The How to Train Your Dragon game is set after the events of the Dreamworks movie, during the Thor's-day Thursday festival, which culminates in a large dragon tournament. Players take on the roles of human characters Astrid or Hiccup, and engage in exploration, training, and combat with other players.
Combat is intense, with dragons controlled directly and fought in a 3D environment using melee and fire attacks. A meter builds up for each successful attack, leading to powerful fire-based strikes. Blocking is also available, and each dragon has its own combo tree with special effects depending on the species.
Exploration allows Hiccup or Astrid to train their dragons, customizing them to make them unique. Training improves statistics such as strength and speed, while completing quests and collecting food keeps main parameters at a high level, ensuring optimal performance in combat.
The game features multiplayer modes centered around fighting, allowing players to import dragons from different console versions to challenge friends.