Who doesn’t love a good zombie game? And more importantly: who doesn’t love a good zombie game that you can take anywhere? TheNintendo Switchhas a huge variety of games in its catalog, including a hefty selection of zombie games.
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Shoot ‘Em In The Head!
Whether it be retro classics, indie delights, survival-crafters, or just straight-up shooters, there’s a little something for every zombie fan on the handheld console. Here’s a look at our picks for the best-of-the-best in undead action on the Nintendo Switch.
10Organ Trail
Dysentery isn’t the only killer disease.
The home computer classic Oregon Trail was a tough enough journey already. But what if there were zombies on the road to the West Coast? Organ Trail is an homage to the classic westward-expansion simulator with a modern-day zombie twist.
Manage your group, hunt for food, trade at outposts, and fend off zombies all while travelling across an 8-bit vision of dystopian America in your (station) wagon. Highly replayable and available at an extremely low price, Organ Trail: Director’s Cut is a no-brainer (pun intended).
An indie roguelike at the end of the world
Another zombie indie title that takes nods from Oregon Trail is Death Road to Canada, a roguelike top-down action game where the cast and story change with every playthrough. Exploring cities, managing supplies, fighting hordes of undead, and the occasional horse-headed survivor are all in a day’s work.
The game is as heavily-packed with humor as it is with content, with tons of characters, scenarios, and locations to randomly encounter as you play. Plus, the game is still receiving updates to this day, with the new major “OMENTUM” update releasing in June 2024.
The arcade classic, resurrected!
Despite it’s intended Wii-like design, it can feel like the Nintendo Switch’s motion-control capabilities are a bit under-utilized. Thankfully, the return of the classic arcade light-shooterHouse of the Deadbrings a perfect avenue for motion-control play, making the Switch version the superior choice for anyone looking to play.
The new remake still features that iconic arcade-style on-rails gameplay for one or two local players, but also introduces new graphics, game modes, and multiple endings for the modern era. And if motion controls aren’t your cup of tea, the new remake also features a normal control scheme option.
7Zombie Army Trilogy
Third-person zombie-shooting galore
One of the most iconic types of enemies in the history of gaming may very well be the “nazi zombie,” a combination of two pure evils that everyone can agree on blasting with a shotgun. Zombie Army Trilogy brings the classic battle of good versus nazi zombie to the Nintendo Switch with a collection of the first three Sniper Elite: Nazi Zombie Army games under one roof.
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All three games feature four-player online co-op, as well as Sniper Elite’s franchise-signature high-detail ballistic gameplay and a new horde mode. And before you even ask: yes, you’re able to kill zombie Hitler.
Cowboys + Zombies = Fun
Red Dead Redemption was a massive hit when it first released in 2010, and that very same year marked the beginning of pop culture’s massive zombie craze with the premiere of AMC’s The Walking Dead. So it only made sense for the Red Dead’s first DLC expansion to flip the script and hop onto the zombie trend, and Rockstar did so in spectacular fashion.
The DLC was so great that it was eventually released as its own standalone game, featuring a completely new campaign starring Red Dead’s John Marston as well as multiplayer co-op and competitive modes set in the Undead West. Undead Nightmare is one of the most medium-defining DLCs of all time, and a must-play foranyone on Switchthat hasn’t already experienced it.
5World War Z
Brad Pitt is nowhere to be found in this co-op third-person shooter, and yet it’s still fantastic. Equal parts Left 4 Dead and Earth Defense Force, players hop between pushing through infested levels of real-life locations affected by the zombie outbreak and defending objectives from massive waves of undead.
There is truly no game on the market that packs this many enemies onto your screen at once, with the great physics engine making mowing down hordes of zombies that much more satisfying. The game is fully playable in online co-op, and has an incredibly long lifespan thanks to its skill tree systems, cosmetics, unlockables, and consistent updates and support from developer Saber Interactive.
4Dying Light
Parkour your way across the apocalypse
An undisputed frontrunner for best zombie game of all time, Dying Light combines parkour, zombies, action, and exploration into an amazing open-world experience with hours of gameplay. Learning new moves, finding new weapons, and working with (or against) your friends to score high while killing undead are just some of the things that Dying Light perfects.
With four major DLC packs included in the Switch edition (including the gigantic expansion Dying Light: The Following that could easily serve as its own standalone title), Dying Light: Definitive Edition is a great contender for anybody seeking their next favorite zombie game. And if you’re out-and-about or lacking friends to play with, the game features both matchmaking and single-player play.
3Resident Evil 4
The zombie-action classic returns (again)
Resident Evil 4 has seen more than a handful of rereleases, remasters, andremakessince it first released in 2005, and for good reason. To this day, it holds up as one of the best third-person shooters of all-time, redefining not only the Resident Evil franchise but the genre of zombie games as a whole.
Combining heart-racing action with the franchise’s classic creepy mood and tone, Resident Evil 4 is simply one of those must-play titles for every gamer. The Nintendo Switch port is especially great thanks to its portable capability, making it a must-have for zombie fans on-the-go.
2Dysmantle
Zombie-survival where everything is destructible
A hidden gem in the massive crowd of zombie-survival-crafting games, Dysmantle stands out thanks to its highly-realized mission to create a zombie game where you’re able to “destroy anything”. Walls, fences, cars, lamp posts, fire hydrants, and truly anything else you come across can be broken down into materials for you to craft and build with.
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Build a place to call home during the zombie apocalypse!
On top of the fun destructible-environment gameplay, Dysmantle also sports tight combat, a massive map, tons of hidden secrets, and a staggering amount of gameplay. Playable in full in single-player or two-person co-op, Dysmantle is the kind of indie game that proves you don’t need a massive budget to make a great game with a huge scale.
1Telltale’s The Walking Dead
Warning: You will probably cry
Combining the gorgeous art-style of the original comic series and the episodic structure of the hit TV show, while tellling a brand-new story outside the tales of Rick Grimes, Telltale’s The Walking Dead is a fantastic andhighly-acclaimednarrative game where your choices and words actually matter.
The entire series of four “seasons” is available on Nintendo Switch, with all of your choices and data being saved and moved over to the next installment as you play through them. Be prepared. While it is fun at times, the storytelling and drama in this series is no joke (get a box of tissues ready).
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