- BGG rank
- BGG #5,337
- BGG rating
- 8.2
Harakiri: Blades of Honor
- 1–4 players
- 60–150 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2024
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Rules assistance for Zpocalypse: Zmergency
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.0/5
Rules assistant for Zpocalypse: Zmergency
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Zpocalypse: Zmergency is an expansion for Zpocalypse released in 2013 for 1–4 players, 90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Julie Ahern and Jeff Gracia and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Storytelling.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #635
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Betrayal Legacy
- 3–5 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,628
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Folklore: The Affliction
- 1–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2017
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,425
- BGG rating
- 7.8
HEXplore It: The Forests of Adrimon
- 1–7 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #6,155
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Malhya: Lands of Legends
- 1–5 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.6/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #606
- BGG rating
- 8.5
Middara: Unintentional Malum – Act 1
- 1–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 4.1/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #9,981
- BGG rating
- 7.5
DANTE: Inferno
- 1–4 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #65
- BGG rating
- 8.7
Oathsworn: Into the Deepwood
- 1–4 players
- 30–90 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,564
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Machina Arcana (Second/Third Edition)
- 1–4 players
- 150 min
- Complexity 3.7/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #582
- BGG rating
- 9.0
Aeon Trespass: Odyssey
- 1–4 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 4.8/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #671
- BGG rating
- 8.0
Shadows of Brimstone: City of the Ancients
- 1–4 players
- 120 min
- Complexity 3.4/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,144
- BGG rating
- 7.0
Dungeons & Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game
- 1–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2010
About the game
Zpocalypse introduced the mechanics of Quick Play Rules with the “Day Zero” Scenario. Numerous scenarios within Zmergency are played using these mechanics and provide a shortened game play experience for those looking for some quick and dirty combat. The Quick Play Scenario is a Combat Phase only game that ignores all other Phases. The map is expanded in a different manner than the Main Game Scenario. You start with just one tile (determined by the Scenario being played), and on each turn you may walk off of the board and place a new tile . In Zpocalypse, players roll a die to determine how many zombies spawn on that tile. Zmergency Rules differ in that they utilize the deck of Encounter Cards.
Designers
Publishers
- Greenbrier Games
Questions and answers
Zpocalypse: Zmergency supports 1–4 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 Zpocalypse: Zmergency is 90 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 Zpocalypse: Zmergency for ages 14 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.
Zpocalypse: Zmergency has a complexity rating of 3.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
Zpocalypse: Zmergency belongs to these categories: Fighting, Dice, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, and Storytelling. 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 Zpocalypse: Zmergency are: Julie Ahern and Jeff Gracia. 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 Zpocalypse: Zmergency as an expansion for Zpocalypse. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Zpocalypse to use it. Check that your edition of Zpocalypse is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.