11 best dragon games to play on PlayStation, Xbox & PC in 2023: Elden Ring, Dragon Age & Spyro
Our coverage of the 11 best dragon games to play on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2023 will ensure you can find something where the legendary fantasy creatures have a big presence.
'Dragon games' can be a vague term up for interpretation, so we decided on games where dragons are featured prominently - whether you play as one, find yourself fighting them, or just befriend them.
This gives us room to recommend a number of great games that range in their genre but still meet the important criteria of featuring the scaly sky lizards.
So, if you want to know 11 of the best dragon games to play right now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2023, we've got you covered.
- We've also covered the best pirate games to play in 2023.
11 best dragon games to play in 2023
Whether you've played a tonne of dragon games or are just dipping your toes into the more fantastical side of video gaming, here are the 11 best dragon games to play in 2023.
#11 - Dragon Age: Inquisition
Click to enlarge- Developer: BioWare
- Release date: November 2014
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC
- Key features:
- Large cast of characters and companions
- Overhauled combat from previous games
- Multiple large zones
- Everyone is covered in baby oil
As the third Dragon Age title, with Inquisition, Bioware sought to combine the most beloved elements of the first two games into one package and essentially stuck the landing.
Going for the typical chosen one narrative, you'll play as the sole survivor of an explosion that opens up the metaphysical boundary between the physical world and the Fade, which is imbued with the power to close these rifts and stop a forthcoming demon invasion.
Along the way, you'll befriend a wide cast of characters who help you in combat, especially against the powerful dragon enemies that wander many of the zones you can explore in the game.
#10 - Skyrim
Click to enlarge- Developer: Bethesda Softworks
- Release date: November 2011
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC
- Key features:
- Interactivity with the world
- Freedom to explore and build your character your way
- Progression system
- The Randy Savage dragon mod
What can we say about Skyrim that hasn't already been said? As one of the best dragon games to play, it's highly acclaimed and one of the most played games of all time. While there are definitely those who dispute its greatness - with some saying it's only a great game because of mods - it's hard to deny its longevity and effect on the gaming world.
Not only do you get to fight a lot of dragons in Skyrim, but you also play half of one as the prophesied Dragonborn, a humanoid imbued with the power of dragons and the Way of the Voice.
Skyrim provides an expansive world to explore and sink yourself into, with a tonne of quests to complete, characters to meet, and creatures to slay in whatever way you want.
- Why not check out the 20 best Skyrim mods in 2023, if you are planning on playing on PC?
#9 - Monster Hunter World
Click to enlarge- Developer: Capcom
- Release date: 26 January 2018
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
- Key features:
- Interconnected worlds
- Huge monsters to slay
- Challenging combat
- Rewarding progression system
Sure, Monster Hunter Rise is newer, but Monster Hunter World remains the pinnacle of the franchise for us - even after five years.
The franchise has perfected the loop of battling huge monsters, breaking them down into parts, and then using those parts to hunt bigger monsters and start the cycle again, and each weapon feels wholly unique.
The New World is certainly a dangerous place, but you can bring your friends for four-player co-op - and the Iceborne expansion is just as good (and even tougher).
- Why not check out our preview of Monster Hunter Now
#8 - Panzer Dragoon: Remake
Click to enlarge- Developer: MegaPixel Studio
- Release date: March 2020
- Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC
- Key features:
- You play as a dragon
- Remake of a classic title
- Beautiful aesthetic
- Did we mention you play as a dragon?
An entire generation of gamers will have grown up likely not even knowing about the Panzer Dragoon series considering the last title released in 2002. Luckily, a remake of the first game came out in 2020, giving players a chance to try a formative game from the early years of 3D gaming.
Panzer Dragoon is an on-rails shooter set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans are recovering technology from the highly-advanced Dragon Age (not that one). You'll control a dragon as the protagonist Keil Fluge, soaring through various colourful levels, defeating monsters and humans before taking on the level boss.
The remake comes with overhauled controls and graphics, and while the limited nature of an on-rails shooter may not be for everyone, it's a great way to experience an important genre in gaming history.
#7 - Metroid Prime Remastered
Click to enlarge- Developer: Retro Studios
- Release date: February 2023
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch
- Key features:
- Metroidvania design perfection
- Improved controls and graphics
- Fun collectables for a 100% run
- Space pirates!
Metroid Prime Remastered is closer to a remake than the name suggests, modernising one of the most important FPS games of all time for a new audience.
Like the previous Metroid games, you'll play space bounty hunter Samus Aran as she fights space pirates and their biological experiments with powerful creatures called Metroids that threaten the galaxy.
The main antagonist and leader of the space pirates is a cybernetic dragon called Ridley (who's very angry about being blown up by Samus in the first game) and is out for revenge. Explore a deeply interconnected world, fight a plethora of creative bosses, and kit yourself out with a number of enhancements on the way to defeat Ridley once and for all.
- Make sure to check out our Metroid Prime Remastered review if you aren't convinced
#6 - Baldur's Gate 3
Click to enlarge- Developer: Larian Studios
- Release date: August 2023
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC
- Key features:
- Incredible role-playing depth
- Closest game to the experience of Dungeons & Dragons
- Strategic turn-based combat
- You can make love to a Druid in bear form
It's worth noting that Baldur's Gate 3 is only out on PC at the time of writing, but it's coming to PS5 in September and Xbox at a later date.
A long-awaited new entry in the iconic franchise, Baldur's Gate 3 is on track to be the most expansive CRPG of all time, focusing in on the idea that player choice is most important above all else.
It's fair to say dragons don't appear as frequently in BG3 as some other titles on this list, but like any good D&D session, when they do appear, it's a big moment you'll want to be ready for, and will most certainly remember.
#5 - Dragon's Dogma
Click to enlarge- Developer: Capcom
- Release date: May 2012
- Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
- Key features:
- Pawn system
- Deep combat and creature encounters
- Detailed magic system
- Climbing on top of massive beasts and stabbing them in the face
Dragon's Dogma is an often overlooked action role-playing game, but its expanded Dark Arisen version which was released in the late 2010s really got people to appreciate what made it so special.
Combat is where the game shines, allowing for a shocking variety of ways to play thanks to the deep class mechanics and pawn system that allows you to form a party of very useful AI allies.
The combat is at its best when you and the party are dealing with much larger creatures (dragons too, we didn't forget the point of this list) as more nimble characters can climb up them to deal damage in critical areas or help immobilise them. Very few games do scale like Dragon's Dogma, and it's a perfect time to jump in as the sequel is set to come out within the next couple of years.
- If you're looking for isometric action RPGs, check out the best games to play like Diablo 4
#4 - Spyro Reignited Trilogy
Click to enlarge- Developer: Toys for Bob
- Release date: November 2018
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
- Key features:
- Fun platforming
- Three games in one
- Colourful and wholesome
- We hope you like collectables
An easy pick for our best dragon games list is Spyro the Dragon - an icon and mascot of the video game medium. Everyone should experience what it's like to play as the cheeky and mischievous teenage dragon at least once, and the best way to do so is the recent remakes.
The Spyro Reignited Trilogy packages all three games into one, remaking them all with modern graphics and controls, while staying faithful to the spirit of the originals.
Each game features similar plots, with Spyro being forced to explore various worlds to save his kind and others from mean orcs and other monsters. The core of the gameplay is collecting though, essentially making the Spyro games collectathons like the 3D Marios or Banzo Kazooie, where you hunt down gems or dragon eggs to progress to the next stage or world.
#3 - Dark Souls
Click to enlarge- Developer: FromSoftware
- Release date: September 2011
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC
- Key features:
- Excellent world design
- Engaging and challenging combat
- Epic boss fights
- You may need a backup controller if you break your first one
The Golden Joystick Awards crowned Dark Souls as the Ultimate Game of All Time, and it's incredibly easy to see why.
The influence of Dark Souls and the subsequent Soulslike genre it helped birth has permeated gaming since 2011, with seemingly every third-person action RPG taking inspiration from the game's design in some way or another.
You all know the shtick at this point: it's a really hard and often punishing game, yes, but that difficulty only serves to make each victory that much more rewarding and meaningful. You'll remember the feeling of conquering Undead Burg for the first time or defeating the Bell Gargoyles, and it's the type of gaming experience that'll likely stick with you forever.
As for dragons, you can cut off a dragon's tail and wield it as a weapon, and join a dragon cult. That's enough to be considered a dragon game, right?
- We've also covered the best games like Dark Souls, if you want to learn more about Soulslikes
#2 - Final Fantasy XIV
Click to enlarge- Developer: Square Enix
- Release date: August 2012
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC
- Key features:
- Free-to-play
- Huge player base
- Acclaimed progression system with depth
- The best emotes in any MMO
The original release of Final Fantasy XIV was a colossal failure to the point that it was shut down within the year, but after a lot of reworking, a new version subtitled A Realm Reborn was released to massive success, leading to it being one of the most popular MMOs in the world today.
A number of expansions later, the game is chock-full of things to do, with complex player progression and customisation, a deep narrative with some surprisingly touching moments, and some of the best boss encounters in MMOs.
Many of the dragon fights feel epic thanks to them requiring a large party of players, allowing you to share a rare moment of kinship with complete strangers. The beauty of video games, eh?
What's the best dragon game to play in 2023?
#1 - Elden Ring
Click to enlarge- Developer: FromSoftware
- Release date: February 2022
- Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
- Key features:
- Huge scale
- Tonnes of memorable boss fights
- Incredible build variety
- "Try finger but hole" messages
Last year was undoubtedly the year of Elden Ring, with it being the most acclaimed, most memorable, and most fun game you could get your hands on.
Making the switch from the more curated Metroidvania-inspired level design of the Souls franchise, Elden Ring moved to an open world that drastically altered its scale, and a design that naturally entices you to explore.
Every corner had something worth visiting, whether it be a new piece of equipment, boss fight, or dragon to slay (there really are a lot of dragon fights in this game, it's a bit silly).
Elden Ring is going to remain in our collective gaming conscience for a long time, and with the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, it may get even better.
That's our full list of the 11 best dragon games to play on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC in 2023, and now you know a bunch of great games that heavily feature iconic creatures. For more lists, stay on GGRecon.