Yet Another Zombie Survivors Game Modes Guide
Unlock every version 1.0 game mode and compare Default, Endurance, Infinite, Hardcore, Boss Rush, Extermination, One Hit, and Torments.
Quick answer
- The old Endless mode was split into Endurance and Infinite in update 0.9.
- Clear Default to open Endurance, then survive 20 minutes there to open Hardcore on that arena.
- Reach 30 minutes in Endurance to unlock Infinite, and complete Hardcore to unlock Boss Rush on that arena.
- Torments are optional Hall of Torments challenges and are not required for achievement completion.
Infinite mode and long-run build demonstration
See Infinite mode remove the normal item limit while a long-run build develops through a difficulty target.
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Current mode unlock chain in version 1.0
Game mode unlocks are tracked per arena. Opening a mode on one map does not automatically open it everywhere else, and difficulty progression is also stored separately for each arena and mode combination.
The current version 1.0 path is:
| Step | Requirement on the selected arena | Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Complete Default by surviving until dawn | Endurance |
| 2 | Survive 20 minutes in Endurance | Hardcore |
| 3A | Reach 30 minutes in Endurance | Infinite |
| 3B | Complete Hardcore | Boss Rush |
Infinite and Boss Rush are two branches. You do not need Infinite to reach Boss Rush. The version 1.0 changelog specifically corrected Infinite so it unlocks at 30 minutes in Endurance instead of after Hardcore.
Older guides often say Endless because that was the original long-run mode. Update 0.9 retired Endless as a separate selection and divided its two jobs between Endurance and Infinite. For a current account, read an old instruction to "unlock Endless" as historical context for reaching the long-run branch.
What each game mode changes
Mode is the rulebook; difficulty is the pressure dial applied to that rulebook on one arena.
| Mode | Run objective | Defining rule | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Default | Survive until dawn at 20 minutes | Standard pacing and item rules | Learn an arena, open its next mode, and progress to the next map |
| Endurance | Survive as long as possible | No fixed end; Elite Bosses increase every 5 to 10 minutes after minute 20 | Test a legal long-run build, earn survival achievements, and open Hardcore or Infinite |
| Infinite | Continue as long as the build holds | No item slot limit; most achievements are disabled | Experiment with large item combinations and push numbers beyond normal limits |
| Hardcore | Complete a shorter, compressed survival run | Horde pressure arrives faster than in Default | Prove a build under pressure and unlock Boss Rush |
| Boss Rush | Grow for 10 minutes, then defeat the arena's Final Boss | Kill time determines leaderboard placement for that arena and difficulty | Practice a focused boss plan rather than open-ended wave clearing |
| Extermination | Clear the finite set of enemy waves | Upgrade and recruitment choices happen between waves; faster clears are better | Test burst damage, controlled scaling, and wave efficiency |
| One Hit | Finish the short survival challenge without taking a fatal hit | A damaging hit ends the attempt | Test movement, dodge, control, and clean positioning |
Default is the reference point. Its 20-minute dawn gives a clear win state and advances the normal map and mode chain. If an arena or mode tile is locked, hover or select it and follow the displayed requirement; the official support guide confirms that these conditions are saved separately for every arena.
Endurance or Infinite: which should you choose?
Endurance tests how long a legal build can hold; Infinite tests how far the item system can stretch.
Choose Endurance when you want real late-run pressure. It follows the normal item rules, continues until the squad falls, and begins adding Elite Bosses after 20 minutes. The number of those bosses grows at later intervals, and their resistance to common control effects makes narrow builds easier to expose.
Choose Infinite when the experiment matters more than achievement progress. Its removed item slot limit lets one run collect far more of the pool, but most achievements are disabled. It uses Endurance's wave foundation with a gentler purpose: keep assembling the build and see how far the interactions go.
The practical unlock order is useful even if Infinite is your final goal. A 20-minute Endurance clear opens Hardcore, while reaching 30 minutes opens Infinite. That extra ten-minute stretch is the first test that the build can survive beyond a normal dawn.
How difficulty progression works
Difficulty levels sit on top of the selected mode. They do not turn Default into Endurance or change Infinite's item rule. They increase the pressure inside the same ruleset.
Version 1.0 slightly increased the Horde stat modifiers on difficulty II and III. To open the next tier, complete the run or reach the survival target shown for that exact arena and mode. A tier unlocked in Default on one arena does not imply the same tier is available in Endurance, Infinite, or another arena.
Use this order when a tier feels locked unexpectedly:
- Confirm the arena shown on the selection screen.
- Confirm the selected mode, because each mode has its own difficulty progress.
- Read the locked tier's win or time requirement.
- Complete that target without changing arena or mode.
- Return to the loadout screen and select the newly opened tier.
This separation lets you keep a comfortable setting for one ruleset while pushing a harder tier elsewhere. It also explains why completing a difficult Default run may leave the equivalent Infinite tier locked.
How Boss Rush and Torments fit progression
Boss Rush is a full game mode in the normal arena chain. Complete Hardcore on an arena to unlock Boss Rush there. The run begins normally, giving you ten minutes to recruit, level weapons, and establish a boss plan. At the ten-minute mark the arena's Final Boss appears, and the faster kill earns the stronger leaderboard time.
That structure changes upgrade value. Broad wave clear still gets the squad through the preparation phase, but single-target damage, survival against boss mechanics, and a finished weapon path must be ready by minute ten. The relevant boss depends on the arena; arena layout and boss-specific mechanics belong to the maps guide.
Torments are a separate challenge layer. Version 1.0 added 28 Torments under the Hall of Torments tab in the Achievements interface. They are deliberately extra difficult, grant bragging rights, and do not count toward the game's achievement completion requirement.
The clean progression picture is therefore:
- Use Default to open Endurance on each arena.
- Reach 20 minutes in Endurance to open Hardcore.
- Reach 30 minutes in Endurance to open Infinite.
- Complete Hardcore to open Boss Rush.
- Attempt Torments whenever the normal content no longer provides enough challenge.
Torments can ask for demanding conditions inside existing content, but they do not replace the mode tile or create another mandatory step after Boss Rush.
Recommended mode order for a new arena
Start with Default and learn the arena's hazards while building toward a reliable 20-minute clear. Move to Endurance next and target 20 minutes before worrying about a record. That opens Hardcore and proves the same build can survive scaling pressure.
Push Endurance to 30 minutes when you want Infinite. Then choose your branch: use Hardcore to reach Boss Rush and prepare for the Final Boss, or enter Infinite to test item combinations without the normal slot ceiling.
Leave One Hit and Torments until movement, control, and defensive timing are consistent. Use Extermination earlier if finite waves and planned upgrade breaks are easier for you to analyze than a continuous timer.