Zombie games have always been a popular genre in gaming, as who wouldn't want to blast through hordes of undead with an entire arsenal of different weapons at one's disposal? Series such as Dead Rising and Resident Evil stand out as champions of the genre, especially with newer and more exciting additions that push the boundaries of what is possible in modern gaming.
Best Retro Zombie Games, Ranked
The undead have been part of gaming for decades, and there are plenty of great retro zombie games.
But even before the dawn of modern games with graphics almost distinguishable from real life and the most immersive gameplay, there were still a few zombie games that would have doubtlessly scared gamers witless and grossed them out with their brain-busting gore at the time. It's time for a trip through the memory graveyard and take a look back at these early, undead hits.
6 The House of the Dead
A Shining Example of Light Gun Games
The House of the Dead
- Released
- October 15, 1996
- Platform(s)
- Arcade, PC, Sega Saturn
- Developer
- Wow Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Shooter
It is impossible to discuss classic zombie games and not mention the first House of the Dead, which was a seminal entry in the light-gun genre. As is normal for zombie games, there was a scientist pushing gruesome and unethical experiments to discover the secret behind life and death, and the fruits of his labor breakout and overrun the mansion. A distress call draws Thomas Rogan and his partner G to the Curien Mansion, where they are besieged by the undead creatures.
In the original version of the game, players got to use a light gun to aim and shoot at the monsters on the screen for a more immersive gameplay experience, something that was notably missing from the follow-up game, The House of the Dead 2. Carefully managing resources like Resident Evil is not the aim of the game--players need to unleash bullet hell in this chaotic and fun zombie game in order to survive.
5 Zombies Ate My Neighbors
Choose Between One of Two Protagonists to Save the Suburbs
Zombies Ate My Neighbors
One would not think a quiet, peaceful suburban area would become the stomping ground of an undead horde, but they would be wrong. Zeke and Julie find themselves the reluctant heroes of this classic run-and-gun game after the mad scientist Dr Tongue unleashes a slew of monsters in their quiet neighborhood.
Best Zombie Games That Are Not Horror
Gamers aren't as obsessed with zombies as they once were, but the undead hordes have given us some great games. Not all of them are scary though.
Playing as one character alone or teaming up with a friend, the player or players must run through various different locations in the game and rescue their neighbors from the clutches of the foul beasts freed from the Dr's castle. If any sort of enemy makes contact with the neighbor, they will be lost, and players must slay all enemies in order to proceed. Players will wield ordinary everyday objects to devastating effect to clear these levels, which is part of this game's charm and humor.
4 Zombie Nation
Boasts One of the Most Unique Premises in the Genre
- Platforms: PC, NES, Nintendo Switch
- Released: January 1991
- Developers: KAZe
- Genre: Shooter
Zombie games stretch back even as far as the early 90s when most gamers were probably using their NES to play titles such as Ninja Gaiden and Super Mario Bros. For those who were in the market for a fast-paced and fun shoot 'em up, there was Zombie Nation, a Japanese zombie game with a unique premise.
9 years in the future from its release, the floating head of the great samurai Namakubi travels to America, a land overrun by zombies originating back to Darc Seed, an alien who crashed on earth and caused this outbreak of undead. Rather than unleashing a barrage of bullets upon creatures and structures alike, players will shoot eyeballs and vomit, making for some rather nasty visuals even by zombie game standards. It is a unique entry for players who are growing tired of the same old titles.
3 Nightmare Creatures
Slay the Undead in this Victorian-Era Horror Title
Nightmare Creatures
- Released
- September 30, 1997
- Developer(s)
- Kalisto Entertainment
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo 64, PC, PS1
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Action
One of the earliest survival horror games, and one of the very first games set in the Victorian era, Nightmare Creatures is an often forgotten and tragically overlooked title when discussing classic horror games. Players have the choice between one of two protagonists on offer before they set off to face legions of demons and undead, who have risen from their graves to terrorize the living.
Terrifying Horror Games Set in the Victorian Era
Step into the pages of a penny dreadful through these horrifying Victorian horror games that transport players straight into the 19th century.
Each character offers a new spin on the gameplay as they each have their own unique weapon to face off against the terrifying creatures that seek to force them to join them in the afterlife. The result of a cult that tries to shoot for the lofty goal of supernatural powers to further their nefarious goals, they unwittingly unleash disaster, and now the player and their weapons are all that stand between humanity and utter calamity.
2 Blood
Assume the Role of a Legendary Gunslinger
Blood is an old but classic gameplay shooter in a similar vein to DOOM, as players will splatter undead and unholy beasties with the weapons at their disposal. Set in an indeterminate time period with elements of multiple eras both past and future, players take on the role of Caleb, once the head of a Cult and still wearing the mantle of a merciless and skilled gunfighter. He has risen from the grave to exact his vengeance after he and several other members of the cult were betrayed.
Despite its age, Blood remains an extremely enjoyable shooter game that will put players' skills to the test with its challenging difficulty, but that only makes the fruits of success all the sweeter. And with the 2019 release on Steam, the game is easily accessible for gamers who wish to see what zombie games of yore were like.
1 Resident Evil 2
Excels Above the First in Many Ways
Resident Evil 2
- Released
- January 21, 1998
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Platform(s)
- Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo GameCube, PC, PS1
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
The first Resident Evil is a celebrated game and for good reason. It was one of the first survival horror games of all time and held a strong influence over the genre. It delivers scares, tense gameplay, and head-scratching puzzles for an all-around exceptional experience. With such a strong start to the franchise, it would seem Resident Evil 2 was set up for failure, as how could it ever compare? But that's when Capcom did the unthinkable and made an even better game.
Introducing new characters that would become absolute legends (Leon S Kennedy, Claire Redfield, and Ada Wong), Resident Evil 2 shows the downfall of Raccoon City as zombie-like creatures have overrun it, leaving no safe havens. Monsters such as Birkin and Mr X have fully cemented themselves in the player's mind, inflicting nightmares and trauma against an entire generation. Though some would argue the remake is the definitive way to experience Resident Evil 2, there were some drastic changes and tragic omissions that make it a good case that all fans who may have somehow missed out on this game for all the years to go back and give it a chance, as it is the best zombie game of the 90s, and maybe of all time.
Best Zombie Games From The 2000s
The 2000s saw the release of a bunch of amazing and memorable zombie games across numerous franchises. Here are the highlights.