Dragons Dawn of New Riders Nintendo Switch Game Review

A cozy companion to the new movie.

Reviewed by Max C. on Feb 28, 2019

Rating:

Dragons Dawn of New Riders brings the world of How to Train Your Dragon to the video games. Check out Kidzworld for our review of this new adventure.

By: Max Cannon

Dragons Dawn of New Riders is a comfy game. It's not particularly challenging, the story keeps things moving along nicely, and it's the definition of all-ages fun. You're not likely to be blown away by any single aspect of the game, but if you're looking for an excuse to jump into the world made so beloved by the books and movies then you'll be happy you picked this one up.

Scribbler and Patch make an awesome pair.

A Surprising Amount of Heart

Rather than simply retell the story of the latest How to Train Your Dragon movie, Dragons Dawn of New Riders focuses on new characters and a new story. You'll still see Hiccup and Toothless right out of the gate, but the story really centers on Scribbler and his hybrid dragon Patch. Scribbler has lost his memory and after an egg hatches and his newfound dragon connects with him, the two set off on an adventure that lets players control both Scribbler and Patch. There's a nasty big-bad of a villain and the story is pretty simple but exploring this world is the big draw of this title. The writing is actually really good too, but that's not the only place that really has some heart-and-soul shining through.

DreamWorks Dragons Dawn of New Riders Launch Trailer

While playing on the Nintendo Switch, the game's visual style immediately stood out -- especially considering that this is a game based on a movie. You won't be blown back by the visuals but it looks better than expected. It's rare that these tie-in games look and feel like they have so much care in them but it feels like the team behind this game really cared about making a quality experience. Of course, this game's visual flaws could stand out more on other platforms like the PS4, PC, or Xbox One but something about this game's art style has really stuck with me. There's also something very Legend of Zelda-y about the game's top-down camera.

Havenholme makes for a nice looking enviornment to explore.

A Breezy Playthrough

The gameplay mostly centers around exploring the world, solving some light puzzles, and some lite-RPG type combat. You'll play as both Scribbler and Patch who each have their own abilities to get you through the world. The puzzles are simple enough that they likely won't stump younger players, making it a perfect recommendation for both kids who are fans of the film and older players who are just looking for something comfy and cozy to play. The puzzles are normally as simple as breathing some ice as Patch to cross a frozen lake or using your shield to block arrows as Scribbler.

You may notice some familiar faces on both dragons and humans.

The combat is pretty simple hack-n-slash. You'll swipe, used charged attacks, block, and dodge but the enemies aren't too bright so they're easy to outsmart and chip away at. It's honestly pretty engaging for something so simple. As your journey through Havenholme, you'll also collect armor and other slight upgrades but they don't really feel like they do too much. The most interesting chunks of progression come through watching Patch grow up, though that's just a part of the story rather than unlocks made while exploring the world.

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World Official Trailer

Final Thoughts

It may be easy to dismiss Dragons Dawn of New Riders as a simple movie-based video game but there is a lot of good stuff going on in here. You're not going to be blown away by any crazy new ideas but this is a really solid, yet simple, top-down action adventure. If you're a fan of the films then you'll definitely have a good time playing this game.