The Best Call of Duty Zombies Maps

Call of Duty Zombies Maps are one of the most important, if not the most important building blocks of zombies in general. The game mode wouldn't be where it is today without all of the legendary zombies maps that have been released. 

Kino Der Toten (Black Ops I)

Call of Duty: World at War may have made the Call of Duty Zombies game mode with Nacht der Untoten, but Kino der Toten in Call of Duty: Black ops I is what revolutionized it. Black ops II introduced zombies to a far bigger audience. Kino Der Toten is a zombies map that everyone and their relatives played, you just couldn't get enough of it, especially in multiplayer. It achieved many things, but the most important factor is that it converted casual zombies fans into something greater through easter eggs and gameplay variety.

The map had a layout that flows nicely, and you could visit key points of the map in a quick manner. It wasn't too easy, but still challenging. And this, alongside the theme of the map, is what initially attracted players. The fact that it was one of the starter maps also contributed to its success. Kino Der Toten breathed new life into the zombies mode, and players are forever grateful for its effect on Call of Duty as a whole.

This zombie map will go down in history as one of the best maps in Call of Duty Zombies. Very few can match the popularity and influence of Kino Der Toten.

Shadows of Evil

Shadows of Evil is yet another starter Call of Duty zombies map that blindsided many Call of Duty zombies fans. Released as the first map of the Call of Duty: Black Ops III zombies mode, Shadows of Evil brought us into a theme we didn't know we needed.

Set in 1944, this map gave us a fascinating world with even more exciting gameplay aspects. To top it all off, this map is where we got introduced to the Apothicon Servant and Swords, two new wonder weapons that everyone came to love. Some even argue that the Apothicon Servant is the best wonder weapon in zombies.

The Shadows of Evil easter egg is something else entirely, and it's probably why this map saw so much fame. The easter egg was basically the beginning of the end, it began the process of ending the zombies story timeline that we've been following since Call of Duty: Black Ops I. However, the map was still open to criticism, as not many people like the alienesque design of the new creatures and wonder weapons.

It may have been a bit too difficult for a starter map, but people got used to it and learned to appreciate it for what it is. Trying out this map is a definite must if you're ever thinking about playing Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies.

Origins (Black Ops II)

Origins was the last DLC map for Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and it served as the ending for the Black Ops II Richtofen storyline. This map brings the crew to an excavation site in Northern France during the first World War. You can feel the sense of dread on this map, there's nothing more tragic than the trenches of World War I.

The excavation site itself is full of secrets, and the things that were uncovered gave players inventive ways to kill zombies. The layout of the map is huge and the possibilities are endless. You can build 4 types of staffs that can decimate zombies, and there are in-game challenges that will allow you to interact with the map differently.

Many have called the Easter Egg on Origins tedious, and there is some truth to that. If you want to complete the Origins Easter Egg, you're going to need to brush up on your cardio. Completing tasks for the easter egg on a huge map like Origins is bound to bore people to death. Still, it's one of the more eventful easter eggs, and will definitely get you ready for Black Ops III's storyline.

Mob of the Dead

Mob of the Dead follows a group of famous Alcatraz island prisoners that have been plunged into the zombie apocalypse. It was the second DLC zombies map for Call of Duty Black Ops II, and it gave way for a new, independent storyline that then later connected to other zombies storylines.

Mob of the Dead also introduced us to a new wonder weapon called the Blundergat and some nifty tools like the Hell's Redeemer axe. The aetherial form mechanic on this map was also something unique to Mob of the Dead.

Most of the maps on this list have something in common - memorable easter eggs. This also applies to the Mob of the Dead. It has one of the most memorable main easter eggs and endings ever. Not only that, but there are also many side easter eggs that one can do in order to enhance their game. The setting and theme in particular are what kept people playing this map, we've always wanted to see prisoners escape Alcatraz Island.

Der Riese (World at War)

Call of Duty: World at War did many things right, and Der Riese was definitely part of that. Der Riese is the fourth zombies map that was released for World at War, and it is the perfect representation of what Call of Duty Zombies is. The success of Kino Der Toten can be attributed to Der Riese, and this is mainly due to the way Der Riese was structured.

Der Riese was the first zombies map to come out with more perk variety and a viable pack-a-punch machine. It's a cult classic, and will likely stay that way. It doesn't really have an easter egg, but the fact that you have access to a lot of perks and pack-a-punch was enough for WaW players back in the day. Even though it wouldn't be up to standard nowadays, it's still worth playing for nostalgia's sake.

What the best zombie maps are will always be somewhat of a subjective topic. Each player experiences a map differently, which is why this topic isn't dogmatic. However, the maps mentioned on today's list are the closest objective picks. Countless hours have been poured into these maps, and we only hope that future maps can replicate the feel of these legendary maps.

We hope you enjoyed our list of the best Call of Duty Zombies maps. There's much more to learn about COD Zombies, so make sure to check out our guides on the best easter eggs in zombies and the hardest zombie maps of all time.