Plants vs. Zombies (video game)#Other media

File:Plants vs Zombies Gameplay.png

Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense video game in which the player defends their suburban home from zombies.{{cite web |last=Orry |first=Tom |url=https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/20100910102951-plants-vs-zombies-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review |website=Videogamer |date=September 10, 2010 |access-date=November 26, 2020 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127195129/https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/20100910102951-plants-vs-zombies-review |url-status=live }} The lawn is divided into a grid, with the player's house to the left. The player places different types of plants on individual squares of the grid. Each plant has a different style of defense, such as shooting, exploding, blocking.{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/plants-vs-zombies-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies |last=Donlan |first=Christian |website=Eurogamer |page=1 |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=May 14, 2021 |archive-date=March 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321175206/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/plants-vs-zombies-review |url-status=live }} There are also support plants with creative abilities. Different types of zombies have their own special behaviors and their own weaknesses to different plants. For example, the Balloon Zombie can float over the player's plants, but its balloon can be popped by the Cactus. Other examples of zombies include the Disco Zombie which summons Backup Dancers around himself; and the Dolphin Rider Zombie, which rides on a dolphin in the water to jump over a plant.

The player can pick a limited number of types of plants through seed packets at the beginning of each level, and must pay to place them using a currency called "sun". The player collects sun by either clicking on sun icons that randomly appear over the lawn, or by using certain plants that generate sun, like Sunflowers and Sun-shrooms. Each type of plant recharges between each placement at various speeds. A shovel can be used to dig up and remove plants.{{cite web|url=http://www.popcap.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/pc/readme |title=Plants vs. Zombies Readme |website=PopCap Games |access-date=July 31, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106093419/http://www.popcap.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/pc/readme |archive-date=January 6, 2012}} Positioned at the left end of each lane is a single-use lawnmower, pool cleaner, or roof cleaner; if a zombie reaches this end, these will activate and kill all zombies in that lane. If a zombie reaches the end of that lane without any last line of defense, the player has to restart the level (or streak for Vasebreaker Endless).

There are five stages in the Adventure mode, each comprising ten levels. At the end of nearly every level, the player collects a new type of plant to use in subsequent levels. On the first level of stage two (level 2{{hyphen}}1), zombies begin to occasionally drop in-game money when killed. After level 3{{hyphen}}4, the player can spend the money at an in-game store called Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies. Crazy Dave offers boosts that the player uses to upgrade already-placed plants and gardening tools for the player's Zen Garden, which is unlocked after level 5{{hyphen}}4 and allows the player to water and maintain a group of plants, which are obtained as loot from killing zombies or purchasing them through his store; in return, the plants generate money for the player. Every stage's fifth level has a mini-game challenge, often utilizing a conveyor belt that gives various plants to the player. On every stage's tenth level, the player receives plants from a conveyor belt. Stages one, three, and the first nine levels of stage five occur in daylight, while stages two, four, and the battle with Dr. Edgar George Zomboss take place at night.

During the nighttime stages, the player uses the lower-cost fungi plants due to the lack of natural sun generation at night. Stages three and four take place in the house's backyard, which has six lanes (unlike the usual five lanes) and features a pool taking up the middle two lanes. On the pool, plants are placed on top of Lily Pads which, unlike most plants, can be placed directly on pool lanes. Stage four has fog that obscures most of the lawn. Stage five takes place on the house's roof. This setting has the player use catapult plants, instead of the standard shooting plants, to account for the roof's upward slope.

Adventure mode's last level pits the player against Dr. Zomboss, an evil scientist and the zombies' animator. He crushes the player's plants by having his Zombot crush the plants or throw vans at them, and can place fire and ice balls that roll across a lane. The player subdues these balls with Jalapeños and Ice-shrooms.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/great-moments-in-pc-gaming-bowling-in-plants-vs-zombies/ |last=Macgregor |first=Jody |title=Great moments in PC gaming: Bowling in Plants vs. Zombies |magazine=PC Gamer |date=June 14, 2020 |access-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-date=July 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200714105441/https://www.pcgamer.com/great-moments-in-pc-gaming-bowling-in-plants-vs-zombies/ |url-status=live }} After completing the Adventure mode, the player can play it again, this time with plants unlocked during the previous play-through, and with three randomly selected plants to begin each level.{{cite magazine |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/6035-Review-Plants-vs-Zombies |title=Review: Plants vs. Zombies |last=Arendt |first=Susan |magazine=The Escapist |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201128030207/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/6035-Review-Plants-vs-Zombies |url-status=live }}

Three additional modes—Mini-Games, Puzzle, and Survival—become available once Adventure mode is completed. In Mini-Games mode, the player selects from a collection of twenty mini-games. These levels pose the player with unique challenges, each using some gimmick{{cite web |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/pc/game-reviews/review/8604/2287/ |last=Buffa |first=Chris |title=Plants vs Zombies Review (PC) |website=GameDaily |date=May 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514171425/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/pc/game-reviews/review/8604/2287/ |archive-date=May 14, 2009 |access-date=November 26, 2020}}—often variants of a conveyor belt that gives the player certain plants.

In Puzzle mode, the player selects from two types of levels: "Vasebreaker" and "I, Zombie". In "Vasebreaker", the player breaks open a set of vases, each containing a plant or a zombie. The level ends when all the vases are smashed and all the zombies are killed by Plants. In "I, Zombie", the player places zombies to get past pre-placed cardboard cut-outs of plants, aiming to eat the brain at the end of each lane. If there are no zombies present in the lawn and not all 5 brains were eaten while having less than 50 sun (or for the case of its endless version, starting the next streak with sun count below 50), the player has to restart the puzzle (finite levels) or streak (endless version).

Survival mode offers a selection of levels in which the player chooses plants to defeat increasingly challenging waves of zombies.{{cite web |url=https://gamer.nl/doc/51586/Plants-vs-Zombies |title=Plants vs. Zombies |last=Bergervoet |first=Erwin |website=Gamer.nl |date=May 14, 2009 |language=nl |access-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-date=July 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090719041117/http://www.gamer.nl/doc/51586/Plants-vs-Zombies |url-status=dead}}

File:George Fan 2018 (cropped 1).jpg

Plants vs. Zombies was designed by George Fan. Imagining a more defense-oriented version of one of his previous titles, Insaniquarium (2001), and having played some Warcraft III tower defense mods, he was inspired to make a tower defense game.{{cite news |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/03/george-fan-how-insaniquarium-2-became-plants-vs-zombies.ars |title=Aliens in the garden: the secret origin of Plants vs. Zombies |first=Michael |last=Thompson |date=March 19, 2010 |access-date=March 20, 2010 |work=Ars Technica |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100322191116/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/03/george-fan-how-insaniquarium-2-became-plants-vs-zombies.ars |archive-date=March 22, 2010 }} Fan considered a sequel to Insaniquarium for the Nintendo DS, each screen would represent a separate fish tank—one on top of the other. Aliens would attack the top fish tank and, if successful, would break into the bottom fish tank. Gameplay in the top tank would focus on defense against the aliens, while in the bottom tank it would revolve around resource generation, akin to Insaniquarium. But inspired by Warcraft III{{'s}} towers, he felt that plants would make good defensive structures. He wanted to bring new concepts to the genre and believed the fact that enemies in tower defense games would never attack the towers was unintuitive. To address this, he began designing the five- and six-lane setups that would later be used in the final game.{{cite interview |last=Fan |first=George |interviewer=Erin Bell |url=http://www.gamezebo.com/news/2009/05/22/interview-plants-vs-zombies-creator-george-fan |title=Interview with Plants vs. Zombies creator George Fan |date=May 22, 2009 |work=Gamezebo |access-date=October 19, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111223110717/http://www.gamezebo.com/news/2009/05/22/interview-plants-vs-zombies-creator-george-fan |archive-date=December 23, 2011 }} Enemies were at first the aliens from Insaniquarium, but while Fan was sketching concept art, he drew what he considered "the perfect zombie", and the theming was reworked.{{cite news | url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/take-a-look-at-some-of-the-earliest-designs-for-i-plants-vs-zombies-i- |title=Take a look at some of the earliest designs for Plants vs. Zombies |date=May 6, 2019 |access-date=May 6, 2019 |work=Gamasutra |archive-date=May 6, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506222333/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/342128/Take_a_look_at_some_of_the_earliest_designs_for_Plants_vs_Zombies.php |url-status=live }} Fan went with using zombies instead of aliens in order to make the game stand out from other video games using plants.

Insaniquarium substantially influenced the development of Plants vs. Zombies. The games have similar pacing, determined by the "drip-feeding" of pets and plants respectively, and choosing plants at the beginning of each Plants vs. Zombies level is analogous to choosing pets in Insaniquarium. Fan also took inspiration from the film Swiss Family Robinson, in which a family defends themselves and their home against pirates. Fan included elements from the trading card game Magic: The Gathering, which he had played with his girlfriend, Laura Shigihara. Showing her how to customize their card decks inspired him to design Plants vs. Zombies with seed packets—instead of his original idea of a conveyor belt that gave random plants—due to the seed packet system's greater complexity. While the conveyor belt was dropped from the more common game mode, it remained a special element in select levels.{{cite interview |last=Fan |first=George |author-link=George Fan |title=Flower Defence |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/flower-defence |magazine=Edge |page=1 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821190932/http://www.next-gen.biz/features/flower-defence |archive-date=August 21, 2010 }} The use of multitasking between lanes was influenced by and was featured prominently in the old arcade game Tapper.

When the game featured aliens, its working title was Weedlings,{{cite magazine |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/making-of-plants-vs-zombies/ |title=George Fan and his cat on the making of Plants vs. Zombies |last=Smith |first=Graham |date=November 2, 2010 |magazine=PC Gamer |page=1 |access-date=October 19, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325024905/http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/11/02/making-of-plants-vs-zombies/ |archive-date=March 25, 2013 }} but Fan thought the name a poor fit because of how many gardening-themed video games were being released at the time. It was renamed Plants vs. Zombies as a placeholder after the enemies were changed. The planned name for most of development was Lawn of the Dead, a pun on the title of the George A. Romero zombie film Dawn of the Dead. Romero did not permit usage of the name, even after a plea from Fan, who sent Romero a video of himself dressed as a Zombie Temp Worker grunting and programming on a computer, subtitled with references to runtime errors.{{cite magazine |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/making-of-plants-vs-zombies/2/ |title=George Fan and his cat on the making of Plants vs. Zombies |last=Smith |first=Graham |date=November 2, 2010 |magazine=PC Gamer |page=2 |access-date=May 14, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612022457/http://www.pcgamer.com/2010/11/02/making-of-plants-vs-zombies/2 |archive-date=June 12, 2013 }} There were many other candidate names, including Residential Evil and Bloom & Doom, the latter of which was used as the branding on the in-game seed packets.{{cite web |url=https://www.slideshare.net/gwertzman/the-making-of-popcaps-plants-vs-zombies |title=The Making of PopCap's Plants vs Zombies |last=Gwertzman |first=James |via=SlideShare |date=August 1, 2010 |access-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108091722/https://www.slideshare.net/gwertzman/the-making-of-popcaps-plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}

Plants vs. Zombies was initially designed by Fan alone. Because Fan was a full-time employee at PopCap Games, the video game company helped build up a small team consisting of a composer (Laura Shigihara), a programmer (Tod Semple), and an artist (Rich Werner). Fan was based in San Francisco, while Werner was in Seattle. Stephen Notley is credited as being a writer for Plants vs. Zombies. He wrote the plant and zombie descriptions in the in-game guide, the Suburban Almanac. Fan found working in small teams to be easier than working in large teams. According to an interview with Edge, while searching for an artist, Fan discovered Rich Werner, whose work Fan thought matched with his design intentions. Fan attributed the design's intrigue to its animation scheme; Tod Semple suggested using Adobe Flash, which Fan worried would generate an animation "cut out from paper" and too closely resembling South Park, but he was ultimately satisfied, crediting Semple and Werner's talent.{{cite interview |last=Fan |first=George |author-link=George Fan |title=Flower Defence |url=http://www.next-gen.biz/features/flower-defence?page=0%2C1 |magazine=Edge |page=2 |access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100822063939/http://www.next-gen.biz/features/flower-defence?page=0%2C1 |archive-date=August 22, 2010 }} Plants vs. Zombies was made using PopCap Games's own engine: PopCap Framework. Fan consistently posted updates of Plants vs. Zombies every four months in an internal forum within PopCap Games called Burrito, where he accepted feedback from the employees of PopCap.

When the concept of Plants vs. Zombies was first established as a sequel to Insaniquarium, Fan wanted to make a game where the aliens invade the player's garden. Originally, his intent was to make a gardening game where plants are grown as an investment to afford defenses against an alien invasion. After Fan created the "perfect zombie", the enemies were changed from aliens to zombies. He trimmed the concept of simultaneously defending and maintaining the garden, feeling that the repetitive gardening detracted from the main gameplay. Simplifying the gardening system, Fan restructured the game's main aspects to fit better into the tower defense genre, and later added further elements inspired by other games. Fan enjoyed the idea of plants defending against the zombies, combining two distinct species that were not yet touched by other game developers at the time. Plants playing as the role of towers made sense to him, acting as stationary defense against the recurring waves of zombies. Zombies were designed to move in the current linear five- and six-lane system in the final game, allowing the enemy zombies to interact with the defensive plants, a refinement in the game that Fan felt worked as a unique gameplay mechanic to make Plants vs. Zombies stand out in the tower defense genre amongst other tower defense games popular at the time.

Plants vs. Zombies took three and a half years to make. Much of the first year of development focused on Adventure mode; Semple afterward suggested brainstorming concepts for Mini-Games mode. "Vasebreaker" and "I, Zombie" originated from those ideas as individual levels before Fan, who enjoyed tweaking them, separated them and their variants into Puzzle mode. During testing, Fan found that the additional modes detracted players from Adventure mode. Fan locked most of their levels, requiring advancement within Adventure mode to unlock them. Later, the development of Plants vs. Zombies consisted of Fan testing the game and writing down notes of what could be done to tweak it before sending them off to Semple. The last year of development had the team fine-tuning Plants vs. Zombies before release.

One of the critical aspects of the development was designing Plants vs. Zombies to be balanced between hardcore and casual gaming. Fan designed the tutorial to be simple and merged within the game to attract casual gamers. It had the player learning by performing actions, rather than reading about how to do the actions. The in-game messages were also made to be as short and easy-to-read as possible; with the dialogue from Crazy Dave being broken up into small chunks of text to match this. The in-game messages were also designed to match a player's skill set; an example being the message telling the player to place Peashooters further to the left would only pop up in an early level if a Peashooter was placed towards the right of the lawn and was eaten.{{cite news |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/165359/GDC_2012_10_tutorial_tips_from_Plants_vs_Zombies_creator_George_Fan.php |title=GDC 2012: 10 tutorial tips from Plants vs. Zombies creator George Fan |last=Curtis |first=Tom |date=March 9, 2012 |work=Gamasutra |access-date=January 18, 2021 |archive-date=December 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205210122/https://gamasutra.com/view/news/165359/GDC_2012_10_tutorial_tips_from_Plants_vs_Zombies_creator_George_Fan.php |url-status=dead }} The team discovered that newcomers to the genre of real-time strategy often had difficulty learning the importance of sun collection. The price of the income-generating Sunflowers was halved, encouraging the player to buy them instead of the attack-only Peashooter. The change forced restructuring of the balance between plants and zombies, a move that Fan said was worth the effort.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1015541/How-I-Got-My-Mom |last=Fan |first=George |title=How I Got My Mom to Play Through Plants vs. Zombies |website=Game Developers Conference Vault |date=March 9, 2012 |access-date=April 13, 2021}}

Early in the development of Plants vs. Zombies, time was spent brainstorming ideas for characters. Fan purposely gave all the plants and zombies names that matched their individual functions, designing them accordingly—for example, a Peashooter shoots pea projectiles, a Wall-nut acting as a wall. Fan also made all the plants stationary and all the zombies slowly move across their lane so the casual player would understand that the towers (the rooted plants) could not move and the attackers (the mindless zombies) could slowly move. The final designs of the zombies and plants changed little from their inception. The game's sole human character, Crazy Dave, was a parody of David Rohrl, a person Fan knew. Crazy Dave features a vocal performance by Fan.

The final game has 49 types of plants.{{Cite web |last=O'Rourke |first=Steve |date=May 17, 2009 |title=Game Review: Plants vs Zombies |url=https://www.thetimes.com/comment/register/article/game-review-plants-vs-zombies-rs58hrj99cr |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20221023034310/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/game-review-plants-vs-zombies-rs58hrj99cr |archive-date=October 23, 2022 |access-date=October 31, 2023 |website=The Times}} Fan expressed fondness for the Tall-Nut, Torchwood, and Cob Cannon plants. He liked the Tall-Nut's character, citing its "determined gaze" and its shedding a single tear when hurt. In terms of strategy, he liked that the Torchwood—which gives Peashooters flaming ammunition—required the player to consider how plants interact with each other. Fan also liked the Squash, due to its name's wordplay; the plant crushes zombies.{{cite interview |interviewer=Joaby |last=Fan |first=George |title=GameArena Interviews George Fan, Plants vs Zombies Man |url=http://www.gamearena.com.au/news/read.php/4948392?latest=1 |work=GameArena |access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=June 5, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001123643/http://www.gamearena.com.au/news/read.php/4948392?latest=1 |archive-date=October 1, 2011 }} A proposed plant would have been placed above other plants to protect them from Bungee and Catapult Zombies; it was difficult, however, to visualize this plant's position. A similar defensive item (the Umbrella Leaf) made it into the final game, protecting plants from Bungee and Catapult Zombies, but placed next to plants.{{cite video game |title=Plants vs. Zombies |developer=PopCap Games |date=May 5, 2009 |level=Suburban Almanac |quote=Umbrella Leaf entry: 'Special: protects adjacent plants from bungees and catapults.'}} Many potential plants had concept art but were not in the final Plants vs. Zombies.

Plants vs. Zombies has 26 types of zombies. Fan's favorite zombie was Dr. Zomboss; the team spent a full month designing the fight against him at the end of the game. Fan liked the Pole Vaulting Zombie due to the likely amusement of its first encounter with the player; he gave an example of a player failing to block it with a Wall-Nut plant, with the zombie jumping over the obstruction. The Newspaper Zombie's first iteration simply read a newspaper, but Werner redrew the character as having become a zombie while reading on the toilet. Fan's brother asked him whether he based the zombie on their father, as he would often read the newspaper on the toilet. Fan said that while he had no such intention, it was his favorite backstory to a zombie. The Dancing Zombie initially resembled Michael Jackson from the music video for "Thriller".{{cite magazine |last=Cavalli |first=Earnest |title=Review: Masterful Plants vs. Zombies Proves Less Is More |url=https://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/05/plants-vs-zombies/ |magazine=Wired |access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=May 5, 2009 |url-status=live |url-access=limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905150515/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/05/plants-vs-zombies |archive-date=September 5, 2009 }} The zombie was present in the game before his death, but the entertainer's estate objected to its inclusion over a year following his death; PopCap replaced it with a more generic disco-dancing zombie.{{cite web |url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/07/27/michael-jackson-estate-forces-plants-vs-zombies-update/ |title=Michael Jackson Estate Forces 'Plants vs. Zombies' Update |first=Russ |last=Frustick |date=July 27, 2010 |access-date=July 27, 2010 |work=MTV |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100728105628/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/07/27/michael-jackson-estate-forces-plants-vs-zombies-update/ |archive-date=July 28, 2010 }} Many other zombies were cut during development.

Shigihara composed Plants vs. Zombies{{'s}} soundtrack, borrowing elements from pop music and console chiptune. Before the game's inception, Fan asked Shigihara to compose the music for his next title because he admired her music. She drew influence from Danny Elfman's soundtracks and a wide range of musical styles: One song uses marching band percussion and swing; another utilizes techno beats with "organic" sounds.{{cite interview |last=Shigihara |first=Laura |interviewer=Jeriaska |title=Interview: The Terrifying True Story of The Plants vs. Zombies Soundtrack |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/news/originals/?story=23666 |work=Gamasutra |access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=May 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091110102040/http://www.gamasutra.com/news/originals/?story=23666 |archive-date=November 10, 2009 }} Film music scholar K. J. Donnelly found the music to be bright and "cartoonish". He noted the music was not dynamically tied to gameplay, but instead progresses independently. He noted the soundtrack's design in a progressive style, "almost in parallel to the unfolding of the game[play]".{{cite book |last=Donnelly|first=K.J.|chapter= Lawn of the Dead: The Indifference of Musical Destiny in Plants vs. Zombies|editor-last1=Donnelly |editor-first1=K.J. |editor-last2=Gibbons |editor-first2=William |editor-last3=Lerner |editor-first3=Neil |year=2014 |title=Music in Video Games: Studying Play |publisher=Routledge |location= |pages=151–165 |isbn=9780415634441 |issn= |oclc= }}

Shigihara described the music as "macabre, yet goofy". Examining the night stages, she explained that she used a combination of big band swing beats with "several haunting and serious melodies". The songs "Loonboon" and "Brainiac Maniac" were written towards the end of production. Shigihara said these were reactionary songs she wrote to fit the game's feel after playing it through twice. Shigihara composed and performed the music video shown during the game's credits, titled "Zombies on Your Lawn". The song was inspired by "Still Alive", which played at the end of the video game, Portal. Plants vs. Zombies{{'s}} tracks were eventually released as part of a downloadable soundtrack album.

On April 1, 2009, PopCap released a music video for "Zombies on Your Lawn" to promote Plants vs. Zombies.{{cite magazine |url= https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90635-PopCap-Reveals-Plants-vs-Zombies |title=PopCap Reveals Plants vs. Zombies |last=Ng |first=Keane |date=April 1, 2009 |magazine=The Escapist |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-date=February 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201214040/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/90635-PopCap-Reveals-Plants-vs-Zombies |url-status=live }} While many PC gamers were unsure if the video was an elaborate April Fools' Day joke,{{cite web |url=https://toucharcade.com/2010/02/14/plants-vs-zombies-the-zombies-are-coming/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies – The Zombies... Are Here! |last=Hodapp |first=Eli |date=February 14, 2010 |website=TouchArcade |access-date=July 5, 2018 |archive-date=July 5, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705150656/https://toucharcade.com/2010/02/14/plants-vs-zombies-the-zombies-are-coming/ |url-status=live }} PopCap spokesperson Garth Chouteau revealed in an IGN interview that the game would soon be released for PC and Mac.{{cite interview |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/04/02/no-joke-popcap-reveals-plants-vs-zombies |title=No Joke – PopCap Reveals Plants vs. Zombies |access-date=August 11, 2010 |interviewer=Jason Ocampo |last=Chouteau |first=Garth |date=April 4, 2009 |website=IGN |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090405054348/http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/969/969145p1.html |archive-date=April 5, 2009}} On April 22, 2009, PopCap released an official game trailer of Plants vs. Zombies on YouTube.{{cite magazine |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/91224-Battle-Plants-With-Your-Own-Zombie |title=Battle Plants With Your Own Zombies |last=Ng |first=Keane |magazine=The Escapist |date=April 24, 2009 |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183920/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/91224-Battle-Plants-With-Your-Own-Zombie |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/spudow-plants-vs-zombies-trailer-zombie-maker |last=Walker |first=John |title=SPUDOW! Plants Vs Zombies Trailer, Zombie Maker |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=April 24, 2009 |access-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419060324/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/spudow-plants-vs-zombies-trailer-zombie-maker |url-status=live }} PopCap Games released a demo version on May 4, 2009, permitting thirty minutes of gameplay.{{cite news |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/plants-vs-zombies-demo-eating-brains-right-now-130844.phtml |title=Plants vs. Zombies demo eating brains right now |last=Chester |first=Nick |work=Destructoid |date=May 4, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=April 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419060213/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/plants-vs-zombies-demo-eating-brains-right-now-130844.phtml |url-status=dead }} Plants vs. Zombies was officially released for PC and Mac on May 5, 2009,{{cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/05/05/popcap-launches-plants-vs-zombies-game-for-pc-and-mac |title=PopCap Launches Plants vs. Zombies Game for PC and Mac |author= |website=IGN |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-date=September 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180913132436/http://www.ign.com/articles/2009/05/05/popcap-launches-plants-vs-zombies-game-for-pc-and-mac |url-status=live }} along with the demo being replaced by a version where the player can play up to level 3{{hyphen}}4.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/164311/Plants_vs_Zombies.html |last=Blackwell |first=Laura |title=Defend Against the Suburban Undead in Plants vs. Zombies |magazine=PC World |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=May 23, 2021 |archive-date=January 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125021752/https://www.pcworld.com/article/164311/Plants_vs_Zombies.html |url-status=live }} A free Adobe Flash version of Plants vs. Zombies was released on September 23, 2009.{{cite news |author= |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/23/popcap-launches-free-flash-version-of-plants-vs-zombies |title=PopCap Launches Free Flash Version of Plants vs. Zombies |website=IGN |date=September 23, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=November 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181109114846/https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/09/23/popcap-launches-free-flash-version-of-plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}

A Game of the Year edition was released in July 2010.{{cite news |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/plants-vs-zombies-game-of-the-year-edition-out-now-180172.phtml |title=Plants vs. Zombies Game of the Year Edition out now |last=Devore |first=Jordan |website=Destructoid |date=July 29, 2010 |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183922/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/plants-vs-zombies-game-of-the-year-edition-out-now-180172.phtml |url-status=live }} It was made available on Steam on August 10, 2010;{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/11/announcing-plants-vs-zombies-game-of-the-year-edition |title=Announcing Plants vs. Zombies Game of the Year Edition |author= |website=IGN |date=August 11, 2010 |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=November 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107215938/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/11/announcing-plants-vs-zombies-game-of-the-year-edition |url-status=live }} anyone who already purchased the game could update to the new edition for free.{{cite news |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/65072/plants-vs-zombies-gets-goty |title=Plants vs. Zombies Gets GOTY Edition on Steam; New Features for Free Alongside Mac Version |last=Leahy |first=Brian |date=August 10, 2010 |work=Shacknews |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-date=March 9, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309221902/http://www.shacknews.com/article/65072/plants-vs-zombies-gets-goty |url-status=live }} The Game of the Year edition adds in a "Zombatar" feature allowing the player to customize a zombie's face.{{Efn |Some announcements of Plants vs. Zombies before its release had showcased Zombatar, but the feature was not included in the original game.}} The edition also supports Steam Cloud, which lets the player access game save data from multiple computers.

During the announcements for Plants vs. Zombies, PopCap Games revealed the game would be ported to other platforms after the PC release. In August 2009, it was announced on IGN that Plants vs. Zombies would be ported to the iPhone near the end of 2009.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/08/20/plants-vs-zombies-to-iphone |title=Plants Vs. Zombies to iPhone |website=IGN |date=August 20, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2020}} They announced the port's release date on a trailer on YouTube in February 2010,{{cite web |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/08/plants-vs-zombies-coming-to-iphone-soon |title=Plants vs Zombies Coming to iPhone Soon |website=IGN |date=February 8, 2010 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183832/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/08/plants-vs-zombies-coming-to-iphone-soon |url-status=live }} officially releasing it on February 15, 2010.{{cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/02/plants-vs-zombies-on-the-iphone-nut-up-or-shut-up/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies on the iPhone: Nut up or shut up |last=Kuchera |first=Ben |website=Ars Technica |date=February 15, 2010 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=October 23, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023131451/http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/02/plants-vs-zombies-on-the-iphone-nut-up-or-shut-up/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/must-buy-plants-vs-zombies-hits-app-store-only-2-99-163762.phtml |title=Must buy: Plants vs. Zombies hits App Store, only $2.99 |last=Chester |first=Nick |website=Destructoid |date=February 15, 2010 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183920/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/must-buy-plants-vs-zombies-hits-app-store-only-2-99-163762.phtml |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3177955 |title=Plants vs. Zombies Now Available on iTunes |first=Kat |last=Bailey |date=February 15, 2010 |access-date=February 15, 2010 |website=1UP.com |archive-date=November 9, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121109010953/http://www.1up.com/news/plants-zombies-itunes}} The port included a modified interface for iPhone users and a Quick Play mode allowing the player to play any level in Adventure mode; it removed the Mini-Games, Puzzle, and Survival modes.{{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/13/plants-vs-zombies-review-3 |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – iPhone Review at IGN |website=IGN |date=February 13, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208121213/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/13/plants-vs-zombies-review-3 |url-status=live }}

In March 2010, a technology blog named PadGadget found unintentionally public entries for ports of iPhone games to the iPad, Plants vs. Zombies among them.{{cite news |last=Buchanan |first=Levi |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/03/26/apple-mistakenly-reveals-ipad-games |title=Apple Mistakenly Reveals iPad Games |website=IGN |date=March 26, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2020}}{{cite news |url=https://www.engadget.com/amp/201-03-26-app-store-leak-hints-at-ipad-versions-of-plants-vs-zombies-wor.html |title=App Store leak hints at iPad versions of Plants vs. Zombies, Worms |last=Schramm |first=Mike |website=Engadget |date=March 26, 2010 |access-date=February 8, 2021 |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428125532/https://www.engadget.com/ |url-status=live }} The game's iPad port, named Plants vs. Zombies HD, was released on April 5, 2010.{{cite web |author= |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/05/plants-vs-zombies-hd-for-ipad-available-now |title=Plants vs. Zombies HD for iPad Available Now |website=IGN |date=April 5, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183845/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/05/plants-vs-zombies-hd-for-ipad-available-now |url-status=live }} It utilized the iPad's 11 touch sensors{{cite web |url=https://mashable.com/2010/04/27/ipad-11-fingers/ |title=Playing Games on the iPad... with 11 Fingers |last=Schroeder |first=Stan |website=Mashable |date=April 26, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2020 |archive-date=October 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020101643/https://mashable.com/2010/04/27/ipad-11-fingers/ |url-status=live }} and restored the Survival mode and the Mini-Games mode,{{cite web |url=https://www.slidetoplay.com/story/plants-vs-zombies-hd-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies HD Review |last=Leonard |first=Shaw |website=Slide to Play |date=April 19, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2020 |archive-date=November 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121121064418/http://www.slidetoplay.com/story/plants-vs-zombies-hd-review }} which includes an iPad-exclusive mini-game called "Buttered Popcorn".{{cite web |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/019786/plants-vs-zombies-hd/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies HD |last=Erickson |first=Tracey |website=Pocket Gamer |date=April 8, 2010 |access-date=December 5, 2020 |archive-date=October 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028084842/https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/019786/plants-vs-zombies-hd/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/05/plants-vs-zombies-hd-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies HD Review – iPad Review at IGN |website=IGN |date=April 5, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207084026/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/05/plants-vs-zombies-hd-review |url-status=live }} Subsequent iOS updates would add more content to their version of Plants vs. Zombies, including Zen Garden, additional mini-games, and additional achievements.{{cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/13/plants-vs-zombies-upgrade-delivers-tons-of-new-gameplay-content-for-the-iphone |title=Plants vs. Zombies Upgrade Delivers Tons of New Gameplay Content for the iPhone |website=IGN |date=June 13, 2011 |access-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415185912/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/13/plants-vs-zombies-upgrade-delivers-tons-of-new-gameplay-content-for-the-iphone |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/15/play-as-zombies-in-plants-vs-zombies-for-iphone |title=Play as Zombies in Plants vs. Zombies for iPhone |last=Goldfarb |first=Andrew |website=IGN |date=December 15, 2011 |access-date=April 15, 2021 |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428125519/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/15/play-as-zombies-in-plants-vs-zombies-for-iphone |url-status=live }}

In May 2011, PopCap Games officially announced that Chuzzle would be available on the Amazon Appstore for Android devices for the next two weeks, with Plants vs. Zombies becoming available later in the month. They were both free on launch day and cost $2.99 after.{{cite web |last=Gallegos |first=Anthony |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/05/16/popcap-finally-bringing-games-to-android |title=PopCap Finally Bringing Games to Android |website=IGN |date=May 16, 2010 |access-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183920/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/05/16/popcap-finally-bringing-games-to-android |url-status=live }} On May 31, 2011, Plants vs. Zombies entered the Amazon Appstore.{{cite news |url=https://www.aol.com/2011/05/31/popcap-plants-vs-zombies-android-free-amazon/ |title=PopCap's Plants vs. Zombies for Android is free on Amazon today |last=Osborne |first=Joe |work=AOL |date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183839/https://www.aol.com/2011/05/31/popcap-plants-vs-zombies-android-free-amazon/ |url-status=live }} In December 2011, PopCap Games announced it would be releasing Plants vs. Zombies and Peggle through the Android Market.{{cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111213006294/en/PopCap-Games-Launches-Bejeweled%C2%AE-for-Google-Chrome-Plants-vs.-Zombies%E2%84%A2-and-Peggle%C2%AE-for-Android-Marketplace |title=PopCap Games Launches Bejeweled® for Google Chrome; Plants vs. Zombies™ and Peggle® for Android Marketplace |publisher=PopCap Games |via=Business Wire |date=December 13, 2011 |access-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183834/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111213006294/en/PopCap-Games-Launches-Bejeweled%C2%AE-for-Google-Chrome-Plants-vs.-Zombies%E2%84%A2-and-Peggle%C2%AE-for-Android-Marketplace |url-status=live }} It was made available on Google Play Store on December 15, 2011.{{cite news |author= |url=https://www.ea.com/news/plants-vs-zombies-is-now-available-for-android |title=Plants vs. Zombies Is Now Available For Android |work=EA |date=December 14, 2011 |access-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-date=June 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612051450/http://www.ea.com/news/plants-vs-zombies-is-now-available-for-android |url-status=live }}

Plants vs. Zombies has been ported to other mobile devices. On June 23, 2011, the game was released on the Windows Phone as part of Xbox Live.{{Cite news |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/23/popcap-games-launches-plants-vs-zombies-for-xbox-live-on-windows-phone |author= |title=PopCap Games Launches Plants vs. Zombies for Xbox LIVE on Windows Phone |website=IGN |date=June 23, 2011 |access-date=December 17, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183834/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/23/popcap-games-launches-plants-vs-zombies-for-xbox-live-on-windows-phone |url-status=live }} On November 14, 2011, and January 30, 2013, Plants vs. Zombies was released on the Kindle Fire{{cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111114006550/en/PopCap-Games-Launches-Plants-vs.-Zombies%E2%84%A2-for-Kindle-Fire |title=PopCap Games Launches Plants vs. Zombies™ for Kindle Fire |via=Business Wire |publisher=PopCap Games |date=November 14, 2011 |access-date=December 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183919/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111114006550/en/PopCap-Games-Launches-Plants-vs.-Zombies%E2%84%A2-for-Kindle-Fire |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/11/09/kindle-fire-apps-netflix-facebook-angry-birds/ |title=Kindle Fire will launch with apps for Netflix, Facebook, Angry Birds and more |last=Ludwig |first=Sean |website=VentureBeat |date=November 9, 2011 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-date=December 16, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216074910/http://venturebeat.com/2011/11/09/kindle-fire-apps-netflix-facebook-angry-birds/ |url-status=live }} and Blackberry 10{{cite web |last=Ingraham |first=Nathan |title=BlackBerry shows off some of its 70,000 new third-party apps, including Skype, Rdio, Kindle, and Whatsapp |website=The Verge |date=January 30, 2013 |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3932042/blackberry-10-apps-announcement |access-date=January 30, 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130130213900/http://www.theverge.com/2013/1/30/3932042/blackberry-10-apps-announcement |archive-date=January 30, 2013}}{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Spoonauer |title=BlackBerry 10 launches Jan. 30 with two new phones |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/blackberry-10-launches-jan-30-two-new-phones-1C6983302 |work=NBC News |date=November 12, 2012 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124173124/https://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/blackberry-10-launches-jan-30-two-new-phones-1C6983302 |url-status=live }} respectively as a launch app. Plants vs. Zombies was later released on another BlackBerry device, the BlackBerry Playbook.{{cite web|url=http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/70704/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies for Blackberry Playbook |date=February 16, 2012 |access-date=February 16, 2012 |work=BlackBerry App World |publisher=Research in Motion Limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219042348/http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/70704/ |archive-date=February 19, 2012 }} Plants vs. Zombies was released on Nook HD and Nook HD+ on November 14, 2012.{{cite news |url=https://www.engadget.com/2012-11-14-ea-games-for-barnes-and-noble-nook-hds.html |last=Alvarez |first=Edgar |title=EA bringing more games to Barnes & Noble's Nook HD and Nook HD+ |website=Engadget |date=November 14, 2012 |access-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183910/https://www.engadget.com/2012-11-14-ea-games-for-barnes-and-noble-nook-hds.html |url-status=live }}

An update to the mobile version of the game released on October 29, 2024, made a change generally seen by players as negative. In version 3.7.0 and later, the player is only given 3 lawnmowers in each level instead of the usual 5 or 6. The missing lawnmowers can still be used via watching an ad, but they activate instantly upon finishing the ad instead of remaining on the lawn until reached by a zombie.

Plants vs. Zombies was announced for the Xbox 360 in July 2010,{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/plants-vs-zombies-xbla-priced-and-dated/1100-6269960/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies XBLA priced and dated |last=Makuch |first=Eddie |website=GameSpot |date=July 19, 2010 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512183657/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/plants-vs-zombies-xbla-priced-and-dated/1100-6269960/ |archive-date=May 12, 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/19/plants-vs-zombies-getting-co-op-versus |title=Plants vs. Zombies Getting Co-op & Versus |last=Robinson |first=Martin |website=IGN |date=July 19, 2010 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-date=March 3, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130303024914/http://www.ign.com/articles/2010/07/19/plants-vs-zombies-getting-co-op-versus |url-status=live }} to be available both on its own and as part of a bundle with Peggle and Zuma. The game was released on the Xbox 360 at Xbox Live on September 8, 2010.{{cite web|url=http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/111/1110056p1.html |title=Plants vs. Zombies XBLA Dated, Awesome |website=IGN |access-date=August 18, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806191046/http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/111/1110056p1.html |archive-date=August 6, 2010 }} To ease use with the Xbox controller, the cursor was locked onto the lawn's grid pattern and sun would float towards the cursor.{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/121273/Interview_Popcaps_Johnston_On_Plants_Vs_Zombies_Tricky_XBLA_Shift.php |title=Interview: Popcap's Johnston on Plants vs. Zombies' Tricky XBLA Shift |last=Orland |first=Kyle |website=Gamasutra |date=September 27, 2010 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115001532/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/121273/Interview_Popcaps_Johnston_On_Plants_Vs_Zombies_Tricky_XBLA_Shift.php |url-status=dead }} The port also featured Versus mode, a Co-op mode, and a new level in Mini-Games mode. Versus mode matched two players, one playing plants and one playing zombies.{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Xbox-Live-snags-Plants-vs-Zombies-but-with-new-3178548.php |title=Xbox Live snags Plants vs. Zombies but with new element: versus, co-op modes |work=San Francisco Chronicle |date=February 9, 2012 |access-date=December 12, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183911/https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Xbox-Live-snags-Plants-vs-Zombies-but-with-new-3178548.php |url-status=live |url-access=limited}} The zombie player's goal is reaching the house, while the plant player aims to kill three of the five target zombies on the right side of the lawn. A PlayStation Network port for the PlayStation 3 of Plants vs. Zombies was announced on January 28, 2011,{{cite web |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2011/01/28/plants-vs-zombies-coming-soon-to-psn/ |title=Plants Vs Zombies Coming Soon to PSN! |last=Green |first=Jeff |website=PlayStation Blog |date=January 28, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930155910/https://blog.playstation.com/2011/01/28/plants-vs-zombies-coming-soon-to-psn |url-status=live }} with Sony Online Entertainment as its publisher{{cite news |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/123172/Sony_Online_Unveils_PSN_Slate_Including_Plants_Vs_Zombies_Recoil_NinjaBee_Titles.php |last=Alexander |first=Leigh |title=Sony Online Unveils PSN Slate Including Plants Vs. Zombies, Recoil, NinjaBee Titles |work=Gamasutra |date=January 28, 2011 |access-date=May 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113235148/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/123172/Sony_Online_Unveils_PSN_Slate_Including_Plants_Vs_Zombies_Recoil_NinjaBee_Titles.php |archive-date=November 13, 2013 |url-status=dead}} and was released on February 8, 2011.{{cite web |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2011/02/08/plants-vs-zombies-hits-psn-today-with-all-the-trimmings/ |last=Green |first=Jeff |title=Plants vs Zombies hits PSN Today With All The Trimmings |website=PlayStation Blog |date=February 8, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-date=October 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025030352/https://blog.playstation.com/2011/02/08/plants-vs-zombies-hits-psn-today-with-all-the-trimmings/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/02/08/popcap-launches-plants-vs-zombies-for-the-playstation-network |title=PopCap Launches Plants vs. Zombies for the PlayStation Network |author= |website=IGN |date=February 8, 2011 |access-date=December 12, 2011 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183930/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/02/08/popcap-launches-plants-vs-zombies-for-the-playstation-network |url-status=live }}

The DS port of Plants vs. Zombies was announced in August 2010.{{Cite web |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/08/plants-vs-zombies-coming-to-ds-bringing-exclusive-content |last=Webster |first=Andrew |title=Plants vs Zombies coming to DS, bringing exclusive content |website=Ars Technica |date=August 23, 2010 |access-date=April 26, 2021 |archive-date=April 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210426033410/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2010/08/plants-vs-zombies-coming-to-ds-bringing-exclusive-content/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2010/08/plants_vs_zombies_eyes_up_ds_licks_rotting_lips |title=Plants vs. Zombies Eyes Up DS, Licks Rotting Lips |last=Newton |first=James |website=Nintendo Life |date=August 23, 2010 |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=September 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170927173042/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2010/08/plants_vs_zombies_eyes_up_ds_licks_rotting_lips |url-status=live }} The port was released on January 18, 2011, in North America{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/01/18/popcap-launches-plants-vs-zombies-for-nintendo-ds |author= |title=PopCap Launches Plants vs. Zombies for Nintendo DS |website=IGN |date=January 18, 2011 |access-date=December 17, 2020 |archive-date=February 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220122155/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/01/18/popcap-launches-plants-vs-zombies-for-nintendo-ds |url-status=live }} and on May 6, 2011, in Europe and Australia.{{cite press release |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plants-vs-zombiestm-launched-for-nintendo-dstm-and-nintendo-dsiwaretm-in-europe-and-australia-121373329.html |title=Plants vs. Zombies(TM) Launched for Nintendo DS(TM) and Nintendo DSiWare(TM) in Europe and Australia |publisher=PopCap Games |via=PR Newswire |date=May 6, 2011 |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=May 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520211437/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/plants-vs-zombiestm-launched-for-nintendo-dstm-and-nintendo-dsiwaretm-in-europe-and-australia-121373329.html |url-status=live }} The port included the Zombatar feature and the versus mode from the Xbox Live version, also adding four exclusive mini-games.{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a305876/plants-vs-zombies-ds/ |title='Plants Vs. Zombies' (DS) |last=Langshaw |first=Mark |website=Digital Spy |date=February 5, 2011 |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183931/https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a305876/plants-vs-zombies-ds/ |url-status=live }} On March 14, 2011, the DSiWare port was released in North America. It was released on May 6, 2011, in Europe and Australia.{{cite web |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2011/03/plants_vs_zombies_dsiware |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review (DSiWare) |last=Dillard |first=Corbie |website=Nintendo Life |date=March 16, 2011 |access-date=December 22, 2020 |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811043720/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2011/03/plants_vs_zombies_dsiware |url-status=live }} The DSiWare version only kept the Adventure mode and Mini-Games mode; the mini-game levels consisted of the exclusive levels from the original DS and a new level called "Zombie Trap".

The PlayStation Vita port was announced in December 2011.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/22/playstation-vita-launch-line-up-announced-for-us |title=PlayStation Vita Launch Line Up Announced for U.S. |last=Goldfarb |first=Andrew |website=IGN |date=December 22, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2011 |archive-date=August 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829050612/http://www.ign.com/articles/2011/12/22/playstation-vita-launch-line-up-announced-for-us |url-status=live }} It was released on February 21, 2012, in North America, and in Europe as a launch title on February 22, 2012;{{cite web |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2012/02/21/plants-vs-zombies-for-ps-vita-shambles-to-psn-today/ |title=Plants vs Zombies for PS Vita Shambles to PSN Today |last=Green |first=Jeff |website=PlayStation Blog |date=February 21, 2012 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804121538/https://blog.playstation.com/2012/02/21/plants-vs-zombies-for-ps-vita-shambles-to-psn-today/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://blog.playstation.com/2011/10/27/get-your-hands-on-ps-vita-early-with-the-first-edition-bundle/ |title=Get Your Hands on PS Vita Early with the First Edition Bundle |last=Koller |first=John |website=PlayStation Blog |date=October 27, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-date=November 13, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201113025940/https://blog.playstation.com/2011/10/27/get-your-hands-on-ps-vita-early-with-the-first-edition-bundle/ |url-status=live }} with Sony Online Entertainment serving as its publisher. The port allows the player to play using either the touch screen or the controllers. It also introduces the ability to shake the Vita to collect suns and money. Unlike other console versions, the game lacks a multiplayer setting.{{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/25/plants-vs-zombies-vita-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – PS-Vita Review at IGN |website=IGN |date=February 25, 2012 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112040812/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/25/plants-vs-zombies-vita-review |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/plants-vs-zombies-ps-vita-review/ |title=Plants Vs. Zombies PS Vita Review |last=Meunier |first=Nathan |website=GamesRadar+ |date=February 24, 2011 |access-date=December 23, 2020 |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811193443/https://www.gamesradar.com/plants-vs-zombies-ps-vita-review/ |url-status=live }}

{{Video game reviews

| MC = PC: 87/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies |type=game |vgtype=pc |title=Plants vs. Zombies (PC) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226133832/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/plants-vs-zombies |archive-date=December 26, 2017}}
iOS: 92/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies |type=game |vgtype=ios |title=Plants vs. Zombies (iOS) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624101029/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}
(iPad) iOS: 93/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-hd |type=game |vgtype=ios |title=Plants vs. Zombies HD (iOS) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=August 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819033239/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/plants-vs-zombies-hd |url-status=live }}
X360: 89/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies |type=game |vgtype=xbox-360 |title=Plants vs. Zombies (Xbox 360) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619075201/http://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}
DS: 81/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies |type=game |vgtype=ds |title=Plants vs. Zombies (DS) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=April 20, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420155452/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}
(DSiWare) DS: 73/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-dsiware |type=game |vgtype=ds |title=Plants vs. Zombies (DSiWare) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=June 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612060227/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ds/plants-vs-zombies-dsiware |url-status=live }}
PS3: 85/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies |type=game |vgtype=playstation-3 |title=Plants vs. Zombies (PlayStation 3) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=July 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712171826/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}
PSVita: 77/100{{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies |type=game |vgtype=playstation-vita |title=Plants vs. Zombies (PlayStation Vita) |access-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-date=August 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823100848/http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-vita/plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}

| 1UP = A−{{cite web |last=Liang |first=Alice |url=http://www.1up.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies |title=Plants vs Zombies Review for the PC from |website=1Up.com |date=May 8, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150316025609/http://www.1up.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies |archive-date=March 16, 2015 |access-date=March 16, 2010}}

| Destruct = 10/10{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/destructoid-review-plants-vs-zombies-130738.phtml |title=Destructoid review: Plants vs. Zombies |last1=Bennett |first1=Colette |last2=Nicolson |first2=Brad |website=Destructoid |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=December 4, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183912/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/destructoid-review-plants-vs-zombies-130738.phtml |url-status=live }}

| Edge = 9/10{{cite magazine|url=http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/review-plants-vs-zombies |title=Review: Plants Vs Zombies |magazine=Edge |date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120531081012/http://www.edge-online.com/reviews/review-plants-vs-zombies |archive-date=May 31, 2012 |access-date=November 24, 2020}}

| EuroG = 9/10{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/plants-vs-zombies-review?page=2 |title=Plants vs. Zombies |last=Donlan |first=Christian |website=Eurogamer |page=2 |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=May 14, 2021 |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815195732/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/plants-vs-zombies-review?page=2 |url-status=live }}

| GamePro = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/210040/plants-vs-zombies |title=Plants vs. Zombies |last=Kim |first=Tae K. |page=1 |magazine=GamePro |date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090511115355/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/210040/plants-vs-zombies |archive-date=May 11, 2009 |access-date=November 24, 2020}}

| GSpot = PC: 8.5/10{{cite web |last=Watters |first=Chris |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/plantsvszombies/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary;read-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review for PC |website=GameSpot |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=March 16, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228164020/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/plantsvszombies/review.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=gssummary&tag=summary%3Bread-review |archive-date=February 28, 2010 }}
X360: 8.5/10{{cite web |last=Calvert |first=Justin |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-review/1900-6275775/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review for Xbox 360 |website=GameSpot |date=September 13, 2010 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161103102710/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-review/1900-6275775/ |url-status=live }}
DS: 8/10{{cite web |last=Calvert |first=Justin |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-review/1900-6286812/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review for DS |website=GameSpot |date=January 21, 2011 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=September 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916084500/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/plants-vs-zombies-review/1900-6286812/ |url-status=live }}

| GSpy = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/zombies-on-my-lawn/1016314p1.html |last=Scott |first=Ryan |title=The Consensus: Plants vs. Zombies Review |website=GameSpy |page=1 |date=August 20, 2009 |access-date=November 26, 2020 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221908/http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/zombies-on-my-lawn/1016314p1.html |url-status=live }}

| GRadar = PC: {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/plants-vs-zombies-review/ |last=Francis |first=Tom |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review |website=GamesRadar+ |date=May 13, 2009 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=March 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200310031718/https://www.gamesradar.com/plants-vs-zombies-review/ |url-status=live }}
PSVita: {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/plants-vs-zombies-ps-vita-review/ |last=Meunier |first=Natham |title=Plants vs. Zombies PS Vita Review |website=GamesRadar+ |date=February 24, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811193443/https://www.gamesradar.com/plants-vs-zombies-ps-vita-review/ |archive-date=August 11, 2020 |access-date=May 15, 2021}}

| Gamezebo = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.gamezebo.com/2009/05/05/plants-vs-zombies-review/ |last=Saltzman |first=Marc |title=Plants vs Zombies Review |website=Gamezebo |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=October 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171030105516/http://www.gamezebo.com/2009/05/05/plants-vs-zombies-review/ |url-status=live }}

| IGN = 9/10Multiple sources:

• PC: {{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/979/979621p1.html |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – PC Review |website=IGN |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=June 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611154544/http://pc.ign.com/articles/979/979621p1.html |archive-date=June 11, 2010 }}
• iPhone: {{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/13/plants-vs-zombies-review-3 |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – iPhone Review |website=IGN |date=February 13, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208121213/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/02/13/plants-vs-zombies-review-3 |url-status=live }}
• iPad: {{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/05/plants-vs-zombies-hd-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies HD Review – iPad Review |website=IGN |date=April 5, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207084026/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/04/05/plants-vs-zombies-hd-review |url-status=live }}
• X360: {{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/07/plants-vs-zombies-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – Xbox-360 Review |website=IGN |date=September 7, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207101408/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/07/plants-vs-zombies-review |url-status=live }}
• PS3: {{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/02/08/plants-vs-zombies-review-2 |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – PS3 Review |website=IGN |date=February 8, 2011 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210141531/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/02/08/plants-vs-zombies-review-2 |url-status=live }}
• PSVita: {{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/25/plants-vs-zombies-vita-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – PS-Vita Review |website=IGN |date=February 25, 2012 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112040812/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/25/plants-vs-zombies-vita-review |url-status=live }}
  DS: 8/10{{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/01/19/plants-vs-zombies-ds-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – DS Review |website=IGN |date=January 9, 2011 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208150959/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/01/19/plants-vs-zombies-ds-review |url-status=live }}

}}

On May 20, 2009, Plants vs. Zombies was declared the fastest-selling video game created by PopCap Games, quickly becoming their best-selling video game; surpassing their previous popular games: Bejeweled and Peggle.{{cite news |title=Plants vs. Zombies is PopCap's fastest-selling game |url=http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/plants-vs-zombies-is-popcaps-fastest-selling-game/ |last=Sliwinski |first=Alexander |work=Joystiq |access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=May 20, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528074720/http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/20/plants-vs-zombies-is-popcaps-fastest-selling-game |archive-date=May 28, 2009 }}{{cite magazine |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/91826-PopCap-Wins-Big-With-Plants-vs-Zombies |last=Funk |first=John |title=PopCap Wins Big With Plants vs. Zombies |magazine=The Escapist |date=May 20, 2009 |access-date=May 18, 2021 |archive-date=May 25, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210525201146/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/popcap-wins-big-with-plants-vs-zombies/ |url-status=live}} Fan estimated half of sales came from hardcore gamers.{{cite web |last=Graft |first=Kris |title=Analysis: The Universal (Brain-Eating) Appeal Of Plants Vs. Zombies |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23678 |website=Gamasutra|access-date=September 5, 2009 |date=May 20, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091108204443/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23678 |archive-date=November 8, 2009 }} Larry Hryb, director of programming for Xbox Live, reported that Plants vs. Zombies was the thirteenth most purchased 2011 game on Xbox Live Arcade.{{cite web |url=https://majornelson.com/2012/01/06/top-games-of-2011/ |title=Top Games of 2011 |last=Hyrb |first=Larry |author-link=Larry Hryb |website=Major Nelson |publisher=Microsoft |date=January 6, 2012 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127140347/https://majornelson.com/2012/01/06/top-games-of-2011/ |url-status=live }} Plants vs. Zombies was particularly successful on the App Store.{{cite web |url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/07/from-bejeweled-to-plants-vs-zombies-how-popcap-got-just-about-everyone-to-play |title=From Bejeweled to Plants Vs Zombies: How PopCap Got Just About Everyone To Play Their Games |last=Walker |first=James |website=Kotaku |date=July 12, 2020 |access-date=December 3, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183935/https://www.kotaku.com.au/2020/07/from-bejeweled-to-plants-vs-zombies-how-popcap-got-just-about-everyone-to-play-their-games/ |url-status=dead }} According to PopCap, the iOS release of Plants vs. Zombies sold more than 300,000 copies during its first nine days, generating more than $1{{nbsp}}million in gross sales. It rose to number one in sales and money grossed from a mobile video game before losing the spot nine days after release.{{cite news|url=http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/02/plants-vs-zombies-makes-an-iphone-killing/1 |title='Plants vs. Zombies' makes an iPhone killing |first=Mike |last=Snider |date=February 25, 2010 |access-date=January 14, 2015 |work=USA Today's Game Hunters |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204181002/http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gamehunters/post/2010/02/plants-vs-zombies-makes-an-iphone-killing/1 |archive-date=December 4, 2010 }} {{As of|2016|April}}, nine million copies have been downloaded across all iOS platforms.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZMHMBQAAQBAJ |last=Rigney |first=Ryan |title=Buttonless: Incredible IPhone and IPad Games and the Stories Behind Them |publisher=CRC Press |date=April 19, 2016 |page=167 |isbn=9781466515352 |access-date=June 11, 2021 |archive-date=July 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711154819/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Buttonless/ZMHMBQAAQBAJ |url-status=live }}

Plants vs. Zombies received positive reviews. According to Metacritic, the only version that did not receive "generally positive reviews" or "universal acclaim" is the DSiWare version, which received "mixed or average reviews". It has since been considered one of the greatest video games of all time.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesradar.com/best-games-ever/ |title=The 100 Best Games of All-Time |date=February 25, 2015 |website=GamesRadar |access-date=November 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150319223433/http://www.gamesradar.com/best-games-ever/ |archive-date=March 19, 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.gameswelt.de/gameswelttv/video/plaetze-81-100-165185 |title=Gameswelt Top 100 |date=July 26, 2012 |website=Gameswelt |access-date=May 14, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512080827/https://www.gameswelt.de/gameswelttv/video/plaetze-81-100-165185 |archive-date=May 12, 2022 }}{{cite book|editor=Tony Mott|title=1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die|year=2013|publisher=Universe Publishing|isbn=978-1844037667 }}{{cite news|first=Joe|last=Griffin|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/the-50-best-videogames-of-all-time-1.1610521|title=The 50 best videogames of all time|date=November 29, 2013|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=March 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306234837/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/the-50-best-videogames-of-all-time-1.1610521|archive-date=March 6, 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=The 500 Best Video Games of All Time|url=https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401|website=Polygon|access-date=December 1, 2017|date=November 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303210843/https://www.polygon.com/features/2017/11/27/16158276/polygon-500-best-games-of-all-time-500-401|archive-date=March 3, 2018|url-status=live}}{{cite magazine|magazine=Game Informer|title=The Top 300 Games of All Time|date=April 2018|issue=300}} Some reviewers found the core mechanic straightforward, but the game itself challenging. GamesRadar+{{'s}} Tom Francis said that Plants vs. Zombies was only casual in its easiness to understand its premise; he clarified, "There's nothing casual about the 30 goddamn hours we've spent, effectively, gardening." Seth Schisel from The New York Times said kids and adults alike would enjoy Plants vs. Zombies.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/arts/television/13zombies.html |title=If You Lose Your Mind, You Risk Having It Eaten |last=Schisel |first=Seth |work=The New York Times |date=June 13, 2009 |access-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207064610/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/arts/television/13zombies.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}} Others disagreed: GameSpot editor Chris Watters said, "Tower defense veterans will have to endure a lot of simple, familiar action in order to find a real challenge, and the wait may prove too long for some"; GamePro{{'s}} Tae Kim said that Plants vs. Zombies was not particularly easy or hard, and that he never had to restart despite being "terrible at these sorts of games."{{cite magazine |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/210041/plants-vs-zombies-page-2-of-3 |title=Plants vs. Zombies |last=Kim |first=Tae K. |page=2 |magazine=GamePro |date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090516232009/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/210041/plants-vs-zombies-page-2-of-3 |archive-date=May 16, 2009 |access-date=November 24, 2020}} John Walker of Rock Paper Shotgun said the difficulty sometimes felt artificial.{{cite news |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-plants-vs-zombies-review |title=The Plants Vs. Zombies Review |last=Walker |first=John |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-date=April 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428125530/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-plants-vs-zombies-review |url-status=live }}

Despite his criticism of the game's difficulty, Watters praised Plants vs. Zombies{{'s}} constant introduction of new plants, which kept the game fresh. Eurogamer editor Christian Donlan agreed: every zombie challenges the player and each new plant allows for a new strategy. Many critics commended Plants vs. Zombies for its minimalistic tutorial allowing experimentation;{{cite web|url=https://multiplayer.it/articolo.php?id=54620 |last=Moioli |first=Umberto |title=Plants vs. Zombies – Review |website=Multiplayer.it |date=May 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509070646/https://multiplayer.it/articolo.php?id=54620 |archive-date=May 9, 2009 |language=it |access-date=November 26, 2020}} some had believed the entire Adventure mode was a long tutorial, or a warmup, for other game modes. Many critics praised the game for the replay value offered by additional game modes; Francis said that by the time the player finishes Adventure mode; "the obscene wealth of other things to do already outweighs it for entertainment value."

The art style and music of Plants vs. Zombies have also been praised. Susan Arendt from The Escapist said "the music is excellent, [and] the art is charming and adorable." Many reviewers have called the graphics from Plants vs. Zombies "adorable". Watters praised the unit animation, elaborating that they had a "great sense of personality". Some drew attention to the game's humor. Wired{{'s}} Earnest Cavalli said that while the idea behind Plants vs. Zombies sounds macabre, "every level of the game offers something to laugh about". Marc Saltzman from Gamezebo found humor in the game's many killing methods. IGN editor Daemon Hatfield praised the game's music; he called it a "catchy, organic soundtrack that becomes more intense as your yard is flooded with enemies".{{cite web|last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=http://pc.ign.com/articles/979/979621p1.html |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – PC Review at IGN |website=IGN |date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=June 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100611154544/http://pc.ign.com/articles/979/979621p1.html |archive-date=June 11, 2010 }} In contrast, Walker found the soundtrack "disappointing" and stated, "After the promise of the gorgeous music video, the hope of similarly catchy in-game tunes is not kept."

Critics commended the iPhone port of Plants vs. Zombies for being faithful to the PC version and for its Quick Play mode, but many were disappointed by its omission of the other game modes.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/11/plants-vs-zombies-app/ |title=Review: Popcap Plants Vs. Zombies |last=Vanhemert |first=Kyle |magazine=Wired |date=November 8, 2011 |access-date=November 24, 2020 |archive-date=December 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222214904/https://www.wired.com/2011/11/plants-vs-zombies-app/ |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}{{efn|Additional modes were later added through updates.}} Many reviewers praised the iPad port's inclusion of the Mini-Games mode and the Survival mode, along with "Buttered Popcorn", the exclusive mini-game. The Xbox 360 port of Plants vs. Zombies was praised for its addition of exclusive game modes, including a Co-op mode and a Versus mode.{{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/07/plants-vs-zombies-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – Xbox-360 Review at IGN |website=IGN |date=September 7, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 7, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207101408/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/09/07/plants-vs-zombies-review |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/8141-Review-Plants-vs-Zombies-XBLA |title=Review: Plants vs Zombies XBLA |last=Arendt |first=Susan |magazine=The Escapist |date=September 22, 2010 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208144710/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/8141-Review-Plants-vs-Zombies-XBLA |url-status=live }} The Nintendo DS port was commended for its four new mini-games and its versus mode from the Xbox 360 version, but was considered inferior in its animation and graphics. The port was also criticized for its comparatively high price, for the DS top screen's sole usage as an indicator of level progression, and for unstable frame rate.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/may/06/plants-vs-zombies-game-review |title=Plants vs Zombies – review |last=Cowen |first=Nick |magazine=The Guardian |date=May 6, 2011 |access-date=November 28, 2020 |archive-date=December 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201208160107/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/gamesblog/2011/may/06/plants-vs-zombies-game-review |url-status=live }} Many critics found the PS Vita version faithful to the PC version, though unsure about whether or not there enough significant additions in this version to recommend to someone who already has Plants vs. Zombies on another platform.{{cite web |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/039728/plants-vs-zombies/ |last=Purvis |first=Alan |title=Plants vs. Zombies |website=Pocket Gamer |date=April 16, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191011044809/https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/039728/plants-vs-zombies/ |archive-date=October 11, 2019 |access-date=May 15, 2021}}{{cite web |last=Hatfield |first=Daemon |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/25/plants-vs-zombies-vita-review |title=Plants vs. Zombies Review – PS-Vita Review |website=IGN |date=February 25, 2012 |access-date=May 15, 2021 |archive-date=November 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112040812/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/02/25/plants-vs-zombies-vita-review |url-status=live }}

Ultima creator and mogul Richard Garriott said in 2011 that Plants vs. Zombies was his favorite game of all time.{{cite web |last1=Love |first1=Dylan |date=2011-10-28 |title=Meet Richard Garriott, The Millionaire Who Builds Fascinating Video Games And Still Has Time To Fly To Outer Space |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/richard-garriott-interview-2011-10 |access-date=4 July 2023 |website=Business Insider}}

Plants vs. Zombies was nominated for various categories in the GameSpot Best of 2009,{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/best-of-2009/introduction/index.html |title=The GameSpot Best of 2009 |website=GameSpot |date=2009 |access-date=June 21, 2021 |archive-date=November 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113081056/http://www.gamespot.com/best-of-2009/introduction/index.html |url-status=live }} 2009 Spike Video Game Awards, the 13th and 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards,{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2011&idGame=1152 |title=Plants vs. Zombies Details |website=interactive.org |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |access-date=17 July 2023}} the 10th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards, and the 6th and 7th British Academy Games Awards. It won the categories of "Download Game of the Year" and "Strategy Game of the Year" in the Golden Joysticks Awards 2010, and the category of "Best Casual Game" in the 7th International Mobile Gaming Awards. Electronic Arts (EA) claims that Plants vs. Zombies has won over 30 Game of the Year awards.{{cite web |url=https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies |title=Plants vs. Zombies |website=EA |access-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-date=November 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119050739/https://www.ea.com/games/plants-vs-zombies/plants-vs-zombies |url-status=live }}

{{See also|Octogeddon}}

PopCap Games and its assets were bought by EA on July 12, 2011, for $750{{nbsp}}million.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/07/12/ea-popcap-acquire-750m/ |title=Electronic Arts buys PopCap for $750M |last1=Takahashi |first1=Dean |author-link1=Dean Takahashi |last2=Lynley |first2=Matthew |website=VentureBeat |date=July 12, 2011 |access-date=January 4, 2021 |archive-date=November 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104031452/https://venturebeat.com/2011/07/12/ea-popcap-acquire-750m/ |url-status=live }} Fifty employees were laid off from PopCap Games' Seattle studio on August 21, 2012, marking a switch of focus to mobile and social gaming.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/21/report-layoffs-hit-popcap-international-studios-shuttered |last=Goldfarb |first=Andrew |title=Report: Layoffs Hit PopCap, International Studios Shuttered |website=IGN |date=August 21, 2012 |access-date=January 4, 2021 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116100601/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/21/report-layoffs-hit-popcap-international-studios-shuttered |url-status=live }} After a statement by Edmund McMillen, creator of The Binding of Isaac, rumors circulated that Fan was fired by EA because he opposed implementing pay-to-win mechanics in Plants vs. Zombies 2. Fan confirmed in a 2017 tweet that he had been laid off, and that he opposed the freemium aspects of Plants vs. Zombies 2, but did not link the two events.{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/widespread-rumor-about-ea-firing-plants-vs-zombie-crea-1820649466 |title=Widespread Rumor About EA Firing Plants vs. Zombies Creator Isn't Quite True |last=Schreier |first=Jason |website=Kotaku |date=November 11, 2017 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=November 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127185442/https://kotaku.com/widespread-rumor-about-ea-firing-plants-vs-zombie-crea-1820649466 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/21/plants-vs-zombies-creator-reportedly-fired-by-ea-for-objecting-to-play-to-win |title=Update: Plants vs. Zombies Creator's EA Departure Clarified |last=O'Brien |first=Lucy |website=IGN |date=November 21, 2017 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109034540/https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/11/21/plants-vs-zombies-creator-reportedly-fired-by-ea-for-objecting-to-play-to-win |url-status=live }}

Three former PopCap employees have argued against the notion that Fan was fired because of his concerns over the game, including Allen Murray, a former producer of Plants vs. Zombies 2. They said Fan was fired as part of the systematic lay-offs in August 2012, and he was not even part of the Plants vs. Zombies 2 team; he was working on other ideas for games at the time, including a game called Full Contact Bingo. He had lost interest in Plants vs. Zombies when EA began envisioning the game as a huge franchise. Fan worked on the arcade action-strategy game Octogeddon after being laid off,{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/08/octogeddon-review-who-knew-that-fighting-as-a-giant-octopus-could-be-this-fun/ |title=Octogeddon review – who knew that fighting as a giant octopus could be this fun? |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |author-link=Dean Takahashi |website=VentureBeat |date=February 8, 2018 |access-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-date=February 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210203214817/https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/08/octogeddon-review-who-knew-that-fighting-as-a-giant-octopus-could-be-this-fun/ |url-status=live }} initially as part of a Ludum Dare contest.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/07/octogeddon-how-plants-vs-zombies-creator-spent-four-years-on-zany-octopus-game/ |title=Octogeddon: How Plants vs. Zombies creator spent four years on zany octopus game |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |author-link=Dean Takahashi |website=VentureBeat |date=February 7, 2018 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=January 14, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114004411/https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/07/octogeddon-how-plants-vs-zombies-creator-spent-four-years-on-zany-octopus-game/ |url-status=live }} The game idea was received positively and Fan formed a company along with Werner, the artist of Plants vs. Zombies, and Kurt Pfeiffer, the programmer of the Xbox 360 port. They developed Octogeddon for several years,{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/282931/Plants_vs_Zombies_designer_turns_his_game_jam_concept_into_Octogeddon.php |title=Plants vs. Zombies designer turns his game jam concept into Octogeddon |last=Bradley |first=Alan |website=Gamasutra |date=October 10, 2016 |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108111955/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/282931/Plants_vs_Zombies_designer_turns_his_game_jam_concept_into_Octogeddon.php |url-status=dead }} releasing it on February 8, 2018,{{cite web |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/525620/Octogeddon/ |title=Octogeddon |website=Steam |access-date=January 5, 2021 |archive-date=November 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109033557/https://store.steampowered.com/app/525620/Octogeddon/ |url-status=live }} to generally positive reviews, according to Metacritic.{{cite Metacritic |id=octogeddon |type=game |vgtype=pc |title=Octogeddon (PC) |access-date=April 10, 2021 |archive-date=November 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201115232028/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/octogeddon |url-status=live }}

{{Main article|Plants vs. Zombies}}

Since EA's acquisition of PopCap Games, Plants vs. Zombies has expanded into a franchise spanning many consoles and several genres. Plants vs. Zombies Adventures, a spin-off and social game, was released for Facebook on May 20, 2011,{{cite news |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/5/20/4348376/plants-vs-zombies-adventures-facebook-game-youll-want-to-play |title='Plants vs. Zombies Adventures' is a Facebook game you'll actually want to play |last=Webster |first=Andrew |work=The Verge |date=May 20, 2013 |access-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-date=December 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161206033226/http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/20/4348376/plants-vs-zombies-adventures-facebook-game-youll-want-to-play |url-status=live }} and closed on October 12, 2014.{{cite web |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/ea-announces-closure-of-plants-vs-zombies-adventures-on-facebook/ |title=EA Announces Closure of Plants vs Zombies Adventures on Facebook |last=Shaul |first=Brandon |website=Adweek |date=July 24, 2014 |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109005212/https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/ea-announces-closure-of-plants-vs-zombies-adventures-on-facebook/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}} A mainline sequel named Plants vs. Zombies 2 was released for iOS on August 14, 2013.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/14/plants-vs-zombies-2-launching-worldwide-tonight |title=Plants vs. Zombies 2 Launching Worldwide Tonight |last=Davis |first=Justin |website=IGN |date=August 14, 2013 |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111005449/https://www.ign.com/articles/2013/08/14/plants-vs-zombies-2-launching-worldwide-tonight |url-status=live }} Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, a multiplayer third-person shooter, was released on February 25, 2014, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Xbox One,{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/16/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-delayed |title=Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Delayed |last=Karmali |first=Luke |date=January 16, 2014 |website=IGN |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140117102658/https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/01/16/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-delayed |url-status=live }} and its sequel was released on February 23, 2016, for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/games/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |title=Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 |website=IGN |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111005654/https://www.ign.com/games/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |url-status=live }} A digital collectible card game, Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, was released internationally for the iOS on October 18, 2016.{{cite news |url=https://venturebeat.com/2016/10/18/plants-vs-zombies-heroes-enters-the-mobile-digital-card-game-arena/ |title=Plants vs. Zombies Heroes enters the mobile digital card game arena |last=Minotti |first=Mike |work=VentureBeat |date=October 18, 2016 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-date=November 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108120609/http://venturebeat.com/2016/10/18/plants-vs-zombies-heroes-enters-the-mobile-digital-card-game-arena/ |url-status=live }} The franchise released its third third-person shooter, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, on October 18, 2019, for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/new-plants-vs-zombies-shooter-announced-goes-live-tod-1837874728 |title=New Plants Vs. Zombies Shooter Announced, Goes Live Today |first=Mike |last=Fahey |work=Kotaku |date=April 9, 2019 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-date=September 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915024732/https://kotaku.com/new-plants-vs-zombies-shooter-announced-goes-live-tod-1837874728 |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/11/20859185/plants-vs-zombies-ea-release-neighborville |title=How EA and Plants vs. Zombies are battling binge culture |first=Xavier |last=Nelson |magazine=Polygon |date=September 11, 2019 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-date=September 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914004246/https://www.polygon.com/2019/9/11/20859185/plants-vs-zombies-ea-release-neighborville |url-status=live }} A third mainline title is currently in development for Android and iOS as of October 2020.{{cite news |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/74798/ea-pulls-plants-vs-zombies-3-from-soft-launch/ |title=EA pulls Plants vs. Zombies 3 from soft launch |last=Forde |first=Matthew |website=Pocket Gamer |date=October 19, 2020 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-date=January 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107161828/https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/74798/ea-pulls-plants-vs-zombies-3-from-soft-launch/ |url-status=live }}

According to Metacritic, nearly all the sequels and spin-offs of Plants vs. Zombies received generally positive reviews.Plants vs. Zombies 2:

• iOS: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-2-its-about-time |type=game |vgtype=ios |title=Plants vs Zombies 2: It's About Time |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=July 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200720085912/https://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/plants-vs-zombies-2-its-about-time |url-status=live}}

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare:

• PC: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |type=game |vgtype=pc |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare (PC) |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=November 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126225942/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |url-status=live}}
• X360: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |type=game |vgtype=xbox-360 |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare (Xbox 360) |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=November 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130001116/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |url-status=live}}
• XONE: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |type=game |vgtype=xbox-one |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare (Xbox One) |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125015418/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |url-status=live}}
• PS4: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare (PlayStation 4) |type=game |vgtype=playstation-4 |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621125951/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare |url-status=live}}

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2:

• PC: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |type=game |vgtype=pc |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (PC) |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=September 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200912091729/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |url-status=live}}
• PS4: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (PlayStation 4) |type=game |vgtype=playstation-4 |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=November 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125023722/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |url-status=live}}
• XONE: {{cite Metacritic |id=plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |type=game |vgtype=xbox-one |title=Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 (Xbox One) |access-date=March 9, 2021 |archive-date=September 12, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200912094738/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/plants-vs-zombies-garden-warfare-2 |url-status=live}}

Plants vs. Zombies Heroes:

• iOS: {{cite Metacritic|id=plants-vs-zombies-heroes|type=game|vgtype=pc|title=Plants vs. Zombies Heroes|access-date=March 9, 2021|url-status=live|archive-date=November 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108061110/http://www.metacritic.com/game/ios/plants-vs-zombies-heroes}}

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville:

• PC: {{cite Metacritic|id=plants-vs-zombies-battle-for-neighborville|type=game|vgtype=pc|title=Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (PC)|access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=June 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606160104/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/plants-vs-zombies-battle-for-neighborville|url-status=live}}
• PS4: {{cite Metacritic|id=plants-vs-zombies-battle-for-neighborville|type=game|vgtype=playstation-4|title=Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (PlayStation 4)|access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=November 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111232235/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-4/plants-vs-zombies-battle-for-neighborville|url-status=live}}
• XONE: {{cite Metacritic|id=plants-vs-zombies-battle-for-neighborville|type=game|vgtype=xbox-one|title=Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville (Xbox One)|access-date=March 9, 2021|archive-date=June 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606155821/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-one/plants-vs-zombies-battle-for-neighborville|url-status=live}} Despite his opposition to Plants vs. Zombies 2{{'s}} freemium model,{{cite interview |url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/10/how-george-fan-created-the-wacky-plants-vs-zombies-a-decade-ago/ |title=How George Fan created the wacky Plants vs. Zombies a decade ago |last=Fan |first=George |interviewer=Dean Takahashi |interviewer-link=Dean Takahashi |website=VentureBeat |date=May 10, 2019 |access-date=January 9, 2021 |archive-date=January 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111194224/https://venturebeat.com/2019/05/10/how-george-fan-created-the-wacky-plants-vs-zombies-a-decade-ago/ |url-status=live }} Fan has praised the series for delving into different genres, particularly Plants vs. Zombies Heroes{{'s}} entering digital card-collecting; he hopes EA will continue the series into more genres while keeping the charm of the original.

In April 2012, PopCap announced that it had licensed Plants vs. Zombies merchandise to multiple distributors, serving as the first merchandising partnerships involving PopCap.{{cite news |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/plants-vs-zombies-merchandise-blowout |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003172443/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/plants-vs-zombies-merchandise-blowout |last=Radd |first=David |title=Plants vs. Zombies merchandise blowout |website=GamesIndustry.biz |date=April 30, 2012 |archive-date=October 3, 2023 |access-date=January 27, 2025 |url-status=live}} During the development of Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball FX 2, Zen Studios and PopCap made a downloadable content (DLC) interactive pinball table based on Plants vs. Zombies and using PopCap assets.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/9/4/3291850/how-plants-vs-zombies-pinball-was-built-from-authentic-zombie-parts |title=How 'Plants vs. Zombies' pinball table was built from authentic zombie parts |last=Tach |first=David |magazine=Polygon |date=September 4, 2012 |access-date=December 25, 2020 |archive-date=May 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518110326/http://www.polygon.com/gaming/2012/9/4/3291850/how-plants-vs-zombies-pinball-was-built-from-authentic-zombie-parts |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/plants-vs-zombies-pinball-revealed |title=PAX: Plants vs. Zombies Pinball Revealed |last=Davis |first=Justin |website=IGN |date=August 31, 2012 |access-date=December 26, 2020 |archive-date=November 6, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106063728/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/08/31/plants-vs-zombies-pinball-revealed |url-status=live }} The DLC was released on September 4, 2012, in North America and September 5 in Europe.{{cite web|url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/08/31/plants-vs-zombies-shambling-to-zen-pinball-2-and-pinball-fx2-next-week/|title=Plants vs. Zombies shambling to Zen Pinball 2 and Pinball FX2 next week|last=Barsanti |first=Sam |date=August 31, 2012 |website=VentureBeat|access-date=December 9, 2017|archive-date=December 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209152629/https://venturebeat.com/2012/08/31/plants-vs-zombies-shambling-to-zen-pinball-2-and-pinball-fx2-next-week/|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a398216/zen-pinball-2-ps3-release-date-announced-popcap-table-teased/ |title='Zen Pinball 2' PS3 release date announced, PopCap table teased |last=Martin |first=Liam |website=GameSpy |date=August 8, 2012 |access-date=December 26, 2020 |archive-date=January 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120183915/https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a398216/zen-pinball-2-ps3-release-date-announced-popcap-table-teased/ |url-status=live }}

In July and August 2013, Dark Horse Comics released six issues of a comic book adaptation miniseries onto an iOS app. The miniseries was called Lawnmageddon, written by Paul Tobin and drawn by Ron Chan.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/7/17/4533042/plants-vs-zombies-comic-ios-released |title=Plants vs. Zombies comic arrives on iOS, first issue free |last=Tach |first=Dave |magazine=Polygon |date=July 17, 2013 |access-date=March 10, 2021 |archive-date=October 23, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151023050759/http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/17/4533042/plants-vs-zombies-comic-ios-released |url-status=live }} Dark Horse Comics continued releasing issues for the next two years. In 2015, Dark Horse Comics started a monthly release of the comic series, in both digital and print; every three issues formed a separate miniseries, with the first called Bully for You.{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/11/plants-vs-zombies-monthly-comic-series-coming |title=Plants vs. Zombies Monthly Comic Series Coming |first=Joshua |last=Yehl |date=March 11, 2015 |work=IGN |access-date=October 19, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151012033953/http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/03/11/plants-vs-zombies-monthly-comic-series-coming |archive-date=October 12, 2015 }} Characters from the comic series were adapted into Plants vs. Zombies 3.{{cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/exclusive-dark-horse-plants-vs-zombies-big-spitball/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240919160205/https://www.cbr.com/exclusive-dark-horse-plants-vs-zombies-big-spitball/ |last=Fang |first=Sam |title=Dark Horse Zombie Story Continues With Eisner Award Winner |website=Comic Book Resources |date=September 19, 2024 |archive-date=September 19, 2024 |access-date=January 27, 2025 |url-status=live}}

According to Chris Carter, editor-in-chief of Destructoid, Plants vs. Zombies is frequently referenced in pop culture. Fan said his favorite homage to the game is the Magic: The Gathering card "Grave Bramble",{{cite web |url=https://www.destructoid.com/stories/it-s-the-10th-anniversary-of-plants-vs-zombies-we-talked-to-the-creator-about-the-past-present-and-future-of-the-series-552073.phtml |title=It's the 10th anniversary of Plants vs. Zombies: We talked to the creator about the past, present, and future of the series |last=Carter |first=Chris |website=Destructoid |date=May 4, 2019 |access-date=December 26, 2020 |archive-date=September 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200928070035/https://www.destructoid.com/stories/it-s-the-10th-anniversary-of-plants-vs-zombies-we-talked-to-the-creator-about-the-past-present-and-future-of-the-series-552073.phtml |url-status=live }} created as part of the Innistrad expansion.{{cite web |last=Rosewater |first=Mark |url=http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/162 |title=Scary Stories, Part 2 |date=September 26, 2011 |access-date=April 23, 2012 |website=Wizards of the Coast |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120411132532/http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg%2Fdaily%2Fmm%2F162 |archive-date=April 11, 2012 }} A re-creation of Plants vs. Zombies was added as a mini-game quest known as "Peacebloom vs. Ghouls" to World of Warcraft as part of the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion.{{cite news |url=http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/20/plants-vs-zombies-quest-in-wow-cataclysm/ |title=Plants Vs. Zombies Quest in WoW: Cataclysm |first=Quentin |last=Smith |date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=September 20, 2010 |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922201116/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/20/plants-vs-zombies-quest-in-wow-cataclysm/ |archive-date=September 22, 2010 }}{{cite magazine |url=https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103626-Cataclysm-Adds-Plants-vs-Zombies-Minigame-to-WoW |title=Cataclysm Adds Plants vs. Zombies Minigame to WoW |last=Funk |first=John |magazine=The Escapist |date=September 20, 2010 |access-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-date=November 21, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121095350/https://v1.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103626-Cataclysm-Adds-Plants-vs-Zombies-Minigame-to-WoW |url-status=live}} Shigihara provided some music for the quest.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103702-PopCap-Delighted-With-WoWs-Plants-vs-Zombies-Tribute |title=PopCap Delighted With WoW's Plants vs. Zombies Tribute |first=Logan |last=Westbrook |date=September 22, 2010 |access-date=September 22, 2010 |magazine=The Escapist |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100925052821/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103702-PopCap-Delighted-With-WoWs-Plants-vs-Zombies-Tribute |archive-date=September 25, 2010}} The song "Bad Guy" (2019) by Billie Eilish was inspired by the theme music for Plants vs. Zombies.{{Cite magazine |last=Portwood |first=Jerry |date=December 16, 2019 |title=The Breakdown: Billie Eilish and Finneas on 'Bad Guy' |url-access=limited |url-status=live |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billie-eilish-bad-guy-finneas-song-breakdown-video-882603/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191216222855/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/billie-eilish-bad-guy-finneas-song-breakdown-video-882603/ |archive-date=December 16, 2019 |access-date=January 16, 2020}}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

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• {{Official website|https://www.ea.com/ea-studios/popcap/plants-vs-zombies}}
• [https://www.richwerner.com/#/plants-vs-zombies/ Official artwork and concept art by Rich Werner]

{{PopCap}}

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