What are the Zombies maps in order? A complete history and analysis.
As an avid Call of Duty zombies fanatic since World at War dropped that first map in 2008, I‘ve played and analyzed every zombies map extensively over the past 15 years. In this guide, I‘ll cover the complete chronological history of each map in-depth while providing expert commentary on their key features, innovations, and influence on future maps and the zombies experience as a whole. Let‘s dive in!
The Origins in World at War
World at War introduced the concept of a survival-based "Nazi Zombies" cooperative mode with the release of Nacht der Untoten. This small, two-story map started a phenomenon, despite its simplicity. Set in a creepy WWII bunker, players had to survive endless waves of undead. With only two utilities and a couple wall weapons, Nacht focused on tense close-quarters survival. It paved the way for what would become a franchise staple.
Verrückt took things up a notch in terms of horror and difficulty with its run-down asylum setting. The layout forced players to constantly move between tight spaces and open areas. It upped the scare factor substantially compared to Nacht. Shi No Numa brought back outdoor environments with its exotic swamp setting. The introduction of the mystery box and perk machines created a more tactical, risk-vs-reward style of play that would influence all future maps.
Der Riese was the culmination of innovation in World at War, featuring Pack-a-Punch upgrading, teleporters, and hellhounds. The expanded size and focus on Easter eggs helped cement zombies as a staple mode moving forward.
Black Ops Refines the Formula
Black Ops kicked off zombies in style with the classic Kino der Toten, a reimagined version of a World at War map. The familiar theater setting resonated with fans, while small innovations like the Thundergun and crawler zombies added variety and strategy to matches.
Five took zombies in a more narrative-driven direction by featuring historical figures Kennedy, Nixon, Castro, and McNamara as playable characters. The close-quarters Pentagon map design ratcheted up the challenge. Players had to utilize teamwork and communication to open doors and progress safely through the floors.
Ascension moved the action to a Soviet launch site, with a map packed to the brim with secrets and Easter eggs to uncover. Space monkeys shaking up your perk strategy became an iconic zombies menace. Call of the Dead brought in real-life celebrities as characters and the legendary George Romero as a deadly special zombie. Battling undead Romero remains a highlight for many fans.
Shangri-La took the difficulty up a notch with tight spaces, rugged terrain, and aggressive zombie types in a lush jungle temple. The map‘s many deadly traps and intricate Easter egg reflected the evolution of zombies towards more complex quests and challenges. Moon put a unique spin on gameplay with low gravity and space walk sections set in a sci-fi lunar base. The map culminated one of the most beloved classic zombies storylines.
Innovation Continues in Black Ops 2
Black Ops 2 brought transit maps with interconnected sub-sections players could travel between on a bus. Tranzit featured large rural and town areas bridged by claustrophobic tunnels teeming with zombies. It was an ambitious design that encouraged exploration.
Die Rise added verticality to the maps, challenging players to navigate a devastated skyscraper with fallen elevator shafts and plenty of ways to take fatal falls amidst the sky-high action. Mob of the Dead became an instant fan-favorite with its Alcatraz prison setting, ghostly enemies, and blending of iconic gangsters, horror, and zombies action. The Hell‘s Retriever weapon and Afterlife mode created fresh ways to play.
Buried took a big swing conceptually with an underground old west setting mixed with maze-like mining sections. Origins went back to zombies‘ World War I roots, but added elemental weapons, challenge rooms and a fully realized story quest to unravel. Black Ops 2 ambitiously innovated while pushing map complexity and Easter eggs to new heights.
The Refined Maps of Black Ops 3
Black Ops 3 represents the pinnacle of traditional round-based zombies map design. Shadows of Evil immersed players in a striking 1940‘s film noir setting filled with Cthulhu-esque giant monsters and a star-studded cast. The map set a new bar for Easter egg complexity with its multi-part quests.
Der Eisendrache remains one of the most popular maps for its epic medieval castle setting blended with scientific experiments and a bows n‘ arrows arsenal. Fighting a hulking armored dragon remains a series highlight. Zetsubou No Shima delivered a huge overgrown island lab map teeming with secrets and innovative boss type zombies like the spider-mutant Thrashers.
Gorod Krovi brought the motherland to zombies with its sprawling Stalingrad setting accented by train yards and war factories. The map let players harness flamethrower drones and go toe-to-toe with a towering mechanized dragon. Revelations served as a nostalgic "best hits" compilation featuring fan-favorite areas from previous maps in one epic culmination. Black Ops 3 represent zombies design and mechanics at their peak.
Chaotic Black Ops 4 Maps
Black Ops 4 zombies maps embraced big new concepts while also remixing classic maps like Mob of the Dead. IX pitted players in a deadly colosseum with gladiator style challenges and some of the toughest standard enemies in zombies history.
Voyage of Despair put a creepy twist on luxury ocean liners as you faced undead in tight corridors and state rooms. Blood of the Dead expanded Mob of the Dead‘s Alcatraz with new areas to explore like the Warden‘s house while keeping faithful to the original vibe.
Ancient Evil let players battle mythic Greece creatures in their gorgeous Chaos story map accentuated by Pegasus flights and heroic boss battles. Tag Der Toten delivered a bombastic finale to the Aether story by expanding Call of the Dead in exciting ways. The Black Ops 4 maps may have been divisive to some, but offered plenty of innovations for players.
Cold War Refresh
Cold War has overhauled the classic zombies formula by moving towards open-world maps connected by portals called Outbreak, while still offering traditional round-based maps.
The launch Die Maschine map brought Nacht der Untoten into the next generation with a visually stunning WWII Nazi base map accented by new enemies like the deadly hellhound-spawning Megaton. Firebase Z cranked up the action with its Vietnam era setting and frequent attacks by the new shape-shifting Mimic zombies.
Outbreak dwarfs previous maps, connecting massive open regions like a Zombies take on Warzone. Players have unparalleled freedom to choose objectives, gear up, and take on epic boss enemies.
Mauer der Toten brought innovative allies like therecord-slinging orb Weaver and rampaging Tempest enemies that require teamwork to take down as you battle through war-torn Berlin. Forsaken has so far concluded the Cold War story in fitting fashion by having players return to where it all began – the Outbreak zones.
Cold War has reinvigorated the mode with its innovations while setting the stage for the future. Zombies now feels bigger than ever before.
The Definitive Zombies Experience
Looking back, it‘s incredible to see how far zombies has come since that first creepy bunker in Nacht der Untoten. We‘ve battled the undead everywhere imaginable, from the depths of ancient temples to the Moon itself.
It‘s a testament to Treyarch that they‘ve constantly expanded the boundaries of the mode across multiple games without losing that tense, focused survival horror experience at the core of what makes zombies so special.
The future looks bright. Outbreak and Cold War‘s open worlds appear to be the next evolution, but Treyarch could still surprise us with bold new concepts. As long as the action stays frenetic, the monsters grotesque, and the maps impeccably designed, I know I‘ll be slaying zombies well into the apocalypse. What an incredible journey it‘s been so far. Which map stands out to you? Let me know in the comments!
