You vs. Zombies – A Not Overly-Complicated ‘Zombicide’ Explainer
Gather your fellow survivors and resist the undead hordes in Zombicide, the incredibly cooperative board game from Guillotine Games.
Welcome in, brave survivors! If one creature has stood the test of time as a “survival enemy,” it’s the humble Zombie. From television like The Walking Dead to video games like Call of Duty: Zombies or Resident Evil, zombies are the ultimate enemy. In great numbers, they can overwhelm the most stalwart of defenses. You cannot reason with them; they care little for self-preservation, and they might look like your friends. So how do you get all the action of surviving against the unending horde with your friends without the risk of infection? Pick yourself up a copy of Zombicide!
What is Zombicide?
Zombicide is a cooperative board game for 1-6 players. Players take on the role of one of the survivors and try to complete missions and stave off the zombie horde. But be careful; as the players get stronger, so does the horde. You and your team must balance survival with hunting down your enemies to survive the apocalypse.
Zombicide originally launched on Kickstarter in 2012. It was the first project produced by Cool Mini or Not, in conjunction with Guillotine Games. Since then, it has had several successful spin-offs, expansions, and new editions. The latest edition of the base game launched in 2022 and is considered by many to be vastly superior to the original.
How Do You Play?
To begin play, each player selects one or more Survivors to represent themselves in the game. If you choose to play the game solo, you will control 4 heroes simultaneously. Your goal is determined by the mission you and your fellow players select at the beginning of the game. Once you choose a mission, you construct the map from the available tiles, and play begins. The survivors are successful if they complete the mission parameters before the encroaching undead horde overruns them.
The game controls the zombies assailing you, so there is no need to pit yourself against your friends. As you and the other survivors grow stronger, the horde begins to grow in size and strength. Eventually, you will face more zombies, much larger variants, and perhaps dreaded “boss” zombies.
Should the heroes survive their encounter, they keep all the experience and items they earned and move on to the following scenario. You can either play that scenario immediately or wait and play it out another day. However, should the zombies succeed in overrunning the survivors, all of their progress is erased, and the game starts over from the beginning.
Zombicide: Reception and Reviews
Zombicide and all its offshoots have met with rave reviews on multiple channels. It was the recipient of two awards from Ludo in 2013 and has been nominated for several more. Techraptor noted, “The game is fun and challenging if you like cooperative games.”
Is Zombicide like D&D?
Zombicide bears a lot of similarities to D&D, but they are not identical. Both feature players venturing out to complete missions and fight monsters. However, Zombicide doesn’t require a DM, and the characters are pre-generated. It’s a bit like playing D&D with a computer DM or one of those old VHS board games where the video occasionally introduces challenges or hamper players (I had the Gargoyles one from Disney). In addition, Zombicide is set in a modern universe, far from the standard high fantasy setting of D&D.
There is, however, a more fantasy-focused version. Black Plague and its expansions pit players against necromancers and their undead minions. Heroes gain magic spells and powerful arcane items, and the infiltrating necromancers grow stronger and gain access to nastier hexes. If you want a closer experience to D&D, try this version.
How Long Does a Game of Zombicide Take?
Game time depends on the number of players, the difficulty of the scenario, and the map size. A standard “beginner” scenario lasts about 20 minutes, while a full game on an expert map could take up to 2 hours. it entirely depends on how many players take their turns, and how quickly they can get through them. Either way, play to set aside at least an hour.
Zombicide Expansions and Versions
There are tons of expansions for Zombicide, allowing you to play the game in many different ways. There’s Modern, the standard way to play; Black Plague, the fantasy version; and Invader, a version set in the future. There are even versions for Marvel and DC, pitting the brave heroes against hordes of zombies. You can probably find a Zombicide for whatever gameplay style you like.
Can I Play the Same Scenario Again?
Definitely! You’ll probably have to play the missions more than once, and once you’ve fully beaten the game, you can go back and playthrough again. The more you play, the more ways you’ll discover to win. Go out and slay the undead to your heart’s content!
