Summary
Call of Duty’s staple game mode, Zombies, was initially a fun game mode, with no future in sight. It came as a complete surprise to gamers once the credits rolled inCall of Duty: World at War, and fans were introduced to the zombie horde. The game mode offered endless rounds of fear, fun, and limbs.
After all these years, players continue to love the challenge of endless rounds and undead zombie hordes. The Treyarch-designed mode has been implemented inmany but not allCall of Dutytitles, and it has been paired with great characters, weapons, maps, and enemies.
Updated July 19, 2025, by Jason Wojnar:There might be people who have consumed almost every ounce of Call of Duty Zombies content without ever touching the multiplayer or single-player campaigns. It speaks to how complete even just one game mode in the annual Call of Duty package feels. Zombies' replay value is as big as how fun it is to play, so the list below is likely to help players determine which entry they will get the most value from. This update adds the 2024 entry, Black Ops 6, to the list, and anyone who played it can already guess where it ranks among the rest of the games.
As a whole package,Modern Warfare 3from 2023 was considered a big disappointment. It had a lot of content, but nothing was considered a standout feature, and even its multiplayer recycled all of its maps from 2009’sModern Warfare 2. The Zombies mode took a different approach this time, taking place on an open map and letting players complete various objectives at their leisure.
While a novel idea, the open areas took away from the intensity of being trapped in a confined area while the monsters were attacking players. There are moments reminiscent of the older Zombies mode from time to time, but they are few and far between, a far cry from the immediate action the other games provide.
With 2021’s title,Call of Duty: Vanguard, the Zombies game mode returned in a significantly smaller manner. Up until June 2022, Zombies did not even have the classic and beloved round-based gameplay, and it only recently received a new map with a remake for Shi No Numa. Not only isVanguardlacking in Zombies content, but the gameplay itself is somewhat mediocre.
Most Zombies fans can agreethatVanguardis a disappointment to the franchise’s Zombies. The story is also lackluster, considering the lore is often a compelling mystery. The gameplay itself is too similar, with weapons, perks, and other systems remaining unengaging.
After the climax ofBlack Ops 3’s Zombies, fans were ecstatic to see the game mode return forthe multiplayer-onlyBlack Ops 4. Not only were fan-favorite characters returning, but there was a new Zombie crew in an alternate timeline. Both stories - separate, but equally convoluted - lacked total intrigue, and otherwise, featured stale gameplay.
Black Ops 4tried to change up the Zombies formula but was somewhat unsuccessful. Most of the maps were pale remakes of previous locations and sacrificed intricate designs for large areas. Many regardBlack Ops 4Zombies as one of the weaker entries.
One big advantage ofBlack Ops 4is the ability to play the game with four players on one TV screen.
Gauntlet
There are many controversies in theCODZombies community regardingBlack Ops4. Many believe that the game underdelivered in terms of the Zombies experiences. One of these experiences was called Gauntlet, which saw the typical round-based games players expected but with a challenge mode thrown into the mix.
If players fail to complete a challenge for each round, they will earn a strike. If the players gets three strikes, it is game over. Some of the challenges can be easy, and some can be hard. It is worth testing this mode for Zombies veterans to truly get a more challenging experience.
Finally returning to its roots and going back to the past,Call of Duty: World War 2sought to bring back the horror elements seen in the first iteration ofCODZombies. The team succeeded, and the zombie designs were grotesque and horrifying. The crew featured a star-studded cast of actors to battle with, such as David Tennant and Ving Rhames.
However, despitethe greatCall of Dutycastand the detail of the world and zombies, the maps lacked quality. The gameplay was different enough from previous Zombies to remain interesting, but there were too many advantages that made the game easier than others.
With Infinity Ward setting the scene for their version of Zombies, things entered the realm of fun and campy.Infinite Warfareditched the horror aspects of Zombies and brought about a new groove for the franchise. The first map is a fun theme park withclassic 80s tunes and even David Hasselhoff. The Easter egg itself involved aliens and the devil.
Infinite Warfare’s maps consisted of celebrity cameos like Kevin Smith and featured a different genre for each map. One such map has players embarking on a kung-fu journey against the Zombie hordes. The team at Infinity Ward seemed to have a lot of fun with their version of the Zombie mode.
With Sledgehammer Games leading their firstCall of Dutytitle,Advanced Warfareexperimented with movement more than otherCODgames. Exo-skeletons were used for better versatility in jumps and running, and even the zombies could move more.
The game featured a talented cast, with the likes of Jon Bernthal, John Malkovich, andEvil Dead’s very own Bruce Campbell. The gameplay was pretty fun, and there was a good variety of maps. However, it just didn’t feel like a Treyarch title.
After the success of Zombies,Activision knew it had to invest more timeand money into the game mode. After all, it has a loyal fan base. WithCall of Duty: Black Ops 2, players saw the multiplayer engine in use for Zombies, as well as new stat-tracking, improved leaderboards, and skill-based matchmaking.
Black Ops 2featured a lot of interesting maps, as well as famed Easter eggs thatCODplayers came to expect from the franchise.Black Ops 2offers some great moments in the Zombies series, as well as unique game modes.
Grief
The maximum number of players in anyCODZombies title was 4 untilBlack Ops 2introduced Grief. In Grief, players were reduced to a small section of the iconic maps,where they would enter into a 4v4 mode. Grief was effectively the “Last Man Standing” game mode that saw both teams trying to survive the zombie hordes.
Players may not be able to directly hurt each other, but they can get in the way and hinder progress by stealing kills, not opening doors, and using their melee or gun on them. Grief can be a lot of fun when there’s a large group of players involved.
Turned
An exclusive game mode forBlack Ops2, Turned featured something brand new toCODZombies: the ability to become a zombie. As the zombie, the player needs to hunt down the lone human survivor. Killing the surviving player will turn the victor into a human, and it’s a battle of who can kill the most player-controlled zombies before death.
Turned can be fun in a group of friends, but it doesn’t offer much else other than a version of Gun Game with zombies. It’s quick and short, and the maps are small, yet Turned can still be fun if the players are willing to make it so.
When the credits rolled on theWorld at Warcampaign, manyCall of Dutyplayers may have been frightened to see shuffling bodies running toward the camera. The screen goes dark, with an ominous “Nazi Zombies” title card burning into the screen. Round 1 began, andCall of Dutyhas not been the same since.
World at Wardid a great job of fleshing out the Zombies game mode, and so much of it was perfect on the first try that many features remain a staple, with examples being the round system, mystery box, perks, and more.World at Warremains a classic Zombies experience.
With Zombies being a huge success, many fans waited excitedly for Treyarch’s next title,Call of Duty: Black Ops, to see what was next. The developers knocked it out of the park with the two maps upon release, which allowed players to battle in a theater against new foes andbecome Nixon and JFK in the Pentagon.
The gameplay was smoother than the original entry, andBlack Opsfeatured some great maps, with the original ones fromWorld at War. It made the experience exhilarating, with new perks, weapons, and features to explore.
A hidden game mode inCall of Duty: Black Ops,Dead Ops Arcade was a Zombies mode introduced to the title, with a completely different style of play. Dead Ops Arcade was unlocked by typing in “DOA” on the CIA computer on the title screen and will bring players into a top-down arcade shooter with zombies, silverback space gorillas, and more.
There’s a frenzy of mayhem in Dead Ops Arcade, and it can be fun to go through the levels and collect exciting loot to progress. It can be a challenge, too.
The CIA computer has additional secrets, such as the entirety of the classic text adventureZork.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War’s Zombies arrived with a lot of unique features. For the first time in the franchise, players could select their operative. This meant that, because of the collaborations, players could fight zombies like Rambo or Frank Woods. Perks were abundant, providing a new tier system for weapons and upgrades.
Guns felt intensely powerful, and mowing down Zombies had never been more fun. The maps were large, and the hordes even larger, thanks to the next-gen console capabilities.Black Ops Cold Warwas easier for new players, providing a game mode that everyone could enjoy.
Onslaught
A cooperative Zombies mode inCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Onslaught is a 2-person experience that sees players survive against Zombies and other enemies within multiplayer maps. It’s interesting to see the hordes of the undead invade famous multiplayer maps inCall of Duty.
Onslaught’s two-player limit can restrict the fun. However, running around the large or small maps in multiplayer with an army of zombies on the hunt can still be incredibly enjoyable. Players will be tasked with increasing the Dark Aether Orb power to 100% as part of this tense mode.
