Braaaaaaiiiiins: The Best Board Games About Zombies (2024)

As one of the deadliest monsters in our collective imagination, zombies are a staple of gaming. We love to mow down hoards and hoards of them, using every tool at our disposal to send them back to the grave where they belong. Their appearances in video gaming are as diverse as The Last of Us and Plants vs Zombies. This is probably because zombies make good gaming enemies. They are impersonal and irredeemable, and they can easily appear in large numbers.

For the same reasons, tabletop games are just as full of zombies as their electronic counterparts. Today, we’re here to talk about the best board games out there that will allow you to face off against, or become, the living dead.

Updated June 19, 2024 by Alexandrea Alix: The moans of the undead never get old, especially in the world of board games! Buckle up, because the zombie apocalypse on your tabletop is about to get even more exciting. This guide has been updated to include more of the hottest titles available.

Best Game Where You’re the Zombie

Zombie Dice Deluxe

Braaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiins

This press-your-luck dice game has players taking the role of zombies who roll different-colored dice with differently weighted odds, with the goal of acquiring brains more quickly than they acquire bullets.

Pros

• Fast & Simple

Cons

• Highly Luck-Based

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Zombie Dice is a dice game by legendary game designer Steve Jackson, creator of GURPS and Munchkin. Players roll dice that are different colors — green, yellow, or red — and their color determines how likely they are to give you brains, as well as how likely they are to get you shot in the head.

The object of the game is to roll lots of brains before you roll too many bullets, and the key to victory is to know when to walk away with the brains you’ve already collected instead of risking them with further rolls. Zombie dice is a fun, fast game, great to warm you up before you dig into something longer and more complicated, like one of our next few entries.

Best Cooperative Survival Game

Dead of Winter

Who can you trust?

Dead of Winter is a cooperative zombie survival game where players take the role of zombie apocalypse survivors and work to complete a wide variety of objectives, constantly weighing their interests and those of their colony, making tough decisions, and struggling with who they can trust.

Pros

• Amazing Social Dynamics
• Well-crafted, gritty zombie survival

Cons

• Long & Complex

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Dead of Winter is a masterfully crafted post-apocalyptic zombie survival game where the players control a wide variety of different zombie apocalypse survivors, each with their own unique stats and abilities. They work together to protect and provide for their colony while struggling to hold the living dead at bay. What makes this game brilliant is the way it handles victory.

Depending on the scenario you select, there will be a group-wide victory condition which must be completed for the game to be won, but each player will also have their own agenda to fulfill, which they must weigh against the interests of the group.

In addition, one player will, usually, play as a defector, whose victory condition requires the rest of the group to fail their main objective. This creates amazing social dynamics. Players must balance their interests, those of the group, and the hidden identity game that’s nested within this zombie survival game.

Best Action-Survival

Zombicide 2nd Edition Strategy Board Game

The chainsaw goes vroooooom

Zombicide is a cooperative zombie survival game with a greater focus on action and zombie-killing than the previous entries. Its greater focus on combat and adrenaline makes for a more action-packed experience.

Pros

• Awesome Zombie-killing Action
• Chainsaws

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Zombicide is another cooperative zombie survival game, this time occupying the opposite end of the grit-to-coolness spectrum to the one occupied by Dead of Winter. Where that game is all about gritty survival, this one is about the awesomeness of killing zombies, all while still preserving that survival format to make sure things are tense.

Where our previous survivors were just trying to, well, survive, the ones in this game are out for revenge against the living dead. The version linked here is an updated edition, which improves upon the original in a number of minor ways.

Best TTRPG

Zombicide Chronicles

YOUR chainsaw goes vroooooom

$31 $37 Save $6

If you like Zombicide, but are looking for a more detailed experience, the Zombicide Chronicles TTRPG is exactly what you’re looking for.

Pros

• All the immersion that comes with a full-on TTRPG

Cons

• All the complexity that comes with a full-on TTRPG

$31 at Amazon

Perhaps a single-session board game isn’t quite enough for you. Perhaps you want to take a Zombicide experience further. If that’s the case, the Zombicide Chronicles TTRPG is perfect for you. Now you can become more immersed than ever in a world of unparalleled zombie-killing awesomeness, and accomplish any feat of zombicide you can imagine.

Cutest Game

Tiny Epic Zombies

Tiny little zombie-killing menaces

Tiny Epic Zombies is a zombie survival card game from the creators of Tiny Epic Galaxies. It has several different modes of play, allowing players to take the role of zombies, survivors, or both, and to play cooperatively or competitively.

Pros

• Meeples with cute little shotguns and chainsaws
• Adjustable and versatile
• Reasonably fast

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Tiny Epic Zombies is a zombie survival card game with cooperative and competitive modes. It’s a spin-off of Tiny Epic Galaxies, and there are some similarities in the survival and resource management mechanics associated with the two games, but this game is not simply a zombie-themed reskin.

The game places players in the roles of either zombies or survivors, who are cooperating or competing against each other to determine whether the survivors accomplish their objectives or are overrun and devoured. The game is relatively fast (less than an hour) and has countless different modes of play, so it can be adjusted to fit a wide range of play situations.

Best for Parties

Zombie Apocalypse: A Card Game

Several different modes

Zombie Apocalypse is a survival horror card game with cooperative and competitive modes. Still about surviving in a zombie apocalypse, this game is much simpler and quicker than previous entries.

Pros

• Simple & Fast
• Nice Artwork
• Versatile and Replayable

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Simpler than most of the previous entries, Zombie Apocalypse: A Card Game uses nothing but cards and relatively simple rules to make an easier zombie survival game suitable for play at parties. Gameplay occurs in 15-20 minute rounds, and the game deliberately gives you the option of playing just one of these rounds or playing several in a row for a longer experience. The game’s nice art and relative ease of play make it ideal for settings where non-gamers will be present.

Best for Families

Zombie Teenz Evolution

Cooperative Chaos and Unboxing Surprises

$20 $25 Save $5

Zombie Teenz Evolution is a cooperative game where players work together to protect their town from zombie hordes. The game includes surprises and new rules unlocked through stickers and mysterious envelopes, keeping gameplay fresh and engaging. It's easy to learn but can challenge players with strategy and teamwork.

Pros

• The game mechanics encourage cooperation, as players must work together to move crates and fight off zombies.
• Fourteen unlockable envelopes keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.
• The game unfolds a narrative through comic strips included in the envelopes.
• Games take about 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy families or shorter attention spans.

Cons

• At least one player needs to be able to read the rules and explain new mechanics unlocked throughout the game.

See at Amazon$20 at Walmart$25 at Official Site

In Zombie Teenz Evolution, your town is overrun with zombies, and it's up to your team of brainy teenagers to save the day. Work together to gather crucial ingredients, outsmart the shambling hordes, and deliver the antidote before the city falls.

But this isn't a one-shot mission.

With each game, you'll unlock new rules, challenges, and story elements through mysterious envelopes, keeping the gameplay fresh and exciting.

Zombie Teenz Evolution is a phenomenal choice for families looking for a cooperative, story-driven board game experience. With its strategic challenges, evolving gameplay, and engaging narrative, this game will have your family cheering, strategizing, and begging for "just one more round!" for weeks to come.

Best Cinematic Board Game

Last Night On Earth - The Zombie Game

The Ultimate Cinematic Zombie Experience

Last Night on Earth is a cooperative game for 2-6 players, pitting human survivors against waves of zombies. Choose your hero, face off against the undead horde, and fight for survival through cinematic scenarios on a modular board. Games take 60-90 minutes.

Pros

• From the quirky character names to the cheesy event cards, Last Night on Earth oozes B-movie charm, perfectly capturing the chaotic fun of classic zombie cinema.
• Modular boards, multiple scenarios, and a thriving online community with custom scenarios mean there's always a fresh apocalypse to survive.
• Games can last anywhere from a heart-pounding rush to a tense last stand, keeping everyone on the edge of their seats.
• Detailed miniatures, sturdy boards, and thematic artwork all contribute to the immersive experience.

Cons

• While the core mechanics are simple, there are nuances to the rules that might take a game or two to fully grasp.

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Last Night on Earth: The Zombie Game is an immersive, cinematic experience that throws you headfirst into a B-movie zombie apocalypse.

The game splits players into two teams: the desperate survivors and the relentless zombie horde.

Survivors choose from a cast of colorful characters, each with unique abilities – there's the trigger-happy jock, the resourceful scientist, and even the nervous mailman. The modular board creates a unique town layout for every game, with houses, stores, and the ever-important escape route all waiting to be explored.

Each turn is a race against the clock. Survivors take actions, scavenging for weapons and supplies, barricading buildings, and of course, facing off against the approaching zombies in desperate combat.

Meanwhile, the zombie player isn't just sitting idly by. They draw cards that control the undead horde, spawning new zombies and manipulating their movement, trying to overwhelm the survivors before they can complete their objective.

FAQ

Which of these games is the scariest?

Most of these games have some element of horror to them, but Dead of Winter is the darkest and grittiest game on this list. You have been warned!

Are there zombie tabletop role-playing games?

Yes, there are a few, including Zombicide Chronicles, Journey, All Flesh Must Be Eaten, and Apocalypse the Risen. In addition, zombies are staple monsters in more basic fantasy role-playing games like D&D and Pathfinder.

What are some of the best zombie video games?

It's a subjective topic, especially given how many video games there are that revolve around the undead. But if you want to take a look at some of the best zombie games out there, we have a handy list of the best ones.

What is the most realistic zombie apocalypse game?

While there's no perfect simulation, games that focus on resource management, survival mechanics, and slow character progression tend to lean towards a more "realistic" feel. Here are a few to consider:

• Project Zomboid: This digital title throws you into a sprawling open world where scavenging for food, maintaining your health, and avoiding infection are paramount.
• DayZ: Another open-world experience, DayZ emphasizes player interaction (both friendly and hostile) alongside the constant threat of the undead.
• This War of Mine: This challenging game explores the human cost of survival in a war-torn city, with zombies adding another layer of desperation.

Are there zombie board games based on movies?

Absolutely! Several popular zombie franchises have gotten the board game treatment. Here are a few examples:

• Resident Evil 2: The Board Game: This cooperative game throws players into the iconic Raccoon City Police Department, facing off against iconic bosses like Mr. X.
• The Walking Dead: All Out War: Based on the hit TV series, this miniatures game lets you recreate the show's brutal combat and desperate struggle for survival.
• Zombicide: Black Plague: While not directly tied to a movie, this fantasy-themed game captures the feel of classic zombie flicks like Dawn of the Dead, with players working together to clear hordes of undead.