the player devouring villagers, tearing down castles, and roasting knights until nothing is left. If that’s not enough, a well-fed dragon can lay eggs and unleash her hatchlings to join in the fun or enter Rampage Mode to incinerate all in her path.

It’s not all mindless carnage, though – the game’s combo system rewards strategic gameplay, so really Dragon Rage is about mindful carnage. Prioritizing targets, destroying buildings at the right time, and carefully deploying Rampage Mode are all essential if you want your dragon’s legendary hissy-fit to be remembered for all time.

8

Dragon Spirit (1987)

There are plenty of retro shoot-’em-ups in space. The NES title Dragon Spirit took the classic genre and made it fantasy, putting the player in control of a dragon out to save the world from evil. It’s a fun take on other games of the era like Xevious or 1942. Upgrades cause the player’s dragon to mutate and adapt its form – for example, getting a double shot will make the dragon grow a second head.

Dragon Spirit is also notable for its “Level 0” at the start of each run that determines the difficulty for the entire game. If the player dies on this first stage, they get an easy campaign in a world where evil has largely already been vanquished. If Level 0 is successfully completed, however, Dragon Spirit’s much more challenging true storyline starts up.

7

I Of The Dragon (2002)

This forgotten gem allows the player to both create and destroy, fighting against an evil cult while shepherding their own followers. The protagonist in I Of The Dragon is destined to save the world, so the pillaging won’t be quite as indiscriminate as in other dragon games. The player gets to choose from one of three dragons to play as, each with their own stats and unique breath weapon (fire, ice, or poison).

The dragon’s features even change as they level up, growing larger horns or tail spikes depending on how they grow. I Of The Dragon wasn’t well-received at launch due to the repetitive nature of the campaign, but it’s worth checking out in retrospect – heck, after twenty years, maybe it’s time for a reboot!

6

Fire And Steel (2021)

Casually destroying dozens of enemies is the main draw of playing as a dragon. At the end of the day, though, you’re the bad guy – those knights you barbecued were trying to protect people! If only you could incinerate hordes of enemies and not have to feel bad about it! Fire and Steel has the answer, eliminating all doubt in the rightness of your actions by letting you take to the skies and kill some Nazis.

This recent title from Kreatin Studios casts the player as a dormant dragon who is roused from his slumber beneath a World War II battlefield. Hungry and cranky, the dragon vents his wrath on everything in his path. Technically you’re fighting against both sides of the conflict, but let’s be honest; the real joy of Fire and Steel is lighting up the Luftwaffe and punishing Panzers with pyrotechnics.

5

Spyro The Dragon (1998)

Most of the games on this list are one-off titles – they emerged from their lairs, burned their way into our hearts, and returned to slumber atop their hoards. Spyro, on the other hand, has grown into a gaming icon over the last two decades.

The tiny purple dragon brought a fresh perspective to 3D platformers when he first appeared on the PS1 and has since had numerous titles and even some spinoffs. For our money, though, the original is still the best for good, old-fashioned gliding, hunting, and fire-breathing gameplay.

4

Hoard (2011)

Hoard provides a strategy-game twist on the usual draconic destruct-a-thon, challenging the player to burn villages and gather loot in easily-digestible ten-minute matches. With four game modes and over 35 maps, this indie title offers plenty of replay value. Its board game aesthetic makes it a perfect title to revisit as tabletop games become more and more popular.

Best of all, it offers both co-op and competitive multiplayer, allowing players to work together to amass the largest possible pile of gold or to gleefully raid one another’s hoards to prove they are the dominant dragon.

3

Divinity: Dragon Commander (2013)

One of the most unique games in Larian Studios‘ library, Divinity: Dragon Commander sees the player negotiate alliances, strategize for war from the deck of their airship, and transform into a dragon to support their troops in battle. It’s a far cry from the CRPG fare of other Divinity games — in fact, it’s a far cry from other games, full stop.

It’s also a fascinating look into what Larian was up to a full decade before their global mega-hit, Baldur’s Gate 3.

If you’re looking for a unique gameplay experience in a beautifully-presented fantasy world, give this one a try. Did we mention the dragon has a freaking jet engine mounted on its back? Yeah, maybe we should have led with that.

2

Breath Of Fire 3 (1997)

Capcom‘s classic JRPG series is largely defunct today, but in its heyday, it offered some fantastic adventures. Each game in the franchise centered on a different blue-haired protagonist named Ryu who could transform into a dragon. The third (and arguably best) Breath of Fire game allowed Ryu to combine various dragon genes he inherited throughout his journey to modify his draconic form. Breath of Fire 3 was one of the best-looking RPGs of the PS1 era and had plenty of memorable characters including the winged princess Nina (who also had an alter-ego in every other Breath of Fire game) and a sentient onion.

1

Age Of Wonders 4 (2023)

Age Of Wonders 4 offers some of the best customization around when it comes to fantasy 4X strategy. You can tailor everything from your ruler’s magical style to the culture of your people, and it will affect gameplay in myriad ways. With the Dragon’s Dawn DLC, you can step out of the usual boundaries and take on the role of a Dragon, ruling over a kingdom of smaller creatures.

Dragons, naturally, are powerful combatants compared to more run-of-the-mill heroes, but they can’t benefit from equipment or artifacts. Instead, they can put the shiny trinkets in their hoard to better show off their resplendence and glory!