Photo from GooglePlay.com
“Zombies, Run!” was originally launched as a Kickstarter project in 2011, co-founded by Adrian Hon at the company “Six to Start,” with the story being written by Naomi Alderman.
This app is extremely unique and perfect for anyone looking for an outside-of-the-box fitness app. “Zombies, Run!” is an “immersive running game” that allows people to run as if they are surviving a zombie apocalypse. As you listen to your music, you will hear a guided “mission” that you have to complete. For example, when zombies are chasing you, you’ll be prompted to run faster!
The app has many different notable features. You can run anywhere in the world, and you can use the features both outside and on a treadmill. With over 400 missions, players can truly play a different story every time they run. The “Zombie Chase” feature, for example, allows runners to experience interval training—just with a thrilling twist.
I think that this app solves the problem of people who want to get into running, but struggle to actually ENJOY the process. In an interview with LifeHacker.com, Hon explained that he wanted to create a “running game” that actually motivates you to run further and faster.
I decided to download this app myself to see what it looks like. I can see how detailed this app is, and how it does have a very “game” feel. For example, it has five main tabs on the app, one of which is titled, “Base.” On this screen, you can help “build” your base with the materials you collect on your run to defend it against zombie attacks.
Photo of the “Base” screen Screenshotted by Elise Tecco
I can also see how the app has developed over time to expand into other stories beyond just ones about zombies. Another one of the tabs is titled “Missions” where users can pick what type of story adventure they want to go on during their run. The app has an incredibly detailed database and divides up the stories into categories, from “Sci-Fi Thrillers” to “Non-Fiction Adventures.” They also have other categories that help you specifically train, whether it be for a 5k or a full marathon.
Photo displaying the “Missions” page of the app Screenshotted by Elise Tecco
This app conveniently has everything you need for running in one place. You can still listen to your music on Spotify through this app, and you can also track stats like miles run and calories burned. The app utilizes a step-tracking feature in order to track routes. They also utilize GPS technology for their “Airdrop” feature that allows users to race to a real-world location near them.
Comparing this to other fitness apps, I see how unique and customizable “Zombies, Run!” is. I downloaded the “Nike Running App” to compare. Since the “Zombies, Run!” app is much more of a “running game,” it has a much more detailed interface than Nike’s app. It’s features look more like a video game, with imaginative-looking images to paint the picture of each mission, whereas Nike’s app is less focused on the “aesthetics.” Both apps, however, actually have guided workouts, with Nike providing audio more along the lines of pep talks from coaches than stories.
I can see that the “Nike Running App” focuses more on the ability to track your runs, whereas “Zombies, Run!” prioritizes the stories/ missions to complete. I think both apps can appeal to people depending on what you want to focus on during your workout.
Photo of Nike Running Club
Screenshotted by Elise Tecco
I think one of the main limitations of “Zombies, Run!” is the cost. It is a free app to download, but it costs $5.99 per month to join the “Abel Runner’s Club.” By joining, only then will you have unlimited access to ALL of the stories, the ability to use interval training AND have the ability to track your workouts. While you still get access to many features without paying anything, I definitely think this is a big downside for people looking to use the app fully for free. As an improvement, I think it would be nice to eventually open up more features for people at a free price, especially something like the tracking ability since I know many people enjoy seeing the statistics of their run after they finish.
Overall, I think this is one of the most unique running apps I have ever come across, and whether you’re an experienced runner or just starting out, this app could be enjoyable for anyone! Looking into the future, I think the app could maybe partner with celebrities and have them narrate some of the missions, just like “Waze” and “HeadSpace” have done. I think this could help to broaden the app’s audience, and it could be a way to create new stories/missions to listen to as well. Another development to this app could be centered around Virtual Reality. Since the app currently focuses on audio, maybe there will be a way to simultaneously incorporate some sort of visual aspect in the future that really adds to the immersive experience.
References:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zombies-run/id503519713
https://zombiesrungame.com/presskit/
https://lifehacker.com/behind-the-app-the-story-of-zombies-run-1632445358