Unlock All the Zombies Chaos in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

As a horror fanatic who has sunk countless hours into Call of Duty: Black Ops 2‘s acclaimed Zombies mode since its launch in 2012, unlocking every last undead-infested map and wringing out their secrets has been an exhilarating ride. Whenever I hear the bone-chilling loading screen sounds as I descend into laboratories overrun with zombies or ghost towns crawling with undead cowboys, I know I‘m in for a heart-pounding battle where only the best prepared will survive.

So if you‘re looking to experience the full-scale zombie outbreak in all its gory glory, this guide will break down everything you need to know to unlock all of the Zombies maps across Black Ops 2 – from purchasing map packs to utilizing secret codes. Time to stock up on ammunition and perk-a-colas!

Quick Guide to Unlocking All Zombies Maps

To jump right into the action, here‘s a cheat sheet on getting access to all of the Black Ops 2 Zombies maps:

• DLC Map Packs – Buy Revolution, Uprising, Vengeance & Apocalypse packs. Best value is the Season Pass (est. $50).
• Secret Codes – Input "3ARC UNLOCK" and get all maps/modes instantly.
• Campaign Missions – Finish on any difficulty for Nuketown Zombies. Veteran to unlock Survival.

However you choose to unlock them, having the full collection of Zombies maps opens up a huge amount of variety to slaughter zombies in Bandit Country at High Noon or amidst World War I trenches fighting an ancient evil. Now let‘s break down the details.

Expand Your Map Collection With DLC Packs

Treyarch has released 4 main DLC ("Downloadable Content") map packs that each include an exciting new entry into the Zombies universe, alongside multiplayer and campaign missions:

• Die Rise takes place in crumbling skyscrapers amidst a post-apocalyptic city overrun with undead – use elevators and traps to stay alive!
• In Mob of the Dead, iconic gangsters battle zombies while plotting an escape from Alcatraz Prison.
• Take a trip out west to the ghost mining town of Buried – watch your step for booby traps!
• Origins sets heroes against an ancient zombie evil born from cultist experiments during World War I.

I generally recommend buying the Season Pass which provides access to all DLC packs at a bundled discount of $50. If your budget is tight, I‘d rank the maps as follows based on overall enjoyment:

1. Mob of the Dead
2. Origins
3. Buried
4. Die Rise

Now let‘s move on to the quicker (but sneakier) ways to unlock maps…

Secret Codes for Instant Zombie Action

Perhaps my favorite way of gaining access to all of Black Ops 2‘s zombie slaughter is by using secret unlock codes entered at the game‘s main terminal. Who doesn‘t love hidden tricks that let you bypass all the costs and grind! This clever trick allows you to input a special Konami-inspired code to unlock either specific maps or literally every single zombies experience instantly.

To try it yourself, here are step-by-step instructions:

1. From the Zombies main menu, interact with the computer terminal. You should see a text input box.

2. Carefully input one of the following secret codes:

• 3ARC UNLOCK – Unlocks ALL zombie maps and modes! Best option to unlock everything in one go.
• DOA – Unlock Dead Ops arcade mode for some retro-shooter action

3. Hit enter and you should receive a confirmation message indicating maps have been unlocked. Back out and you‘ll now see new maps selectable!

A word of warning: using this code can sometimes erase your existing Zombies progression and leaderboard rankings. So you may want to prestige and back up your stats first just in case. In my opinion it‘s worth it for all-you-can-slay zombie access!

Finish Campaign Missions to Add More Dead Game Modes

Think you have what it takes to survive the full Black Ops 2 campaign? Polish those skills against hordes of human enemies first before diving into the zombies – finishing certain campaign missions unlocks exclusive zombie modes.

To unlock the keystone Nuketown Zombies map, you simply have to complete the campaign on any difficulty level straight through. Estimated playthrough on Regular difficulty takes about 5-6 hours. I‘d target finishing the "Judgment Day" mission to unlock.

Unlocking the undisclosed hidden Zombies Survival mode requires completing the entire Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 campaign on Veteran difficulty. Given the brutal AI of enemies on Veteran, that will likely take 15+ hours and test the skill of even seasoned FPS veterans. I‘d recommend playing on Regular first for the story, then going back for a Veteran playthrough later to impress your friends with the bonus Zombies Survival unlock.

An open question players still debate is whether these unlocks carry across multiple campaign playthroughs (for example, completing half the missions on Regular, and the other half on Veteran). Based on community reports, my understanding is campaign unlocks are "all or nothing" meaning they only trigger when all missions are finished back-to-back on the same save file.

Classified Intel: Cut Maps, Hidden Songs & More

Thanks to game files, code leaks, and good ol‘ fashioned data mining, Zombies superfans have uncovered quite a few buried secrets about cut content or extra areas across most Black Ops 2 maps. From hidden songs triggered by shooting specific objects to glitching outside the normal map to access cut zones, there‘s a surprising amount of hidden lore out there.

I may revisit some of these mysterious oddities in a future post. If you can‘t stand waiting, I highly recommend checking out the /r/CODZombies subreddit which still hosts regular Easter egg hunts to this day!

Now – survival awaits. Which zombie-infested map will you be battling the undead in next?