5 Best Zombies Modes In Call Of Duty Games, Ranked

Within the realm of popular first-person shooter franchises, "Call of Duty" has gone from a "Medal of Honor" clone to a yearly success for Activision Blizzard. But between the explosive single-player campaigns and the chaotic multiplayer modes, one consistently entertaining gameplay mode is zombies. This cooperative multiplayer mode has players endure waves of attacking undead, earning bonuses for the number of waves survived and horrific enemies killed. Since its debut in 2008, zombies mode has resurfaced in many titles in the franchise, particularly those in the "Black Ops" sub-series.

After covering the best "Call of Duty" games of all time, we're focusing on the greatest zombies mode experiences for this article. These variations of the fan-favorite mode keep players coming back for more to see if they outlast more waves of the living dead than their last attempt. As "Call of Duty" has steadily evolved with the times, so too have the zombies modes grown to reflect modern sensibilities. Here are the five best zombie modes in "Call of Duty" games, ranked.

As all true "Call of Duty" fans know, the 2008 World War II-set title "Call of Duty: World at War" was the game that debuted zombies mode, introducing a gameplay feature that took the fandom by storm. In "World at War," the mode allows up to four players to take refuge in a fortified structure to fend off waves of undead Axis Powers soldiers. You start out with only a pistol, but actions like repairing defensive barricades and killing zombies unlock a greater variety of weapons and gameplay mechanics. The mode saw DLC adding several additional maps and upgrade options for players to keep the experience fresh.

The first iteration of zombies mode became such a success that this is what most people remember about "World at War," more so than the single-player campaign or standard multiplayer modes. Over 15 years later, the original zombies mode still holds up, even if it isn't as feature-rich as subsequent variations. However, when putting together a list highlighting zombie modes in "Call of Duty" games, it's impossible not to mention where the fan-favorite mode came from in the first place.

2020's "Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War" marked a return to form for the series after it experimented with a futuristic setting for "Call of Duty: Black Ops III" and "Black Ops 4." This included a more conventional zombies mode compared to the preceding game, with more gameplay variety and customization options. Among the different undead modes within "Black Ops Cold War" are the traditional co-op mode, the defense-oriented onslaught mode, the top-down arcade mode, and objective-oriented outbreak mode. After completing a certain amount of objectives and rounds, players can exfiltrate from a map but gain more rewards the longer they stay in the fight.

Upon its launch, fans were in an uproar over "Black Ops Cold War" zombie modes, specifically in regard to the onslaught mode being a PlayStation exclusive. By November 2021, the exclusivity deal had expired, making onslaught available on all platforms. With this timed exclusivity controversy aside, the zombies mode revamp that the 2020 game brings to the table elevates it considerably. And, with a wealth of gameplay options and styles available, "Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War" marked a big leap forward for the franchise as a whole.

The first "Call of Duty" game that expanded its zombies mode to have more than just survival-based gameplay was 2012's "Call of Duty: Black Ops II." While retaining the classic co-op mode, the game also added two different kinds of competitive modes to the experience. This included grief mode, which had two teams of four players trying to outlast each other from waves of zombies. The other newly added mode had one uninfected player ward off three other players who were controlling zombies.

The addition of new ways to play zombies mode pumped fresh blood into the experience. The map designs compared to other games are fun and well-plotted while the difficulty is better balanced and accessible. The bonuses that players can earn along the way also have a genuine sense of reward to them, keeping gamers coming back for more. A zombies mode that, frankly, outshines the convoluted single-player campaign, "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" delivered where it counted for its multiplayer experience.

After the success of "World at War," including the introduction of zombies mode, developer Treyarch delved into tonally darker territory for "Call of Duty: Black Ops." Marking the first time the franchise shifted to a period piece Cold War setting, the 2010 game also reflected this narrative change in its own version of zombies mode. This version of the mode boasts a wider array of maps and scenarios spanning multiple decades and distinct settings. The gameplay experience and mechanics themselves had also been significantly refined since "World at War," optimized for then-modern platforms.

What really elevates the zombies mode in the first "Black Ops" was a wholehearted willingness to get weird with its premise. Acclaimed zombie filmmaker George A. Romero even makes an appearance, a refreshing self-aware wink to gamers. But beyond the bells and whistles, the zombies mode in the 2010 game leveled up considerably since "World at War," mixing fun with a genuine challenge to even experienced players. Still one of the best games in the entire franchise, no matter what gameplay mode, the quality in "Call of Duty: Black Ops" extends to how it handles zombies.

The game with the best zombies mode yet is "Call of Duty: Black Ops III." Set deep into the 21st century, the 2015 game doubled down on the weirdness of its predecessors, including with zombies mode. As with past "Black Ops" titles, the zombies mode in "Black Ops III" features maps and scenarios spanning from World War I into the future. This is backed by scenarios involving time travel and alternate timelines, with the game blending time-bending chaos with zombie-blasting carnage.

"Black Ops III" fully embraces the wildness of its gameplay and sci-fi possibilities, including in its zombies mode. The maps, gameplay modes, and customization options within this undead experience stand as the pinnacle of zombies mode to date. To further bolster its esteemed status, DLC for "Black Ops III" contains content from past zombies mode experiences, particularly the fan-favorite maps. Whatever the future holds for the "Black Ops" side of the franchise ("Black Ops 7" lost players at an alarming rate), at least fans of zombies mode will always have "Black Ops III."