Menacing Beasts We Can't Help But Love
Providing every game a nice touch of fantasy, dragons are beloved mythical creatures that work great as fun protagonists to play or difficult opponents to beat. Many of your favorite fandoms from Game of Thrones to Pokemon all carry unique dragon characters, so let's review them all. How many of these do you know and love?
1. Charizard from Pokemon
Is there any Pokemon in this universe more iconic than Charizard (besides Pikachu of course!)? This orange, fiery, and fearsome dragon is one everyone wants in their collection and for good reason. If you manage to find one in mint condition, you'll be swimming in cash for sure.
2. Smaug from The Hobbit
What's cooler than a talking dragon with an unsatiable thirst for gold? Smaug is the main enemy in the beloved Hobbit novel who faces off against Bilbo Baggins and the dwarves. He's cunning, terrifying, and unbelievably powerful, making it easy to see why he'd make it on this list.
3. Alduin from Skyrim
As the primary antagonist in the beloved classic game, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Alduin has the most terrifying yet gorgeous design for a dragon. Sometimes referred to as The World Eater thanks to his immense power and ability to destroy worlds, this menacing dragon certainly looks the part. With his bright red eyes, intense scales, and dark colors, we can't help but admire the beautiful art put into creating this monster.
4. Spyro from Spyro
This small purple dragon complete with golden yellow details is certainly one of the cuter ones on this list. We're pretty certain that many of you grew up playing this series of popular platformer games that all center around Spyro. We loved all of his fun abilities including breathing fire, mid-air attacks, and other playful nods to his dragon characteristics.
5. Ender Dragon from Minecraft
As one of the most popular games to ever exist, it's hard to find a kid or teen who doesn't know what the Ender Dragon is. As the largest monster in the game, this scary boss isn't afraid to ruin your day as soon as you enter the End. While the fight might be challenging, taking out this beast will grant you a huge boost in experience points that's hard to resist.
6. Dragonlord Placidusax from Elden Ring
Known for its exceptionally hard gameplay, you just know that Dragonlord Placidusax is a legendary boss in Elden Ring that's going to put up a difficult fight. This gigantic, two-headed dragon doesn't just look horrifying, he's got the skills to match. But while you try your best to take out this powerful beast, we know you're simultaneously appreciating the amazing character design and art.
7. Ruined Dragon "Lord Of Lightning" from Super Mario Odyssey
One of the most popular Mario games in the entire franchise, everyone was able to watch in awe as the Ruined Dragon (or Lord of Lightning) appeared on screen. This huge purple dragon coming from the Ruined Kingdom doesn't quite feel like the usual cutesy Nintendo style of characters, but many fans warmly embraced the change. After all, it's hard not to with art like that!
8. Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion from Game of Thrones
As far as TV shows go, it's hard to beat CGI as good as Game of Thrones. Helping Daenerys Targaryen become the mighty Mother of Dragons feared by all, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion were three mighty beasts anyone would cower in front of. Fans loved how devastatingly powerful they each looked, with Drogon obviously being the favorite.
9. Blue-Eyes White Dragon from Yu-Gi-Oh!
Arguably the most famous and beloved card from the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is cool beyond measure. With its sleek and menacing design, every kid desperately wanted this card in their collection growing up. And if you manage to get your hands on one now, it'll be worth around $2000 depending on its condition.
10. Dragonite from Pokemon
If we're going to include Charizard on this list, we of course can't leave out the second most popular dragon-type Pokemon, Dragonite! Though this adorable-looking dragon may seem all cute and cuddly, you don't want to go up against one. With impressive speed and attack, this card is a worthy addition to any trainer's collection.
Michael Ocampo from United States on Wikimedia
11. Dracolich from Dungeons & Dragons
With "dragons" literally in the name of this table-top game, it's expected that it has some of the coolest dragons of any fandom. Dracolich is a popular one, with its unique undead characteristic making it one that's hard to beat. Able to possess any dead reptilian body, this supernatural element alongside its other powers and abilities create the most exciting and thrilling campaigns.
12. Fin Fang Foom from Marvel
Created by the Marvel geniuses Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Fin Fang Foom isn't exactly a dragon but an alien that looks like one. Still, it's such an iconic character we couldn't leave it off this list. Making its first appearance back in Strange Tales #89, this beast carries a wide range of abilities such as flying at incredible speeds, super strength, fast healing, and shooting out acid from his mouth. We'd be interested in seeing if Fin Fang Foom will make a film appearance anytime soon!
13. King Ghidorah from Godzilla
One of the most memorable kaijus from the Godzilla universe, King Ghidorah is a gigantic dragon carrying three deadly heads. Fans love how monstrous this beast looks and when combined with its strength and ability to blast "gravity beams," it makes him a worthy opponent for Godzilla, King of the Monsters.
14. Hungarian Horntail from Harry Potter
Making its appearance in the 4th Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Gobet of Fire, the Hungarian Horntail sure had us nervous for our beloved hero's life. Seems like Potter's always getting the short end of the stick, right? Though we still wanted him to win, we also couldn't help but admire the awesome writing that brought this aggressive and violent dragon to life.
Jeremy Thompson from United States of America on Wikimedia
15. Haku from Spirited Away
Don't worry Studio Ghibli fans, we knew we couldn't leave out Haku from Spirited Away on this list. Both man and dragon, fans admire this character's kind heart and bravery. We absolutely love the design too, with the teal, mint, and white colors giving him such an ethereal and magical appearance. Combined with the rest of the film's breathtaking art and story, this anime continues to win us over and over again, just as Haku does every time.
16. Murktide Regent from Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is a popular card game that has been gaining more and more attention in recent times. While there are many cool and powerful cards that can easily guarantee wins, many fans particularly love Murktide Regent which is an awesome dragon card of mythic rarity. We love its classic design and pops of blue that give it a unique, swampy feel.
17. Red Dragon from Dungeons & Dragons
Known for their unbelievable selfishness and greed, the Red Dragons from D&D were incredibly large, powerful, and difficult opponents to face. This breed of chromatic true dragons in the game were simply cruel and evil creatures looking to destroy and wreak havoc. And while that sounds absolutely horrifying, it makes for a great campaign and adventure.
18. Rayquaza from Pokemon
Often a favorite Pokemon for many, most fans of this fictional world come to appreciate the cool design of Rayquaza. After all, this massive green and snake-like dragon has a unique futuristic look to it that's hard not to love. Combine that with its legendary status and it has every trainer looking to collect it.
19. Shyvana from League of Legends
Able to transform into a dragon that unleashes huge bursts of damage, Shyvana is such a fun champion to play in League of Legends. We love how unique her kit of abilities are and we certainly can't complain about her high damage output particularly in aram. You can easily one shot anybody with your fireball in dragon form!
20. Bowser from Super Mario
Is there any video game dragon more iconic and recognizable than Bowser? This Koopa is always up to no good, capturing Princess Peach and making Mario's life a mess. While it's certainly annoying for Mario to deal with, we're just happy getting to join in on all the fun adventures! We can say confidently that without this hilarious villain, the franchise would not be the same.
