Zombie Kidz Evolution

Nothing quite brings friends and family closer together than running through an abandoned school and getting overrun by zombies, however, these days it’s as rare as rocking horse droppings to stumble on such opportunities. But look no further my friends! I present to you, Zombie Kidz Evolution!

A 2-4 player family friendly co-op game from Scorpion Masqué which sees you trying to fend off zombies while, as a team, locking gates with padlocks to stop the hoard from overrunning the school! What makes this game an absolute beaut, is it’s also a legacy game, so the more you play it, the more it evolves, and it’s this simple mechanic that really keeps you coming back for more.

The Box Contains…

An achievement book and several numbered envelopes which can only be opened after successfully completing a certain number of missions. Each of these magic little envelopes contains items that will unlock a different aspect of the game. This could include new rules, Hero powers, new challenges or upgraded zombies!

The basics of the game are very simple to pick up and each round only lasts around 10-15 minutes, so is perfect for younger kids with the attention span of a cat with a laser pen. The game board is double sided and shows a top-down view of the school with 5 internal rooms and 4 courtyard areas. One side is for a 2-player game with extra doors for easier movement while the other side is for 3-4 players. You start the game with your heroes in the centre of the school and 4 zombies in the courtyard.

How To Play

Each player then takes turns to first roll a die to determine which room a new zombie enters. This is followed by a move action that can defeat the zombies if you move into their space, sending them back outside the school. Play continues until all 4 courtyard gates have been locked, which is only possible through teamwork and mandatory high fives! (Specifically mentioned in the rules!)

My kids are 4 & 7, they were able to pick up the base rules quickly and because of the hidden mysteries within the naughty little envelopes, they actually wanted to keep playing more rounds. Especially when one of the first envelopes we opened gave one of the Heroes…. Ah, wait! No spoilers here! Almost every time we get this game out, we always play 3 or 4 “just one more game” games, just so we can reveal what’s in the next envelope.

This game is perfect for young families, but because of the variations and challenges you unlock as the game progresses it is still a great game for adults to play together too and is the perfect introduction to the concept of legacy games.

The Artwork

The artwork is fresh, the characters are well thought out and they have even made the instruction book cool by turning it into The Zombie Hunters Guidebook, where you keep track of your progress with achievement stickers and rank badges. What’s more, even when you “complete” the game, several rule variations are offered to give an Encore of challenges, extending that replayability.

This is a must have for board gaming families and well suited for young gamers. Being a co-operative game, it removes the awkwardness of Dad always winning and walking away with the monopoly money while everyone storms off to the separate corners of the house to sulk, and instead replaces it with excitement and high-fives as you complete another level, open another envelope, and begin a new mission.

Zombie Kidz evolution is a great addition to any collection and has already been followed up with a second instalment called Zombie Teenz evolution. So, what are you waiting for? Go grab your team of heroes and go smash some zombies!

If Zombie kidz has tingled your taste buds for more zombie action, then why not try your hand at Zombie Dice! A quick family friendly zombie-based dice rolling game, a bit like pass the pass the pigs, but with less pigs, and more eating yummy Brains!!!