EDITOR'S NOTE: With Infinite Warfare's first DLC, Sabotage, coming out next week, and it of course having zombies, we wanted to reminiscence on the other great zombie maps the franchise has had.
Zombies. What began as a hidden mini-game has now become one of Call of Duty’s most popular modes, with many fans getting their hands on the latest installment in the franchise solely for the opportunity to fight wave after wave of the undead.
Ever since Nacht der Untoten in Call of Duty: World at War, there have been a total of 23 original maps featured over a series of five games. Developers Treyarch and Sledgehammer have evolved and expanded the mode with each new addition, but there have undoubtedly been some highlights over the eight years since World at War released.
Here are our top ten Zombies maps in Call of Duty.
Not everyone is a fan of Sledgehammer’s take on Zombies mode in Advanced Warfare, and the faster, more agile exo-zombies are almost unforgiving in their relentlessness. But the final map in the series, Descent, not only ties the season’s story arc together with a satisfying climax, but it's also just a ton of fun to play. Highlights include a challenging boss battle against a zombified John Malkovich, and the opportunity to obliterate your enemies with the powerful blunderbuss weapon.
Jazzy in every sense of the word, Shadows of Evil is a visual treat from start to finish. Set in the fictional Morg City, though clearly inspired by 1940s New Orleans, Shadows of Evil presents a nice change-up from the bleak color palettes that typically adorn each Zombies map. With new features like the GobbleGum system, customizable weapons and Jeff Goldblum doing Jeff Goldblum, there’s a lot to love about Treyarch’s first Zombies experience for the new consoles.
The quirky historical cast of Five, a Zombies map in Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Any game that lets you play as John F. Kennedy, Fidel Castro, and Richard Nixon deserves appreciation, but Five is much more than the initial gimmick of playing as famous world leaders. The elevator traversal system not only leads to many close shaves as you rush to shut the doors before the undead overwhelm you, but it’s also a tool for cruel-hearted hilarity as you mercilessly leave your friends behind to fend for themselves. On top of that, the Pentagon Thief is a welcome addition as a foe that brings a new level of challenge in his repeated attempts to steal your weapons.
From the moment the opening cutscene begins, you can immediately tell that Treyarch have perfectly captured the atmosphere of the noir gangster genre with Mob of the Dead. From the return of the Tommy gun to the hidden Johnny Cash song, Alcatraz is a perfect fit for the dark comedy that often pervades the Zombies universe. Treyarch also makes great use of the confined corridors of this famous penitentiary, which can lead to several intense moments of claustrophobic action. Additionally, Mob of the Dead boasts an engaging psychological thriller of a story that players are able to uncover progressively, with a payoff that’s well worth the effort to discover.
Ascension earns its place on this list as a map that isn’t afraid to try new things. Space monkeys, black hole grenades, explosive dolphin dives and an awesome getaway vehicle in the form of a lunar lander; there’s something for everyone in this abandoned Soviet cosmodrome. At the time, this map was much larger than anything fans had been used to, but the new Stamin-Up perk empowered players with increased movement speed to stay on top of things. Also, did I mention the space monkeys?
The entirety of Black Ops is littered with famous acting talent, but Treyarch took this one step further with Call of the Dead, which stars horror movie veterans like Danny Trejo and Robert Englund. Not only this, but the father of zombie movies himself, George A. Romero, features as an imposing undead boss who charges at players wielding a giant stage light. The level is a fantastic mix of outdoor open areas and tight indoor environments, which adds plenty of variety when it comes to choosing a plan of attack. This, on top of the B-movie vibe and tongue-in-cheek humor, was what made Call of the Dead a breath of fresh air for its time.
The stage in Kino der Toten, a Zombies map in Call of Duty: Black Ops.
Kino has fallen under criticism in the past for being too easy, but the sense of empowerment offered to players represents a large part of its appeal. The circular geometry of the map makes it easy to round up huge trains of zombies at once and, if you’re lucky enough to have picked up the thunder gun, blow them all sky-high to hilarious effect. The teleporter also made a celebrated return in Kino, acting as the last resort for any final stands and allowing you to rain down dozens of grenades upon the zombie hordes from atop the safety of the projection room.
An overview of Nacht der Untoten, the first Zombies map from Call of Duty: World at War.
This is where it all began. Hidden away as a surprise mini-game that was unlocked once players completed World at War’s main campaign, Nacht Der Untoten is Zombies in its purest form. The barebones mechanics and complete lack of story make this first installment a chilling and tense experience, but even this tiny map was enough to leave fans aching for more; a testament to the replay value of the classic wave-based formula that remains the beating heart of the mode to this day.
Presented as the climax to the classic Zombies story arc, Origins is a grand and operatic finale to Black Ops II’s slate of Zombies maps. The new elemental staves add a fresh dimension to the combat, and the giant robots that lumber across the landscape forces players to keep an eye on the sky to avoid being squashed in their path. Origins is also packed with awesome easter eggs and dramatic story reveals, with an ending that delivers in terms of both scale and impact.
There is a reason why Treyarch have remastered Der Riese twice since its original debut in World at War. This one holds a special place in the hearts and minds of Zombie fans, and it’s easy to see why. Der Riese set the bar for what we now expect from a great Zombies map: smart level design, upgradable weapons, cryptic storytelling, and unique puzzle-solving mechanics. Whilst the maps that came before Der Riese had already brought some of these features to the table, never had the ingredients come together so perfectly to form the quintessential Zombies experience.
What are your favorite Call of Duty Zombies maps and experiences? Let us know in the comments!
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