Call of Duty Zombies has become a central pillar across the core modes for the series, joining the likes of an exciting Campaign, addictive Multiplayer, and thrilling Battle Royale with Warzone. Call of Duty Zombies was made famous thanks to its terrifying surprise inclusion with Call of Duty: World at War back in 2008, and almost 18 years later, it's still going strong. Fast-paced, round-based, and all kinds of adrenaline-filled, the Zombies modes in Call of Duty have their own loyal fanbase outside of Multiplayer, but which mode can be crowned as the best? There are 13 Call of Duty games currently with a Zombies mode, and we've ranked every Call of Duty Zombies mode right here based on their replayability, fun, innovation, and selection of content.
Call of Duty Zombies Map Tier List
From World at War to Black Ops 6, Treyarch's Call of Duty Zombies series has seen some titanic ups and downs, with almost 40 maps to choose from.
13 Call of Duty: Vanguard
Stale Objectives, Rougelike Designs, and a Round-Based Map That Comes Too Late
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 72 /100 Critics Rec: 51%
- Released
- November 5, 2021
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Shooter
Call of Duty: Vanguard exists in a weird place among the legacy of Call of Duty, for it's not entirely memorable, and the parts of it that are are remembered as a warning as to what not to do in the future. Vanguard Zombies is bare bones and lacking in content, as the mode forgoes round-based gameplay for a roguelike design where players repeat uninspired objectives for loot and power. The fact that the launch had barely anything but a potential promise of a round-based map wasn't exciting, and when that map finally arrived, the game was beyond saving.
Shi No Numa Reborn featured as the round-based map, but it's a map that's been experienced before, so an entire Call of Duty based around one map, and a second on The Archon (if this copy+paste map even counts), made many skip this era of Call of Duty. While the rougelike elements could be interesting, they were underbaked and further rotted the bar of expectations of loyal fans.
12 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Zombies Go Open-World, Far Enough to Stray From the DNA
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 58 /100 Critics Rec: 14%
- Released
- November 10, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Modern Warfare 3 Zombies is another addition to the series that strays from the core DNA of round-based gameplay, in which players are instead given an open-world and extraction-based PvE mode where they must team up and complete contracts for loot. With a seeming lack of difficulty and repetitive set of quests to complete, players are constantly on the clock to extract (or die trying, but rarely do they actually die).
The open-world is huge, but that's not always a good thing, as most areas seem somewhat empty, and the meta involved remains unchanged to the point where every match feels the same. Taking Zombies out of round-based engagement into extraction territory takes away purpose and fun and instead asks "what's all this for" as it continues a storyline that's more confusing than it is interesting.
11 Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
Weak Weapons, Rabid Zombies, and Lacking Environments
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
- Released
- November 4, 2014
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Exo Zombies was Sledgehammer Games' attempt at the Zombies mode, featured not in the base game of Advanced Warfare, but instead in the separate DLC packs. That alone marks it down a tad, but since the best maps in Call of Duty Zombies come from DLC, surely Advanced Warfare redeems itself? Sadly, not really. Exo Zombies is extremely punishing to play, and it's a struggle to survive, but not in a fun way. The zombies are ravenous, and the exosuits themselves underwhelm in aiding your ability to survive.
A lack of nerfs and continued annoyances with future maps that demand you to complete objectives or suffer the consequences take from the core gameplay loop, and it doesn't help that most of the maps feature obnoxious spacing that removes memorability and personality. There's so much punishment in Exo Zombies, and even the joy of its celebrity cast from Bill Paxton, John Malkovich, Jon Bernthal, and Bruce Campbell can't break the cycle of repetition.
10 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
Good Ideas Are Present, But Punished By Uninspired Maps and Far-Too-Easy Gameplay
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 61%
- Released
- November 13, 2020
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Raven Software, Treyarch
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
The conclusion of Black Ops 4 was the end of an era, as Treyarch prepared for a post-reboot world in which a new story would take shape amidst their constant innovation. What was presented was Black Ops Cold War, which featured a Zombies mode intended to invite new players into the series. While welcoming to those who had gotten lost previously, Black Ops Cold War simplified much of the process, with extremely easy steps, babied training routes that left no personality to the maps, and a lack of reason to play for too long.
There wasn't much personality to Black Ops Cold War Zombies, and that's even true for the story, where the playable operators are just nameless characters. While there were some nice features like the ability to Exfil so you wouldn't have to end on a game over, and the addition to buy all Perks, along with weapon rarities, Pack-a-Punch tiers, and Armor, there was a lack of presentation, aesthetic, and challenge that made the core systems fun. Black Ops Cold War hurt the standards of the round-based gameplay, especially with its shift to an open-world with Outbreak, which seemed misplaced and not as fun as what was seen in previous entries.
9 Call of Duty: WW2
Original Content with Great Aesthetic, a Return to Horror, But Lacking Maps
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 78 /100 Critics Rec: 70%
- Released
- August 25, 2017
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- Sledgehammer Games, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Call of Duty: WW2 was a return to form in a few ways. Not only was it an attempt to bring back core players with a classic World War 2 setting, but it was also a way to put boots back on the ground, and even experience horror as a main theme for its Zombies mode, opposed to the more wacky concepts and sci-fi spin. A promising start was had with The Final Reich, mixing horror and Nazis into an amalgam of a map that contained a quest that casuals and veterans alike could complete, but sadly, the start seemed to be where the steam was.
After the launch map, much of WW2 underwhelmed and could be rather frustrating. The armor system that replaced Jugger-Nog, and the aggression of the zombies meant that even hardcore players struggled with the extreme challenge ahead, and the DLC map installments weren't that stellar, with each of them having a similar aesthetic that made them all feel somewhat the same. With slower gameplay, a focus on melee wonder weapons, and a plethora of content to try and memorize for your next playthrough, WW2 had decent offerings with an incredible aesthetic and variety of weapons, but stumbled on its execution of unfair challenges, map variety, and core game feel.
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3 – Best Zombies Maps, Ranked
Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 has one of the most beloved Zombies modes in the franchise's history, but how does every map rank to decide the best?
8 Call of Duty: World at War
The Original Zombies Mode Remains Forever Iconic as the Blueprint, But Flawed
- Released
- November 11, 2008
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- IW
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS
For those who grew up with World at War, they can remember how terrifying it was to hit the credits in the Campaign, only to be met with the bloodied and burned text that bled into the screen: Nazi Zombies. Waking with just a pistol with a terrifying cackle, and undead Nazi soldiers breaking through, left a lasting and scarring impression on many who first ventured to Nacht der Untoten. The mode may have been barebones, but the fun was all there, with points amassed by killing zombies to open doors, get weapons, and survive for as long as possible.
As the lifecycle for World at War resumed, so did Nazi Zombies, and newer maps would introduce core features that became staples of the series with Perk-a-Colas, Pack-a-Punch, and the core four characters of Ultimis that proved there was an incredible story that blends sci-fi and horror. World at War might not hold up the best in comparison to other Call of Duty games, but the godfather of the series deserves the utmost respect for bringing to light the amazing round-based mode we know and love.
7 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
Infinity Ward's Only Round-Based Zombies Thrilled with Creativity
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 49%
- Released
- November 4, 2016
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Infinity Ward
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Infinity Ward isn't known for their Zombies mode, which is why Infinite Warfare comes as a surprising addition, but a welcome one. The gameplay is fairly fun, and there's a bunch of ideas thrown in here that make for a thrilling adventure. Being thrust across different genres, like a retro theme park in Zombies in Spaceland, and bustling New York streets and sewers in Shaolin Shuffle, proves the rampant creativity, but are marked down purely based on the slow and awkward movement that hinders capabilities and explorations of seemingly such large maps.
Regardless of its punishing movement, Infinite Warfare is still plenty of fun, and it holds strong as the most rewarding and challenging super easter egg across any Call of Duty Zombies title to make loyal fans feel like they've earned their great prize. On its own, it's good fun, but that fun does seem to run out of steam with its later maps, like Attack of the Radioactive Thing and The Beast from Beyond, which can feel more frustrating than enjoyable.
6 Call of Duty: Black Ops
A Classic That Holds Up Due to Engaging Maps and Its Story
Call of Duty: Black Ops
- Released
- November 9, 2010
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
- Engine
- iw
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Black Ops was where the series truly began to shine, as it was the second time Zombies had made their way into Call of Duty, and it proved they were here to stay. Black Ops is easily one of the most challenging variations of the mode, mainly due to the somewhat weak weapons on higher rounds, but that doesn't take away from the nostalgic fun found on every map and the story featured.
Every map in Black Ops has a story to tell, and this defining game has some of the most iconic maps featured. Kino der Toten, Ascension, Call of the Dead, Moon, and more, all prove themselves as immensely creative maps where challenge is found at every corner, but so is a reward for lore hunters. Black Ops holds up well with its nostalgia, excitement, and sheer sense of fun.
5 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
A Step in the Right Direction for Power Fantasy and Maps
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 91%
- Released
- October 25, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Suggestive Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- FPS
Black Ops 6 further built upon the concepts of Black Ops Cold War by keeping core systems in place, like the ability to purchase more than 4 Perks, having weapon rarities, Pack-a-Punch tiers, and of course, the controversial armor feature, which grew into replating like Warzone. Black Ops 6 could still be a fairly enjoyable casual experience, but rampage inducer, Elite Enemies, and the verticality of some maps added deeper challenge that would make the experience more exciting and fast-paced as opposed to safe and standard.
The inclusion of universal XP, a lengthy camo grind, and the addition of Augments to craft the perfect bonuses to your favorite Perks, Ammo Mods, and Field Upgrades really made Black Ops 6 feel like it was on the right path for making round-based zombies rewarding for loyal players with rewards outside of what round they can attain. However, despite the fun of some maps and the power fantasy of its wonder weapons, the story suffered from being a set-up for the infinitely more interesting Dark Aether premise that saw a return of the OG characters for Black Ops 7, a whole game away.
4 Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
Addicting Gameplay Aided By Rewarding Replayability
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 66 /100 Critics Rec: 34%
- Released
- November 14, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Treyarch, Raven Software
- Publisher(s)
- Activision
WHERE TO PLAY
Black Ops 7 is the most recent Call of Duty Zombies, and while only one map has been made available on launch (with a second coming on December 4th), Treyarch has already proven the immense potential this game has for Zombies fans. Ashes of the Damned is the largest launch map ever, and driving around different landmarks with the fun wonder vehicle of Ol' Tessie is a blast, just as shooting zombies is a satisfying blast as you level up attachments, grind for camos, get universal XP to hit Prestige, and evolve your power with Augment upgrades to Perks, Ammo Mods, and Field Upgrades.
Ashes of the Damned is an exceptional map for the roster, and the Necrofluid Gauntlet makes for one of the best wonder weapons of all time. Challenge is present to those who seek it thanks to Cursed Mode, adding a bunch of relics with challenging modifiers in exchange for powerful rewards, and the future looks bright in the Dark Aether, thanks to the spark of imagination returning to the map roster and the addition of the OG crew that brought so much life to Zombies in the first place.