Most Innovative Mechanics in the Series

Call of Duty Zombies has evolved since its first rendition in World at War’s Nacht der Untoten. Whether it’s Perk-a-Colas, Pack-a-Punch, or a series of innovative mechanics that have changed the game for better or worse, it’s always worth appreciating the work of Treyarch as they try to innovate and bring forth new ideas to the beloved round-based formula.

Call of Duty Zombies has seen another impressive bout with Black Ops 6, and further innovative mechanics have been added to keep gameplay fresh and replayable. Yet, what are some of the most essential and innovative mechanics that have been accomplished over the years?

8 Augments to Upgrade Perks, Ammo Mods, and Field Upgrades

Permanently Upgrade Equipment and Loadouts for Round-Based Progression

• Introduced in: Black Ops 6

The newest mechanic to Call of Duty Zombies comes from Black Ops 6, and it’s by far one of the best and most innovative yet. Everyone loves the round-based gameplay, but Call of Duty Zombies lacked progression and reward for playing for the longest time until Black Ops 6 changed the game.

Black Ops 6 introduces Augments, which allows players to earn XP and research new upgrades for every Perk, Ammo Mod, and Field Upgrade. These Augments are incredible for how they truly change the game by providing more power and incentive to play for high rounds.

7 Vaulting Over Obstacles

Avoid Getting Trapped Behind Small Obstacles By Jumping Over Them

• Introduced in: Black Ops Cold War

One of the biggest casualties of earlier COD Zombies titles was the fact that players couldn’t jump over railings and other obstacles. Even something as simple as a small crate couldn’t be jumped on top of, which led to some frustrating instances where players could be backed into a corner and killed.

Thanks to Black Ops Cold War and beyond, players can now vault over obstacles, meaning those low-guard railings that could’ve been a death sentence, can now be easily hopped over to keep a trained horde of zombies on the chase without being overrun.

6 George A. Romero

Call of the Dead’s Zombies Godfather Keeps Players on the Move

Black Ops truly changed the game with Call of the Dead. Not only was it the first map that didn’t have re-used assets, but it’s the first map that features an innovative and challenging mechanic with George A. Romero. On top of being a zombie icon, George A. Romero takes his rightful place as the godfather of zombies by featuring on the map as a mini-boss.

George A. Romero certainly stirs up trouble in the usual formula of COD Zombies, as he will constantly walk toward the player, meaning they always need to stay on the move. If George hits a player or is shot, he will enraged and begin chasing, to which he needs to be cooled down in the icy waters. Killing George is temporary, providing another free Perk-a-Cola, but he will always be back, and there’s truly no escape from his chase.

5 Power-Up Stealing Monkeys

Monkeys Snatch Up Power-Ups to Force Players to React Fast

Shangri-La may not be the most beloved map in Call of Duty Zombies, but it does have some exciting features. The traps lead to exciting moments of escape from hordes, and the whole debate surrounding whether the map is on Mars or not continues to this day. However, a mechanic that does deserve the most attention is the zombie monkeys.

When a zombie drops a Power-Up, a zombie monkey will attempt to snatch it, and if it does, it will escape to the Pack-a-Punch temple. However, players can take their Power-Up back, although it changes randomly. This mechanic introduced the idea of protecting Power-Ups or manipulating monkeys into taking them so that players could try and get something like a Max Ammo or a Perk Bottle.

4 Field Upgrades and Specialist Abilities

More Kills Means More Power

• Introduced in: Black Ops 3

Starting off as Specialist Abilities, players could kill zombies and earn a separate weapon with the use of L1+R1 which would allow them to unleash true power in the form of a unique weapon. Activating this power in the right moment would provide them with a weapon that could temporarily insta-kill most enemies, whether it was the Ragnarok DG-4s or the Annihilator.

This continued into Black Ops 4 with some new variants, but in Black Ops Cold War, it was changed out for Field Upgrades. These have been a lifesaver and pair with loadouts perfectly for the way players can use them essentially as special abilities and power-ups that reward them for high kills and easily get them out of sticky situations.

3 Main Quests

Easter Eggs That Feature Stories and Rewards

Fans have craved the story content from Call of Duty Zombies ever since the first running undead came onto the screen in Nacht Der Untoten with World at War. With each new map, radio logs could be discovered to give further insight into the unraveling story. Yet, it wasn’t until Black Ops’ Ascension map that easter egg quests came into play to truly give players an end goal.

Main quests were extremely exciting, and now they are the desired standard for every map. Featuring obscure and hidden steps that players must discover, the easter egg hunt for the main quest often features exciting story beats, Perk-a-Colas, and a riveting boss fight.

2 The Bus Route

Navigate Through the Deadly Fog of TranZit

• Introduced in: Black Ops 2

Only featuring in the controversial map of TranZit, players could hop on board a bus led by the malfunctioning and irritable driver T.E.D.D. The Bus route was a fascinating addition to Black Ops 2 Zombies, and it’s something that never returned, even though it definitely should with more modern refinements and hardware.

Having a large map that requires travel through vehicles is fun, and it has been seen with the likes of Black Ops 6’s Terminus map featuring Tactical Rafts, but it’s not the same as T.E.D.D. threatening players who step on board to avoid the fog.

1 Buildables for New Weapons and Shields

Craft New Items That Make for Essential Weaponry

• Introduced in: Black Ops 2

Across Black Ops 2’s maps and beyond, players could often scrounge up a few supplies to use crafting benches to create some unique weapons and equipment. Players could create zombie shields, which were truly lifesavers from the way they would protect players’ backs. On top of that, they could also create unique weapons.

The fact that players could search for items across the map to craft into useful equipment really aided in the progression of things to do during the round-based gameplay. Everyone could scavenge together and search for the parts necessary to craft a Wonder Weapon, a shield, or other components that would aid their fight.