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Last updated: October 22, 2024
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There are diverse zombie board games with varied themes ranging from survivalist and tactical ones to miniature portable versions like Tiny Epic Zombies that are equally attractive to adults and kids.
We reviewed 30 of the top board games based on gameplay, the accessories included and the ratings from verified buyers and expert reviewers. This led us to our recommended list of the best zombie board games on the market. One of the most exciting ones you will come across is Dead of Winter which is recommended for players from the age of 12. The game which lasts for one and a half hours accommodates 2 to 5 participants who work together as well as individually on secret objectives to survive.
Some of the features we reviewed when compiling the products were the recommended age to confirm their suitability to the intended users. We also considered the number of players the board game supports and the gameplay duration for an exciting competition that would not wear out participants. Lastly, we looked at the accessories included to customize or diversify the game. Our review of the best zombie board games consist of a comparison table that highlights the outstanding quality of each game. It also includes detailed reviews of the features of each product and a comprehensive buying guide that prioritizes the key factors to keep in mind before making your decision. We sum up this review with an overview of our top three picks.
"This game is based on the most popular post-apocalypse TV series of recent years: help your favorite characters survive and come back to their camp safe."
Dead of Winter is intended for 2 to 5 players from the age of 13 years. The meta-cooperative psychological survival game features secret individual missions for each participant and one common objective selected from any of the 10 scenarios. The survivors use their personal special abilities to liaise and find food and supplies, boost morale, and fight off flesh-eating monsters. Some of the abilities include skills in searching, fighting, and influence.
You will find yourself torn between making decisions based on your self-interest and the colony. Depending on the secret goal, a survivor may want to revenge or sabotage the common mission, or have an obsession that could compromise his team.
The blend of teamwork, mystery and strategy with backstabbing and conniving to impede your group’s cause provides an intriguing gameplay time of 1 to 2 hours. The versatile zombie apocalypse board game also ends in different ways with a win or loss for all players or a win for some and a loss for the rest. Since to win you must accomplish both the common group mission and your private goal to win, your level of cooperation will determine your personal outcome. This makes it one of the best cooperative zombie board games for adults. There are explicit cards with sex, alcohol and violent themes that are unsuitable for kids.
According to the rulebook, you can change the game to eliminate the personal missions and work on the common goal only.
We like the idea of fighting an internal and external enemy, the diverse gameplay with variable results, and the extended gaming time that enhances its replayability potential. However, this could result in long downtime for players with fewer followers.
This is one of the best fast-paced zombie apocalypse board games that features small town plagued by brain-eating zombies. 8 heroes take them on for 60 to 90 minutes in a combat that resembles a cinematic horror movie.
You need a minimum of two participants for Last Night On Earth – The Zombie Game so one player can control the zombies and their strategies to evade or attack the heroes. The zombies move only one space at a time with each draw of a new card while the heroes can exchange items with other nearby members of his team, shoot ranged weapons or draw a card to search buildings.
There are 5 different scenarios to choose from for different skill levels: Die Zombies, Die!, Burn ‘Em Out!, Defend the Manor House, Escape in the Truck, and Save the Townsfolk. You could add more scenarios by upgrading this zombie board game with an expansion pack or by downloading additional content from the game’s official website.
Pleased customers describe this product as a movie that comes to life. Heroes face impediments such as heavy rain, power outage in buildings, bickering and self-sacrificial deaths to save the team. They also like the cheesy soundtrack, the photographic art which makes the experience look real, and the variable layout of the modular board that makes a diverse game.
Unfortunately, Last Night On Earth – The Zombie Game is not ideal for a single player. A number of buyers also think the zombies have too much power that makes the game difficult.
What makes Zombie Kidz Evolution the best cooperative zombie board game for kids is not just the minimum recommended age of 7 years, but also the short duration for a single session. It has a play time of 5 to 15 minutes which prevents your little ones from losing interest in a drawn-out game. Additionally, the school setting that is under attack by zombies makes it a relatable scenario for children.
The board game comes with cute stickers placed on a chart to document the players’ progress as they accomplish their special missions. As well as the double-sided game board, you will also receive a zombie die, 8 plastic standees, 4 lock tokens, 8 zombie tokens, 4 hero tokens, and a zombie hunter passport. Lastly, the package includes 13 sealed envelopes with unique powers for heroes and zombies. There are approximately 50 missions and participants open the envelopes to unlock these hidden powers after a certain number of achievements.
It is among the best rated legacy board games for families because the rules are simple enough for young children to understand yet interesting enough for adults because it gets more complex with additional rules, advanced challenges and transforming gameplay scenarios as you progress through it.
Zombie Kidz Evolution is suitable for 2 to 4 players. The main complaint from customers is that the rulebook is only available in English language. Otherwise they like the mysterious envelopes that incentivize participants to keep playing to reveal more elements, the minimal pieces that are easy to set up, the short gameplay time that suits the attention span of young players, and the budget-friendly cost.
Zombicide: Black Plague equips players with an array of ammunition to successfully fight the invasion of zombies. In this tension-filled and tactical cooperative zombie board game based in a medieval setting, you will gain more powers as you collect medieval weapons, cast spells and find loot.
The game is designed for up to 6 players aged 14 and above. It comes with 125 mini cards, 6 dice, 60 tokens, 48 trackers, and 65 zombie miniatures, and 9 game tiles that can be played on either side. The package also includes 6 survivor miniatures and an equivalent number of pieces for dashboards and color bases for the survivors.
The Black Plague involves a mysterious illness that turns players into bloodthirsty zombies under the control of Necromancers who want more people on their side. The estimated duration for one game is 60 minutes although some scenarios could take you up to 2 hours.
Fans of the Zombicide series now have a lot more exciting details to look forward to in addition to the walkers, runners, fatties and the scary abominations. This is because this version has been upgraded with the introduction of a second necromancer leader, and the inclusion of back pack and convenient trackers for characters, wounds and special skills. Buyers are also impressed by the highly detailed miniature figures, the option for solo play, and the ability to create your own maps and scenarios which provides customized adventures and great replay value.
You can purchase separate expansion packs to increase the number of survivors, heroes, dashboards and vault loot.
The main downside is that you have to start a new character each time because you cannot progress from one scenario to another.
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game replicates the same thematic art in the classic video game but with a new twist for the original characters that fight zombie off Raccoon City. Fans also appreciate the familiar weapons, enemies, scenarios and map layout recreated from the video game.
This board game features several tokens for doors and walls, random tokens for items such as a storage box and a typewriter, 2 decks of cards for tension and items, and 6 dices in different colors. Owners like the world-class miniatures and the ability to choose their favorite character,
The solo zombie board games also support multi-play by up to 4 participants for a period ranging from 90 to 120 minutes. Players work together to search for tokens while evading and attacking the zombies, and roll the dice to enter color-coded rooms. This means you will need luck, too, because the random card you draw determines the difficulty level of the scenarios.
Although the included booklet explains everything well, set up takes a while because you need to match the shape of the tiles and then place numerous game pieces on the board. We like the ominous design of the dark tiles but it makes it hard to see certain items.
Finally, this game as well as the expansion packs may be expensive for some people, but the thrill, horror and longevity of it makes Resident Evil 2: The Board Game worth it. You will also enjoy plenty of playtime and bonding as you strategize with your friends and family on how to handle the zombies and scenarios.
The Walking Dead TV Board Game is a zombie apocalypse board game that takes Halloween and horror to the next level by adopting elements of the popular TV show.
Survivors based in Atlanta look for weapons, allies and other supplies such as a car and a swift mount that would help them fend off zombies and return safely to the Camp.
They also visit the locations in each corner of the board; the department store, the police station, old people’s home, and the Center for Disease Control. Survivors can only return to the camp after earning a tile for each of the 4 locations. Each dead survivor transforms into a Walker who pursues the current survivors.
The game board comes in a set that includes 6 Character and 30 Walker cards, 6 Survivor and 2 Walker game pieces, 4 badges, 40 Scrounge and 40 Encounter cards, 16 Ally Tokens, 16 location cards and a die.
This is a strategic semi-cooperative board game that also includes a little luck with drawing cards and rolling the die. You can either play it alone or with up to 3 other players. A single session takes 45 minutes. Due to some violent images on the cards, the minimum recommended age is 15 years.
Buyers like the durable construction, simple instructions, unexpected alliances, and the challenges to remain alive. However, a few buyers feel that the odds are unfairly stacked against the Survivors to overly complicate the game and drawing cards randomly makes players die faster based on luck and not strategy.
Tiny Epic Zombies is a strategic zombie board game designed for players aged at least 14 years. You can play competitively or liaise with the other players to defeat zombies. You can also play as the zombies or survivors attempting to flee the Echo Ridge Mall and quarantine the afflicted allies. Each survivor that dies transforms into a zombie and adds to the number of enemies.
This solo zombie game which doubles up as a multilayer competition supports a maximum of 5 players.
Tiny Epic Zombies features 5 different modes of gameplay and lasts for 30 to 45 minutes. These modes are Solo, Co-Op against AI, Competitive against AI, Co-Op against Zombie Player, and Competitive against Zombie player.
For versatile play, the game comes with 14 characters, 18 zombie and 33 objective tokens, 4 ITEMeeples, 12 Equippable Items, 32 search cards, a wooden cop car, and a melee die. The innovative set also includes 9 objective and 9 mall cards.
Buyers love the miniature size, artwork, affordable pricing and the flexibility of this board game.
One drawback is the random picking of the 3 mission goals which is based more on luck than strategy. The instructions also do a poor job of explaining the rules and they also leave out the labels of some of the game pieces. Additionally, some players feel that the large number of game pieces make the game more complicated than it should be.
What do we love it for?
Five players and five modes
Solo or multi-player
Small footprint
Multiple game pieces
Affordable
What were we disappointed with?
Missing labels
Poor instructions
Random mission picking
May be too complicated for recreational play
Things to Consider
If you are an introvert, you may prefer the best solo zombie board games over cooperative ones that involve joint gameplay and outcomes with other participants. We have featured a number of products that provide both options so you do not have to choose. Below we will review the key factors that make the right zombie board games for kids and other target audiences.
Features to consider when choosing a zombie board game
We look at examples of the best zombie apocalypse board games and the features that make them replayable, exciting and appropriate for the players.
The plot
Before buying the best zombie apocalypse board games, you should research the theme, content, artwork, complexity and gameplay to avoid boring and awkward sessions. Some zombie games feature rotting flesh-eating corpses that could be fairly disturbing, immoral and unethical decisions that should be made to conquer your enemies, a high level of deceit, betrayal and backstabbing, or explicit images about alcohol, sex and extreme violence that would be unsuitable for a family game that can be played by young children. Other gameplays may be too intense for a person who does not take defeat well or the storylines may be too upsetting for pearl-clutchers.
Learning the character, style and interests of the potential players would help you to identify the zombie board games with the most appropriate strategy, items and gameplay time for your intended users.
Recommended age
Further to finding out the theme, artwork and the plot of your prospective zombie apocalypse board games, consider the age of the players to find out whether the games are suitable for their age, skills and setting. The best cooperative zombie board games for young kids come with miniature boards and game pieces, child-friendly themes and graphics, and simple rules they can understand. For a family game that is to be played by both adults and children, consider a product like Zombie Kidz Evolution that is quick, cute, and appropriate for anyone who is at least 7 years old. The older members can unlock more complex challenges and rules as they advance and complete missions.
Number of players
Some zombie apocalypse board games allow you to play alone or in a group with varied number of people. This allows you to involve more players who usually add interesting storylines, scenarios and gaming styles to the competition. It also enables you to collaborate with the other participants on a communal goal and share the win or loss when playing cooperative zombie board games. Both Dead of Winter and Last Night On Earth – The Zombie Game support a minimum of 2 players and a maximum number of 5 and 6 participants respectively.
Gameplay time
This refers to the estimated period of a single gaming session. Children typically have a short attention span and they can quickly lose interest during downtimes in a long game. Zombie Kidz Evolution which takes 5 to 15 minutes to play would be ideal for kids whereas cooperative zombie board games like Resident Evil 2: The Board Game gives adults ample time of 90 to 120 minutes to draw and execute their strategies as a group to get rid of zombies.
What’s included
The best zombie apocalypse board games come with various items depending on the brand, plot, strategies, complexity, and the number of players. These include dice, cards for different characters and zombies, tokens and tracking charts.
Versatile cooperative zombie board games also offer expansion packs that are purchased separately to increase replayability value by upgrading the game with new characters, scenarios and items.
Extra features
Gameplay modes:Tiny Epic Zombies features 5 modes that allow you to customize the plot, strategies and duration of the game: Solo, Co-Op against AI, Competitive against AI, Co-Op against Zombie Player, and Competitive against Zombie player.
Design: Look for durable boards and playing items that can put up with several gaming sessions and a compact package that is easy to take with you anywhere.
In cooperative zombie board games, the players work together towards a common goal and share the win or loss as a group. They are ideal for family gatherings, parties and social events because they promote teamwork, constant interaction and camaraderie.
The best zombie board games for kids come with cute artwork, simple rules and child-friendly content and themes. Each product would also indicate the minimum recommended age so you can ascertain its suitability for children before you make your decision.
Wrapping It Up
Our Editor’s Choice is Dead of Winter, a cooperative zombie board games that promotes teamwork with a communal objective selected from 10 scenarios, and strategic plotting by the individual players in their personal secret missions. They fight off zombies and possible traitors among themselves, and a player has to complete the public and private missions to win.
Last Night On Earth – The Zombie Game is one of the most immersive zombie apocalypse board games with movie effects, a variable board and upgrade packs that add more scenarios to the 5 existing ones.
Our third pick is Zombie Kidz Evolution which brings fun, cuteness and quickness to the otherwise violent and scary zombie wars. It comes in a pretty package with a reversible board, tracking stickers, and hidden powers that are unlocked as you progress through the nearly 50 missions.
