Getting Started With Call of Duty 6 Zombies
You’ve just finished the intense campaign of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, but you’ve heard whispers about a hidden, terrifying game mode. You load up the game, navigate the menus, and suddenly you’re in a dark room with boarded-up windows, the groans of the undead echoing from outside. This is the legendary Zombies mode, a cult classic Easter egg that has captivated players for over a decade.
If you’re searching for “how to play cod 6 zombies,” you’re not alone. Unlike later Call of Duty titles, the Zombies mode in 2009’s Modern Warfare 2, often called “Call of Duty 6,” isn’t a main menu option. It’s a special, unlockable experience known as “Nacht der Untoten” (Night of the Undead), a direct port of the very first Zombies map from Call of Duty: World at War. This guide will walk you through everything from unlocking the mode to surviving the endless waves.
Unlocking the Secret Zombies Experience
Your first hurdle is accessing the mode. It’s not available from the start. You need to complete the single-player campaign on any difficulty. Once the final credits roll and you return to the main menu, the secret will be revealed.
Navigate to the “Special Ops” menu. This cooperative mission mode is where the Zombies experience is hidden. Within Special Ops, look for a mission called “Nacht der Untoten.” It will be listed alongside other co-op challenges. Select it, choose your difficulty, and invite a friend or prepare to go solo. The zombie horde awaits.
Understanding the Core Gameplay Loop
The premise is simple but brutally challenging. You and up to three other players are trapped in a small, dilapidated building on a foggy airfield. Your goal is to survive as long as possible against endless waves of zombies. Each wave, or “round,” increases the number of zombies and their health. There is no final objective or story to complete here—only survival.
You start with a basic pistol and a combat knife. Points are your lifeblood. You earn them by damaging or killing zombies, repairing boarded-up windows, or using the “Help Me!” action on a downed teammate. These points are used for everything: buying better weapons from the Mystery Box, purchasing new doors to access other rooms, and acquiring perks from machines.
Mastering the Map Layout and Strategy
The original Nacht der Untoten map is compact, consisting of a main starting room and two additional rooms you can unlock. Learning this layout is your first key to survival.
The starting room has a staircase leading to a blocked door. This is your first major purchase. Opening doors expands the playable area, reveals new weapons on the walls, and provides more space to maneuver. However, it also opens new entry points for zombies. A common beginner strategy is to stay in the starting room for the first few rounds, accumulating points by repairing windows and killing zombies, before investing in expansion.
The second room contains the iconic Mystery Box, a random weapon dispenser, and a wall-buy for a Thompson submachine gun. The final room holds a mounted MG42 machine gun, a powerful but stationary tool for crowd control. Creating a “train” of zombies—leading them in a loop around the rooms—is the classic survival tactic for high rounds.
Essential Survival Systems and Tools
To last more than a few rounds, you need to understand the tools at your disposal. This mode introduced mechanics that would become staples of the entire Zombies franchise.
The Mystery Box and Weapon Economy
The glowing, mysterious crate is a gamble. For 950 points, you get a random weapon. It could be a game-changing wonder weapon like the Ray Gun, which shoots explosive blasts, or it could be a simple sniper rifle ill-suited for close-quarters chaos. You can “reroll” the box by using it again, but it will disappear and reappear in a different location on the map.
More reliable are the weapons permanently mounted on the walls. These include the M14 rifle, the MP5K submachine gun, and the Thompson. They have unlimited ammo purchases, allowing you to restock for 500 points or so at the weapon’s location. Balancing point spending between doors, wall guns, and box spins is a core strategic skill.
Perk-a-Colas and Power-Ups
While the original Nacht map only features one Perk-a-Cola machine, it’s a crucial one. Juggernog, recognizable by its red logo, costs 2500 points and is the most important purchase in the game. It increases your health from 4 hits to 5, effectively letting you survive one more zombie attack. Buying Juggernog should be a top priority after securing a decent weapon.
During rounds, zombies will occasionally drop power-ups when killed. These appear as floating icons and last for a short time.
– Insta-Kill: Makes every bullet kill a zombie instantly for 30 seconds.
– Double Points: Doubles all points earned.
– Max Ammo: Fully replenishes ammo for all carried weapons.
– Carpenter: Instantly repairs all barriers and awards points.
– Nuke: Kills all zombies currently on the map.
Running over these at the right moment can save your game or help you build points rapidly.
Advanced Tactics for High Rounds
Once you understand the basics, improving your strategy is the difference between round 10 and round 30.
Effective Zombie “Training”
As rounds progress, camping in a corner becomes impossible. The advanced technique is “training.” This involves gathering a large group of zombies and leading them in a circular path around the map, usually in the larger opened rooms. You create a single, manageable horde behind you. Then, you turn, fire into the crowd, and continue running. This prevents you from being surrounded. The upstairs area with the MG42 is a popular training spot.
Point Management and Door Strategy
Should you open all the doors immediately? Usually not. A controlled open strategy is best. Many players open the first door to the Mystery Box room early to get a chance at a good weapon, but they leave the final door to the MG42 room closed until later. This keeps zombie spawns more predictable and funnels them through fewer entry points in the early, point-building rounds. Always keep a reserve of points for emergency revives, ammo, or a quick Juggernog repurchase if you go down.
Cooperative Play and Reviving
Playing with friends changes the dynamic. Communication is vital. Call out when you’re opening a door, using the box, or going for a revive. When a player is downed, they can be revived by a teammate within a short time window. The “Help Me!” action they perform while downed gives points to the reviver. Sticking together is powerful, but sometimes splitting up to cover different windows or angles can be more effective. Designate a “trainer” and a “clean-up” player in later rounds.
Common Troubleshooting and FAQs
Even veterans run into issues. Here are solutions to common problems players face.
I Can’t Find the Zombies Mode
If you’ve finished the campaign and don’t see “Nacht der Untoten” in Special Ops, double-check your mission completion. You must see the final campaign credits. Also, ensure you have the original game disc or a complete digital install. Some later re-releases or bundled versions may have it pre-unlocked, but the standard method is campaign completion.
The Game Feels Too Hard or Too Slow
The early rounds are deliberately slow to let you learn. If you’re dying quickly, focus on knife kills. In rounds 1 and 2, a single knife attack to the body will kill a zombie, earning you more points than shooting. Use your pistol to shoot legs or arms once, then finish with the knife for maximum point yield. Always repair barriers—it’s free points and essential defense.
Dealing With the Zombie AI and Spawns
Zombies have predictable pathing. They will always take the shortest route to you, but they can be “led.” If you’re running a train and a zombie spawns in front of you, don’t panic. A quick turn or a shot to slow it down can keep your train intact. Remember, zombies from outside will always break through barriers; you cannot permanently seal a window.
Your Path to Zombies Mastery
Mastering Nacht der Untoten is a rite of passage. It’s the pure, unadulterated origin of a phenomenon. There are no complex Easter eggs here, no pack-a-punch machines—just you, your teammates, and the relentless undead. The skills you learn in this map—point management, training, weapon prioritization—are the foundational skills for every Zombies map that followed.
Start by playing solo to learn the map flow without pressure. Then, squad up with friends and see how far you can push your teamwork. Your next step is to explore the vastly expanded Zombies experiences in Call of Duty: Black Ops and beyond, where the lore deepens and the maps become intricate puzzles. But it all started here, in a dark room on a forgotten airfield. Board up the windows, check your ammo, and prepare for the longest night of your gaming life.
