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Outnumbered: Improbable Heroes
- 1–6 players
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City of Zombies
2013
Rules assistance for City of Zombies
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 30 min
- 6+
- Complexity 1.6/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for City of Zombies
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
City of Zombies is a board game released in 2013 for 1–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 6 and up. It was designed by Matthew Tidbury and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Cooperative Game.
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About the game
City of Zombies is a co-operative, dice-based intense team survival game. Players combine dice to target and remove zombies from an ever-advancing horde before their barricade is overrun. The game is suitable for all ages and abilities, and can be played in as little as 15 minutes (in the shorter version). The key game mechanics involve manipulating the numbers rolled on the dice via combinations of mathematical functions (from basic addition and subtraction through to squaring and cube rooting) to hit the exact numbers on the encroaching zombie cards - you need a precise head shot to take them out! As a co-op game, the difficulty can be tailored to suit the skills of the players, and supports groups of mixed abilities well. Originally developed to assist the designer's daughter with her maths, the game has fantastic learning potential for players. It offers number manipulation skills by stealth rather than in a more traditional overtly "educational" game setting. What was designed with educational intent has become a great game for gamers and their families, and suits more experienced groups as a good warm-up or end of night filler.
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- ThinkNoodle Games
Questions and answers
City of Zombies supports 1–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for City of Zombies is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists City of Zombies for ages 6 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
City of Zombies has a complexity rating of 1.6 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
City of Zombies belongs to these categories: Dice, Zombies, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Cooperative Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of City of Zombies are: Matthew Tidbury. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists City of Zombies as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.