Dragons are the stuff of legend. Throughout history, and in nearly every single culture known to man, there are legends of these beasts. Their presence, though never proven, has fired our imaginations and our thirst for proof since the dawn of history. So it’s no surprise dragons have made their way into video games. This week, we decided to take a quick look at some of our favorite video game dragons. Some of them are friendly, and some of them are formidable foes. But no matter their alignment, they all have brought marvel and wonder to video games.
Ash (Kameo: Elements of Power)
One of the ten Elemental Warriors, Ash is a Fire-elemental fighter. He is given to Kameo by her Great Uncle Halis. He is a powerful Elemental Warrior who can not only breathe fire, but also shoot fireballs that go up walls in a straight line. He can even set enormously powerful fire traps that engulf any enemy who is unfortunate enough to step into them.
Spyro
From the original release to Skylanders , this purple dragon’s reign of fire has been seen all over the world and across several platforms, and he is priming his flame breath for his upcoming appearance in the next Skylanders entry. Spyro, like all dragons, has the gift of flight and fire. But unlike other dragons, he also possesses a quick wit and charm seldom seen among the others of his kind.
The Elemental Dragon Gods (Chrono Cross)
When the Dragon God was subjugated by Chronopolis, he was divided into six elemental forms. Each of these six elemental dragons were given an island to themselves. The Dragon God is a machine given sentience by Dragonian science. And the six derivatives are no less sentient, or lethal, than the first. They communicate with one another, waiting for their chance to strike back at the supercomputer that separated them.
Wu’s Dragon (True Crime: Streets of L.A.)
I remember well hearing that all-too-familiar voice of James Hong as I went to face Ancient Wu. But then he rambles on about the Yin balancing the Yang as he summons demons and concubines from the lava around him. Then, he summons a Chinese dragon. You have to fight and kill it with pistols. Yes. You kill a mythological Chinese dragon, summoned from lava, with a pistol, under the streets of Los Angeles.
Fracktail and Wracktail (Super Paper Mario)
Wracktail is a robotic dragon who was locked away by the Tribe of Ancients. He is awakened by you and says he will kill you for awakening him. He also serves as the prototype for the robo-dragon Fracktail. Fracktail, created from bits of Wracktail, lives at the bottom of the Flipside Pit of 100 Trials. He also, alongside his predecessor, is one of the largest enemies faced in the Mario series to date.
Bahamut (Final Fantasy)
Having reared his head in many of the Final Fantasy titles, Bahamut is the most summoned character in the series. He is a formidable dragon with non-elemental flare attacks, such as Mega-Flare, Giga-Flare, and Exa-Flare (depending on the game he appears in). The player must usually prove himself worthy to summon the dragon by besting him in combat before being allowed access to his power.
Flemeth (Dragon Age: Origins)
When Flemeth engages in combat, she takes the form of the High Dragon. Though lacking in maneuverability, she more than makes up for it in power. Her melee attacks can crush players in short order. And her elemental attacks strike hard and far enough that players will want to keep their ranged attackers as far from her as humanly possible.
Alduin (Skyrim)
Alduin was accidentally sent into the fourth age of Tamriel by ancient Nords trying to dispel him from the world in their time. But rather than becoming lost in time and never to return, Alduin was flung into the future and would ensure the destruction of Nirn. He fears no one, not even the Dovakiin. In fact, he is so arrogant that he mocks you even if you wield the weapons of the ancient Nords against him.
Priscilla (Dark Souls)
Being a crossbreed of a dragon could have its advantages. But unfortunately, that’s not true for Priscilla. She was banished to the Painted World of Ariamis because of her hybrid nature. She stands in a tower near the edge of some ruins in the Painted World and watches over all who share it with her. She also possesses the power of the Life-Hunt, which is said that even the gods fear. That could be the other reason she was banished.
The Ender Dragon (Minecraft)
The Ender Dragon is a large, black dragon with purple eyes that shows up in–you guessed it–The End. The Ender Dragon can destroy any blocks it comes into contact with except for a very few like obsidian or bedrock. As it passes through blocks, it causes an explosion, sending blocks in all directions. The coolest thing is that if you beat this guy, you could conceivably go from level zero experience to level 78 immediately.