Best Call of Duty Zombie Games – Play COD With Zombies

Playing CoD Zombies is a great way to have fun or make some money if you are approaching esports betting professionally. But regardless if you’re building in Fortnite, or spending time on LoL, you should be having a good time. Activision Blizzard perfected this, and it’s why Call of Duty is one of the most successful gaming franchises to ever exist.

But not everyone cares about the CoD Ranking system. Ranking up is a grind that many find to be a Resident Sleeper. Or they just don’t care to become one of the best CoD players. Some players are competitive in the sense that they try to break records. Or they are looking for something more adrenaline-inducing. And this is where zombie Call of Duty games make an appearance.

As one of the best free crossplay games, Call of Duty has left a mark on a lot of generations. Not only has this storied franchise given us a lot of fond memories, but it has also given us some interesting esports betting options. The pride of having the most Zombie kills on the map is a special feeling, and these are the zombie Call of Duty games that made it happen.

First CoD With Zombies

Zombie modes in FPS games have become somewhat of a staple. CSGO hasn’t implemented it in their game like the Wingman mode, but there are still a lot of online Zombie servers. And those have been around forever. So what was the first Call of Duty with zombies?

The first CoD with zombies was the 2008 Call of Duty: World at War Zombies. It introduced the mode as a simple mini-game after the completion of the single-player campaign. Since that title was based on events happening in WW2, the first Zombie mode was called “Nazi Zombies”.

Newest CoD With Zombies

It’s been a while since the last CoD with zombies. The last entry to the Call of Duty franchise to feature the iconic game mode was the 2016’s Infinity Warfare. That’s over 7 years now without a new proper Zombie mode.

But according to a report, the newest Call of Duty zombies game is coming later this year. And it will be nothing like the Zombie modes that preceded it. Instead, it will have an Outbreak 2.0 format for the Zombie mode, rather than the traditional round-based format.

All Call of Duty Zombies Games Release Date

Rumors suggest that this and the following year, we are about to receive even more CoD zombie games. This would increase the total amount to more than 10, which are all CoD with zombies right now. That’s why we have compiled a list of every CoD with zombies.

These are all Call of Duty zombie games in order:

Call of Duty: World at War Zombies (2008)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Zombies (2010)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012)
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (2015)
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare (2016)
Call of Duty: World War II (2017)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Zombies (2020)
Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021)

Best CoD Zombie Games Ranked

Of these 10 entries only one can be the CoD with the best zombies. Making lists like this is rather hard to stay objective when ranking the best CoD zombies of all time. But we’ll give it a fair shot.

If you disagree with our list, feel free to leave a comment telling your opinion. Which CoD has the best Zombies? In our opinion, these are the best CoD zombies games ranked:

Call of Duty: World at War Zombies

As the first entry to our list, we have to pay homage to the title that started it all. You can thank Call of Duty: World At War for the fan favorite Zombie modes in every following title. Up until the fifth main installment in the popular Call of Duty franchise in 2008, most of the glory went to the single-player campaign and multiplayer mayhem.

And this one was no different with the campaign being set during the brutal battles of World War II. Taking players on a gripping journey through intense and historically-accurate campaigns their ancestors suffered, was enough to get everyone invested.

But what players didn’t expect after finishing the single-player campaign was the bonus hidden mode that would change the franchise forever. Your screen goes dark as you wait for the credits to pop up. But instead, you see a card titled “Nazi Zombies” start burning before an even more gruesome action begins.

This cooperative survival horror mode unleashed relentless waves of undead enemies in the realistic portrayal of WWII the initial campaign showed. It wasn’t for everyone, but those that liked it were all aboard for more free content.

This was a successful swing by Treyarch, and they nailed it. Introducing the round system, mystery box, perks, and everything that institutes the classic Zombies experience we know and love today.

Nach der Untoten

This entry to the Call of Duty franchise also gave us Nacht der Untoten, the franchise’s original best CoD Zombies map. Back then the aim was to survive for as long as possible. This makes the mode and map feel a bit barren in comparison to modern-day releases, with no convoluted story to explore.

But the tight corridors and lack of escape routes made the initial frightening experience even more surreal. Having a compact best CoD Zombies map that quickly filled up with zombies was the perfect initial introduction to the Zombies experience.

That’s why this map has been remastered multiple times. Once for the Hardened and Prestige Editions of Call of Duty: Black Ops that followed suit. Apart from Nacht der Untoten, which is German for Night of the Living Dead, the title received multiple other best CoD Zombies maps.

“Verrückt” (Zombie Asylum), “Shi No Numa” (Swamp of Death), and “Der Riese” (The Giant) all served as the basis of what we have today. This is why Call of Duty: World at War Zombies has to be among the best and most impactful Call of Duty titles on this list.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare

When Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare dropped in 2016, it was a breath of fresh air. We still got the compelling single-player campaign and heart-pounding multiplayer action we had grown accustomed to in the previous franchise entries.

But Infinity Ward also took a bold step by departing from the traditional historical settings for their Zombie modes. They went out and ventured into a futuristic sci-fi landscape in order to create a captivating experience.

And they sure knocked it out of the park. Zombies in Spaceland was set in a dystopian future. Players were forced to battle the undead hordes in space and other extraterrestrial environments, making it one of the best CoD Zombies maps to ever be created.

This was a refreshing twist on the classic formula on the side of Brian Bright and Lee Ross. And it’s probably one of the main reasons so many Call of Duty fanatics rate this title’s zombie mode so highly.

Zombies in Spaceland

Apart from creative writing, the game enlisted the talents of Hollywood icons such as David Hasselhoff and Kevin Smith. Tying a familiar and likable voice to key characters in the game turned out to be a recipe for success. Captivating both veteran players and newcomers alike.

Each map had its distinct theme and playstyle, making for a very fun experience. The boss fights were built off the high-quality writing and glued gamers to their seats, making sure they never forget who Mephistopheles is.

The Easter Eggs helped greatly to tell a compelling hidden storyline, which included aliens and the devil. Uncovering hidden secrets and piecing them together into a big puzzle upgraded with each map was probably one of the most immersive experiences Call of Duty Zombies fans have gotten.

Infinite Warfare’s Zombie mode offered players the ability to craft tailored load-outs, which only became stronger the further you progressed. This was an even bigger incentive for players to stay glued and invested in the mode. All of this combined for a captivating gaming experience which the developer continued to enhance with regular updates based on player feedback.

Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

For the sixth installment of the Black Ops subseries in the Call of Duty franchise, things took another leap forward. Released in November 2020, the title put a lot of pressure on Treyarch, Raven Software, and Activision Blizzard to deliver.

With Covid and winter keeping people indoors, the new Call of Duty had to be appealing. Capitalizing on the global unrest, the developers sent us back to another period in history when tensions were high. Set during the early 1980s of the Cold War era, the entry featured an engaging single-player campaign, thrilling multiplayer modes, and a fan-favorite Zombies mode.

From traditional Team Deathmatch to objective-based modes like Domination and Search and Destroy. This multiplayer experience ensured non-stop adrenaline for both casual and hardcore players alike.

But the Zombie mode is what drew the real fanatics. For the first time in Call of Duty Zombies history, players could choose the character they played with. Running around as Rambo with unlimited perk slots due to the reworked tier system for weapons and upgrades was a whole lotta fun.

The guns were a lot stronger, enabling players to mow down even larger hordes of undead characters. With next-gen console capabilities in mind, the developers went ham on the map design. We got a lot bigger maps, which meant a lot more zombies to eliminate.

Mauer der Toten

This gave us the iconic Mauer der Toten, as one of the best CoD zombie maps of all time. It brought a new level of verticality which was unseen until then in most Zombie maps. From the top of apartment buildings to street level and into underground levels, trouble, and fun were everywhere you looked.

Adding the Onslaught game mode to Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War introduced the Co-Op feeling to the Zombie mode, which had been long missing. Also spreading the Zombie mode to multiple famous Multiplayer maps was another way to keep the game fresh and interesting.

The gameplay might have taken a step back, but the graphics and weapons were a major leap forward with this entry. The Legion boss fight might just be the best CoD zombie games history.

Even the Outbreak boss fights were pretty high up there. The continued support from the developers really benefited the overall experience this game brought. The Season Two update and the addition of new maps made a big impact. So far it has aged just fine, which makes Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War the title with the third-best zombie mode on our list.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

After the success of World at War and Black Ops, Treyarch and Activision knew they had the winning formula. They just needed to pour in a bit more time and money into their new cash cow, which was the Zombie mode.

The bigger budget ended up delivering an entry to the franchise, which many faithful fans still cherish to this day more than a decade later. The game was set in two distinct time periods. The first one was the 1980s and the second one was the futuristic year 2025.

In the single-player campaign, players assumed the role of David Mason. This is the son of the original Black Ops protagonist, Alex Mason.

But not all of the budget went towards the writing of parallel storylines. The engine responsible for the multiplayer and Zombie modes was improved with new stat-tracking technology, much clearer leaderboards, and skill-based matchmaking.

Black Ops 2 also introduced a revolutionary gameplay mechanic called “Strike Force” missions. These allowed players to take control of military units and influence the progression of the game. The result of these missions would impact their storyline accordingly, further improving the game’s immersive experience.

Tranzit

But when it comes to the Zombie experience Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 could provide, the maps were some of the best to ever be made. We got the infamous “Tranzit” map, a sprawling post-apocalyptic landscape that’s been dividing the community for years now. We also got Mob of the Dead. Which is the textbook template for the perfect map in the Call of Duty franchise.

In it, the Alcatraz prison is given an even darker aura, creating the perfect horror-filled environment for a zombie invasion. You could choose multiple famous mobsters that inhabited the confinements as your playable characters. And they even came with top-tier voice acting on the side of Michael Madsen, Ray Liotta, Joe Pantoliano, and many more.

Even Nolan North was involved in the production as the zombie boss Brutus. And then we had the Grief mode introduced, with the “Last Man Standing” objective. Before this game, the maximum number of players in any best CoD Zombie game was 4. But Grief was a 4v4 mode, with both teams trying to survive. With this in mind, it’s time to figure out which Call of Duty has the best zombies CoD experience.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Zombies

Here’s the answer to which Call of Duty zombies game is the best. This reason why Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Zombies provides the best Zombie game mode experience is simple. The third installment of the Black Ops sub-series took everything that worked for the previous titles and leveled it up. Except for maybe the best CoD Zombies maps.

The single-player campaign of Black Ops 3 took us to the year 2065. This is where players would weave through a complex tale of government conspiracies, as a cybernetically enhanced soldier known as a “Black Ops” operative.

The multiplayer mode was nothing to scoff at as well. Introducing the “Specialist” system meant that Call of Duty Zombies borrowed an element from the hero shooter titles like Valorant and Overwatch.

Choosing from a set of unique Specialist characters, each equipped with distinct abilities and weapons meant that diverse playstyles and strategic gameplay were largely encouraged. This had been missing from best CoD Zombie games up to this point and was a breath of fresh air.

Shadows of Evil

Set in a dystopian and post-apocalyptic setting in 2065, the Zombie mode offered a rich narrative to play around. Exploring the mysteries of Element 115 and Group 935 by running, jumping, and sliding across the maps, was a lot easier with a large assortment of weapons to choose from.

Shadows of Evil quickly became a community-favorite map. It introduced four new characters in the form of Jack Vincent, Jessica Rose, Floyd Campbell, and Nero Blackstone. These were set in a storyline surrounding a fictional 1940s town of Morg City. It was inspired by the work of H. P. Lovecraft.

Being chased by many forms of minibosses and zombies on Der Eisendrache map was the peak of pure Zombies’ chaos. And after the Zombies Chronicles became the DLC release of fan-favorite maps which were remade for Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Zombies, the player base had nothing to complain about. Activision had just made the perfect Call of Duty game, when it comes to quality and quantity. That’s why this title ranks as the best Zombie games on our list.

Is CoD Done With Zombies?

In recent months we’ve been hearing a lot of rumors about the next Call of Duty title. It should come out later this year. So far, the details about the alleged Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are coming out of different camps. But we just recently received confirmation from a very credible source.

A few months ago, Insider Gaming came out with a shocking article. Apart from uncovering the beta weekends and all dates and timings relevant to the new title, there was a mention of the long-awaited Zombie game mode.

The report confirmed that the title would have a Zombie mode, but it would not be in the traditional round-based format we’ve come to know. Now we’re hearing that a round-based format will come back for Call of Duty 2024, but this year’s title will have an Outbreak 2.0 format for its Zombie mode.

As surprising as it seems to hear that a Modern Warfare game will have a Zombie mode set in a large open-world map, all signs point to it being true. It will probably use multiplayer maps repurposed for the mode, where there won’t be progression.

Players will most likely have to complete objectives to survive against an endless barrage of zombies. According to reports, a similar mode was tested during the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War release weekend, and it broke records. It looks like Treyarch is now experimenting with it for the next best CoD Zombie games, which should be released later this year.next cod with zombies