Updating a Classic

With the Zombicide 2nd Edition Kickstarter campaign coming next week, we wanted to show off just what has changed in this new-classic board game.

At its core, Zombicide 2nd Edition is still the game players have come to know and love. It is still 100% cooperative, with players taking on the role of Survivors during the zombie apocalypse. Play takes place on modular map tiles, and the players must complete different objectives in order to win the different scenarios. During their turn, players can search areas for new gear, move around the board, or blast zombies with all manner of different weapons. As players defeat zombies, they growin power, gaining skills as they go. However the zombies are also drawn to the activity, spawning in greater and greater numbers. It’s a race to finish the objectives before the Survivors become overwhelmed.

So, if all that is the same, then what has changed? The changes can be broken down into a couple categories: changes taken from other versions of Zombicide and new changes for the 2nd Edition base box set. Let’s take a deeper look at each.

Zombicide is in a unique place in that many new editions have, in a way, already been released. With three original Seasons, two games taking place in the Black Plague universe, and the sci-fi Invader set, the developers have continually found new things to test and update. Now, they’ll be bringing those innovations back home to the original. For example, the plastic dashboards have been a huge hit eversince their inception, and now they’re making their way to the original game. Survivors will use colored bases, instead of their miniature being a different color, letting players pick which color they want to be in the game. Splitting zombie hordes is easier, with one group simply getting the extra zombie instead of an extra zombie being added. The design of the equipment cards has gotten an upgrade, with clearer information so players know everything they need to know with a quick glance. Spawning zombies is also faster, as each card only has a single type of zombie on it. No more having to dig after multiple types of zombies from a single spawn card. All of these were innovations made in previous sets that are now being able to be added to the original setting.

But Zombicide 2nd Edition is much more than simply adding other Zombicide’s innovations back to the first set. The developers have gone above and beyond, once more looking at each item in the game and taking the opportunity to refine it, enhancing the play experience for everyone. For example, the new version involves quicker set-up times, with doors, objectives, and other information right on the game’s modular tiles. This means setting up a game of Zombicide can happen in as little as 3 minutes. The rules have also been clarified, changing things like the target priority rules and friendly fire rules. There’s the new Spawn Start token where Zombie Spawns will always begin, so there’s no more need to figure out which spawn zone gets zombies first. The rules for the car have been upgraded, making them more detailed and letting players decide at what speed they want to drive, possibly running over zombies in the process (or any Survivors that happen to be in the way!).

Zombicide 2nd edition has also been greatly expanded from the original box, giving players a lot more. There are 12 survivors to choose from, including the original six, plus six new kids who are ready to destroy the zombie menace. Speaking of, the core box comes with four Abomination figures. Yes Virginia, you read that right: Four! While most scenarios still use only one, with the addition of the extras, some scenarios are just that much tougher. Or, for those players who like to create their own scenarios, there’s much more mayhem that they can put on the board. As for scenarios, the core rulebook boasts a whopping 25 scenarios to choose from! They include the ten from the original game, updated to take advantage of all the advancements made to the system, as well as fifteen more. Even playing two scenarios a week at a regular game night, that’s over twelve weeks of play before a scenario is repeated!

These aren’t the only changes and upgrades being made to the game. From new skills and skill progressions on Survivors, to Dark Zones where zombies can materialize out of the shadows to updated rules for using other Survivors as Companions during missions, Zombicide 2nd edition has plenty to keep players engaged. Those that have played before can get a whole new experience as they take on the new scenarios with the new survivors. Meanwhile, players who have never had a chance to play Zombicide before will be sure they’re getting into a game that has nearly a decade of thought and innovation put into it.

We are extremely excited about Zombicide 2nd Edition. The designers have poured their heart and soul into this updated version, making sure it’s every bit the game that it could possibly be. And we hope to see you for the Kickstarter launch on October 16th at 3pm Eastern!

Stay tuned for more articles about what’s coming in the Zombicide 2nd Edition Kickstarter! You won’t want to miss it!

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