More than a decade ago, before hyper-casual trends and before mobile gaming became the battlefield it is today, a small Kyiv-based studio released a quirky, fast-paced zombie runner that unexpectedly exploded in popularity. The original Zombie Run game arrived in 2013, competing head-to-head with Temple Run at the height of the genre’s global boom — and against all odds, it held its ground.
The game went on to collect more than 20 million downloads, becoming one of the early breakout hits in Eastern European mobile development. For RetroStyle Games, the studio behind it, Zombie Run didn’t just succeed — it launched the entire company.
Today, RetroStyle Games works with some of the biggest names in the world, creating art, animation, UI, and full production support for major studios and publishers. Their portfolio includes the viral hit Last Pirate, dozens of big mobile titles, and high-profile collaborations across the global games industry.
Retro Style Games logo
However, the studio never forgot the game that started everything. Now, after years of requests from fans and a long absence from modern mobile stores, the undead are ready to run again. RetroStyle Games has announced and released a remastered version of its Zombie Run game.
A Technical Resurrection: Built on a New Custom Runner Framework
The Zombie Run game isn’t simply being “re-released.” RetroStyle Games rebuilt it from the ground up, powered by a brand-new custom runner engine — a proprietary framework written specifically to refresh their own classic.
While many studios port old games to new systems, RSG went in the opposite direction: They built a new engine to revive a 2013 runner.
The team describes this decision as both a technical challenge and a creative mission. Mobile runners have evolved since the days of Temple Run — and yet the genre still has the power to attract hundreds of thousands of players per day when executed with strong gameplay, personality, and replayability.
A Zombie Run game level
The new framework introduces smoother controls, optimized performance for modern Android devices, upgraded visuals, and the foundation for ongoing support. It also allows the developers to expand the world of Zombie Run far beyond its original scope.
Bringing Back the World of Zombie Run
The refreshed release preserves the charm that made the original game so popular:
- A playful horror-comedy setting
- A cast of distinct, memorable zombie characters
- Fast, reactive gameplay
- A focus on fluid, arcade-like movement
- High replay value with short, addictive runs
However, with the new engine comes the opportunity for the team to enhance everything players loved, from visual effects to animations to level variety.
Why Bring Back a 2013 Runner? A Story About Legacy and Belief
Zombie Run is returning to the Google Play Store not as a simple nostalgia beat, but as a statement: Old franchises can be revived. Classic mobile formulas still have creative potential. Legendary games don’t have to stay buried.
Many studios abandon their early catalogue, but not RetroStyle Games. They see Zombie Run not only as a piece of their history, but as a foundation worth rebuilding. In their own words, it’s an attempt to show the industry and their own players that mobile runners can still be exciting, still be stylish, and still bring joy to millions.
The Zombie Run menu screen
It’s also a rare moment of full-circle storytelling: A tiny team created the game that built the company – and now a global studio returns to bring that game back to life. It’s hard not to root for that.
From Zombie Run to Last Pirate: How Far the Studio Has Come
The revival also highlights the studio’s transformation. RetroStyle Games today is known worldwide for:
- Last Pirate, a survival adventure with more than 50M downloads
- Premium art production for major publishers
- Concept art, UI/UX, 2D, and 3D assets used in global hits
- Long-term partnerships across mobile, PC, and console development
Zombie Run character concept art
The Zombie Run game is more than a product to them. It’s their origin story — and their return to it is both emotional and ambitious.
A New Chapter for an Old Favorite
So, a new chapter has begun for Zombie Run. The updated Zombie Run HD has arrived on the Android Play Store and iOS App Store in December 2025. Check out this Google Play page to download the revamped Zombie Run game for Android devices from there.
