The zombie genre in gaming has been a popular trope for the longest time. The concept of an apocalyptic world, run over by a horde of undead creatures that consume everything in their path, is an immaculate concoction if pulled off correctly. This is why games likeResident Evil,The Last of Us, andThe Walking Deadcontinue to remain global hits, despite being released so long ago.
The best zombie gamesare adrenaline-inducing experiences that get most of their thrill from realistic graphics, complex mechanics, and jump-scares. However, not everyone is an intense, over-the-top gamer (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Some people just want to relax and play a simple zombie game without having to deal with intense campaigns that take up a lot of time. This is why2D zombie games are a perfect alternativefor players who are not fond of the full-blown gamer moments that come with their 3D counterparts.
Updated on June 14, 2025, by Fatima Naeem:Zombie games maintain their status as a staple in the gaming sphere, with players going out of their way to look for games specifically catered to eradicating undead creatures, rather than generic “action-adventure” titles. The fun thing is, despite how grim a potential zombie apocalypse scenario sounds, developers keep coming up with interesting ways to keep this particular trope alive—not that it ever showed signs of dying down. 2D zombie games are the perfect example of that. While they may not evoke the severity and morbidity of some other hallmark zombie games, they still manage to provide players with just the right amount of challenge without taking themselves too seriously.
12Zombie Guard
Ratings on Google PlayStore: 4.1/5
Casualness and cuteness are a recurring theme in a lot of mobile games, regardless of what premise they offer to their players.Zombie Guardis a zombie survival game available on Google PlayStore that negates all the intensity of its storyline with its adorable visuals and surprisingly intense gameplay.
It’s a cartooney, arcade-esque gamethat offers players quite a challenge with its wide range of weapons and upgrades, as well as a collection of different zombie characters, each with distinct quirks to battle against. With the coins obtained from killing zombie hordes, players can buy stronger, more overpowered weapons and, as a result, eradicate a larger number of zombies.
11Zelter (2020)
Reviews on Steam: Mixed (52%)
Zelteris a 2D zombie game that was developed by G1 Playground and was released in 2020. Do not be fooled by its cutesy art,Zelteris as hardcore as zombie games go.
The main objective of the game is to navigate through a zombie-infested town and get rid of enemy mobs along the way, but also scavenge around to find resources when required. It’s a survival game that centers a lot more on crafting than fighting. All in all, it’s a fun little adventure with just the right amount of intensity that will keep the player immersed without demanding too much energy.
Zombie Ate My Neighborsis a funky, old, run-and-gun game that was developed by LucasArts in 1993 and became a cult classic over the years. The game leans more towards monsters than zombies and is reminiscent of a bad monster movie with horror elements.
The player has to select between two main characters, Zeke or Julie, and attempt to save their neighbors from the onslaught of numerous undead creatures. The catch? The horde of enemy mobs isn’t limited to zombies, it spans the entire spectrum of the monster mythology, ranging from aliens and UFOs to mummies and undead demon babies.
They Are Billionsis a steam-punk-themed,real-time strategy gamethat was developed and initially released in 2017 on Steam Early Access. A full version was released by Numantian Games in 2019. It’s a 2D game that has super detailed sprites that make it look almost 3D.
The gameplay centers around survival and strategy. Players are required to create a base and tactfully protect it from massive groups of zombies. And like every multifaceted real-time strategy game, they have to simultaneously focus on managing resources such as gold, stone food, and wood. It’s like a wholeAge of Empiresgame set in a zombie apocalypse.
8Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsville (2015)
Reviews on Steam: Very Positive (86%)
Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsvilleis a sim strategy game that was developed and released in 2015 by Northway Games as the third installment of a trilogy. Compared to its 2 prequels,Rebuild 3has considerably improved graphics, more diverse storylines, and a bigger overall map. And good news for the mobile gamers out there, ithas a mobile versiontoo.
The game itself is a typical strategy game that involves building a base, scavenging for resources, managing workers, and defending the base from intruders (zombies, in this case, of course).
7The Last Stand
Reviews on Steam: Very Positive (89%)
The first three installments of the popular Con Artist Studio franchise,The Last Stand, are fully 2D. Available on Steam as a legacy bundle, all three games revolve around the central theme of surviving a zombie outbreak. Nevertheless, it’s the original game that laid the foundation for the franchise and remains the best entry.
The Last Standfollows a man known as Jack, seemingly a lone survivor of a zombie apocalypse, who is barricaded in his sturdy bunker with all the survival essentials. The player’s job as Jack is to look for weapons to fend off zombies, rally any remaining survivors, and rebuild the constantly declining stronghold they’re residing in.
Cataclysm: Dark Days Aheadis a free, open-source, rogue-like survival game that debuted almost a decade ago, in 2013. Later on, in 2023, developers released a stable version of it. It may not look like much, butCDDAis ahighly intricate gamethat starts in a randomly generated world that essentially goes on forever. It has a considerably steep learning curve that includes very complex and nuanced mechanics. Come on, it has drug addiction and mutation effects as part of the gameplay!
Players begin by building their character by selecting a profession. Each profession comes with its own set of skills and traits that help with the character’s survival. The game technically has no end goal, allowing players to do whatever they want. This primarily involves hunting, crafting, building, farming, exploring, and, of course, fighting undead zombies.
Project Zomboidis an open-world, isometric, survival game developed and initially released by The Indie Stone in 2011 as a tech demo. This game is an almost perfect example of what a good open-world zombie game should be like. Think of it as aSimsgame set in the middle of a zombie apocalypse.
The game is set in the heavily infected Louisville metropolitan area, in the towns of Muldraugh and West Point. The objective of the game is to survive and avoid infection for as long as possible using multiple tactics, such as looting, farming, crafting, and even resting. No seriously, there’s an option in the game that lets players keep an eye on their character’s mental well-being and health.
Set in theDungeons & Dragonsmultiverse,Planescape: Tormentis an isometric RPG that was developed by Black Isle Studios and was released in 1999. Although the game did not gain much traction initially, its popularity started to gain momentum slowly because of its profound storyline and philosophical elements, eventually turning it into a cult classic. An enhanced version of the game was released in 2017.
Players assume the role of “The Nameless One”, an immortal being who does not remember who he is. In his quest to uncover the truth about his origins, he embarks on a journey that involves various quests, combats, objectives, and NPC interactions.
3Charlie Murder (2013)
Reviews on Steam: Overwhelmingly Positive (95%)
For a situation as deadly as—well, a zombie outbreak,Charlie Murder’s take is surprisingly funny and refreshing.Charlie Murderis a punk-rock-themed, beat-em-up game that was developed and released by Ska Studios in 2013 for Xbox 360, and later for other platforms in 2017.
The premise of the game is so absurd that it practically promises a good time. Players get to select one of the 5 main characters (including Charlie Murder) to compete with a number of enemy mobs that have been unleashed on the world by Charlie’s nemesis punk rock band, Gore Quaffer. Players get to fight against zombies, rats, witches, ninjas, and—drumroll please—sharks.
