What is Plants vs. Zombies? The Plants vs. Zombies franchise has been around for some time, and many people have played it. The main series itself is a series of strategy games focusing on placing plants to defend yourself from zombies. There are multiple spin-offs, including third-person shooters, and even a card game.

Plants vs. Zombies

The original Plants vs. Zombies game was published in 2009 by a company named Popcap, the developers of Peggle. It features multiple plants and zombies, with plants like Peashooter to attack zombies and Wall-nut to slow them down. The zombies have miners to dig under your lawn, Bungee-Zombies to kidnap your backline, and Gargantuars to break through your defenses. The story mode features five worlds that increase in difficulty, with the final world being the roof of the house. Plants vs. Zombies is the beginning of a franchise that is still around after a decade.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time

Two years after Electronic Arts, also known as EA, purchased Popcap, the next game in the series was released, and it was named Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time. The gameplay itself is still the same as the previous game. The game itself has eleven worlds. Each world is themed after a specific time-period ranging from ancient Egypt to the future. The story features you going through time with your neighbor, so that he may eat his favorite taco again. All of this while still fighting zombies throughout the ages.  The major changes seem to be the addition of advertisements and microtransactions. While there are many plants in the game, most of them are only available through events or paying for them with real money. Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time is the sequel to a classic game, but it is also the beginning of a trend of microtransactions in the series.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

Only a single year after the release of Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time came the next game in the franchise, and the beginning of a new series. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare, also known as simply Garden Warfare 1,  is the first game in the Garden Warfare series, which are asymmetric class-based third-person shooter games where players can play as plants or zombies. The classes include Peashooter, Sunflower, Chomper, and Cactus, on the plants side. As well as Soldier, Medic, All-Star, and Engineer on the zombies side. There are also many variants of those classes on each side that slightly change how they play. In order to unlock variants, players must test their luck in ‘card packs’ which have a low chance of containing variants, although you can buy more card packs using real money. Each class has three abilities to go along with their main attack, to compliment them and assist in completing objectives. There are 7 game modes in Garden Warfare 1, which includes Team Vanquish, Gardens & Graveyards, Gnome Bomb, Vanquish Confirmed, Suburbination, Taco Bandits, and finally Garden Ops. Garden Warfare 1 is the beginning of a series, but it is also the beginning of a trend of microtransactions being within a game that costs money to play.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2

 Two years after the release of Garden Warfare 1 came Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, also known as Garden Warfare 2. It adds in six new classes, each one adding something new to the game along with a slew of new variants. Garden Warfare 2 also changes how certain abilities work. Sadly, Taco Bandits has been removed, however there are two new modes. Including Graveyard Ops, and Story Mode. Garden Warfare 2 is the final entry in the Garden Warfare series, however people continue to play it.

Plants vs. Zombies: Heroes

Plants vs. Zombies: Heroes is a mobile game that was released in 2016, it is a card game that pits 2 players against each other. Each player chooses a side and their ‘Hero’ before a match, Heroes control what kinds of cards that player can have in their deck. There are over five hundred unique cards, although the odds to get legendaries are around 10% per card pack. During a match players place cards in order to damage the enemy hero and protect their own. The only limit to cards is their cost, with the number of resources the players get rising after every turn. While the actual gameplay is different from the main series, it is still a game in the franchise.

Plants vs. Zombie: Battle for Neighborville

Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, also known as simply Battle for Neighborville, is another asymmetric class-based third-person shooter. Battle for Neighborville lacks the variants of Garden Warfare. Instead of variants, there is the perk system, which allows players to enhance their classes. Most of the classes from the Garden Warfare series return along with new classes for both teams. Battle for Neighborville has been out for around five years, but it has not been updated in four years.

Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia

Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia is the third game in the main series. Plants vs. Zombies 3 has been released for testing multiple times over the years, with the first build being released in 2019.  It has multiple plants and zombies, although it has less than Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time. While there is variation between levels, you cannot choose which plants you use for a level. Currently, Plants vs. Zombies 3: Welcome to Zomburbia is the latest game in the franchise, but it has also been in development for at least five years.

The Plants vs. Zombies franchise has been around for fifteen years now. Even after the franchise was bought by Electronic Arts, it continues to release games. The multiplayer of Garden Warfare 2 is still supported. Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time is still getting new events.