Overview

Similar to other tower defense games, but even more advanced, Plants vs. Zombies sees players planting different
types of plants, each with their own unique offensive or defensive capabilities, across the front lawn, back lawn, and
roof of a house in order to stop a horde of zombies from devouring the brains of the resident living inside. The zombies
also come in a number of types that have different attributes and abilities, with zombies that can tunnel or pole vault
over obstacles, balloon and Zamboni riding zombies, Thriller-inspired dancing zombies that can raise others from the
ground, as well as zombies that wear armor such as tin buckets or carry shields such as screen doors that make them
harder to dispatch.
The game also features extra modes that are unlockable as the player progresses through the game's main
Adventure mode. These include Survival Mode, Puzzle Mode, and a selection of Mini-games including zombie themed
versions of PopCap games Bejeweled and Insaniquarium. In the version made for iPad and iPod Touch, a mode
called Quick Play lets players play their favorite levels over again. Players can also purchase items and plant upgrades
with money dropped by zombies or won by playing these extra modes. The versions available through Steam, on the
iPhone/iPod Touch, on the iPad, on the Xbox, on the Nintendo DS, and the Game of the Year version also
feature Achievements.

Plants
Plants are living organisms that belong to the kingdom Plantae in Science. They obtain most of their energy from
sunlight in a process called photosynthesis. They also seem to be the only things the player can defend their house with
against a horde of Zombies. Plants also populate the Zen Garden, though only in the PC, Xbox, and DS versions.

Overview
There are 49 different plants each with different abilities. At Night, sun is harder to come by; so fungi are usually used.
Also in Pool levels, plants must be either aquatic or planted on Lily Pad to be in the water.

Plants Received When Playing Adventure Mode

At the end of each level in Adventure Mode, a new seed packet of a plant made by the Bloom And Doom Seed
Company is received from the last zombie to die. Once the Suburban Almanac is acquired in level 2-4, a
humorous quote of each plant can be read as well as a summary and helpful fact about it.

Plants Received From Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies

Once Crazy Dave's Car Key is found, Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies is unlocked and plants can be purchased.
These plants called Upgrade Plants include the Gatling Pea, Twin Sunflower, Gloom shroom, Cattail, Winter
Melon, Gold Magnet, Spikerock, and Cob Cannon. The Imitater is also available here.

Projectiles
To fight zombies, certain projectiles are fired from plants. For example, Peas are fired from a pea-shooting
plants. Spikes are fired from Cattails and Cacti. Spores are shot from Puff-shroom, Scaredy-shroom and Seashroom. Fumes are shot from Fume-shroom and Gloom-shroom. Lobbed-shot Plants each fire their own specific
kind of projectile. Stars are fired from Starfruit. Lobbed-shot Plants can also shoot over shields and hit Snorkel
Zombie while they are underwater, although they cannot hit Balloon Zombie despite the fact they shoot high up.
Note: The table below is about the damage of the projectiles. The numbers are the number of peas equivalent in
damage to the projectile.

Projectile shooter name

Damage

Projectile

Number of Pea equivalent

Peashooter, Repeater, Thr

eepeater, Split
Pea and Gatling Pea

Normal

Pea or Fire Pea

1 if pea; 2 if fire pea

Snow Pea

Normal, slows the zombie

Frozen Pea

1, slows zombie

Puff-shroom, Scaredyshroom and Sea-shroom

Normal

Spore

Fume

1, all zombies in range

Fume-shroom and Gloom- Normal, penetrates screen

shroom
door
Cactus and Cattail

Normal, pops balloon

Spike

1, or balloon pop

Starfruit

Normal, heavy when

zombie gets close

Star

1 per star if normal; 2 to 5

if heavy

Cabbage-pult

Normal

Cabbage , Lobbed Shot

Kernel-pult

Light (kernel), Normal,

paralyzes zombies (butter)

Kernel or Butter,Lobbed
Shot

1 for kernel; 2 for butter,

paralyzes zombie

Melon-pult

Heavy

Melon, Lobbed Shot

4 to target; 2 for splash

damage (3x3 range)

Winter Melon

Heavy, slows group of

zombies

4 to target; 2 for splash

Frozen Melon,Lobbed Shot damage, slows all zombies
hit

Sun producing plants

Sun producing plants are vital to Adventure Mode, Mini game, or Survival Mode levels in order
to plant. Each plant has a certain amount of sun that is needed in order for it to be planted. Also,
the seed packet for plant have a recharge time; some of which are longer than others.
In Survival: Endless , upgrades cost 50 more Sun to plant for each of that particular plant on the
lawn at the time of planting. Below are the costs of Sun Producing Plants and how much sun is
produced.

Cost of Sun Producing Plants

Name of Sun Producing Plant

Cost of that Plant Sun produced by Plant

Sunflower

50

Normal

Sun-shroom

25

Small, then Normal after giving 150 sun

Twin Sunflower

150 (+50)

Double

Sun Production

Sun Size

Sun Amount

Normal Sun

25

Small Sun

15

Money producing plants

The Marigold is the main Money producing plant, but plants in the Zen Garden also make coins.

Morticulturalist achievement
To unlock the Morticulturalist achievement you must collect all 49 plants, including the upgrade
plants in Crazy Dave's shop.

The Plants
Plant

Type

Sun cost

Peashooter

Pea-shooter

100

Sunflower

Sun-producer

50

Cherry Bomb

Explosive

150

Wall-nut

Defensive

50

Potato Mine

Explosive

25

Snow Pea

Pea-shooter

175

Freezer
Chomper

Instant Kill

150

Repeater

Pea-shooter

200

Puff-shroom

Short ranged spore-shooter

Sun-shroom

Sun-producer

25

Fume-shroom

Fume-shooter

75

Grave Buster

Grave-destroyer

75

Hypno-shroom

Hypnotizer

75

Scaredy-shroom

Spore-shooter

25

Ice-shroom

Enemy freezer and paralyzer

75

Doom-shroom

Explosive

125

Lily Pad

Plant-supporter

25

Squash

Instant Kill

50

Threepeater

Pea-shooter

325

Multi-directional shooter
Tangle Kelp

Instant Kill

25

Jalapeno

Explosive

125

Spikeweed

Ground plant

100

Buffer Debuffer
Torchwood

175

Fog-clearer
Tall-nut

Defensive

125

Debuffer
Sea-shroom

Short range spore-shooter

Plantern

Fog-clearer

25

Cactus

Spike-shooter

125

Balloon-popper

Blover

Instant Kill

100

Fog-clearer

Split Pea

Pea-shooter

125

Rear-shooter

Starfruit

Star-shooter

125

Multi-direction shooter
Pumpkin

Defensive

125

Magnet-shroom

Debuffer

100

Cabbage-pult

Lobbed-shooter

100

Flower Pot

Plant-supporter

25

Kernel-pult

Lobbed-shooter

100

Paralyzer
Coffee Bean

Mushroom-activator

75

Garlic

Zombie-diverter

50

Umbrella Leaf

Shield

100

Marigold

Money-producer

50

Melon-pult

AoE Lobbed-shooter

300

Gatling Pea*

Pea-shooter

250

Twin Sunflower*

Sun-producer

150

Gloom-shroom*

Multi-direction Fume-shooter

150

Cattail*

Spike-shooter

225

Advance shooter

Winter Melon*

AoE Lobbed-shooter

200

Enemy-freezer
Gold Magnet*

Coin collector

50

Spikerock*

Ground plant

125

Cob Cannon*

Multi-use explosive

500

Imitater**

Imitating Plant

Varies based on plant being imitated

*Is an upgrade you can buy from Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies.

**Not an upgrade, but can also be bought from Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies.

Peashooter

Puff-shroom

Sunflower

Cherry Bomb

Wall-nut

Sun-shroom Fume-shroom Grave Buster

Potato Mine

Snow Pea

Chomper

Repeater

Hypnoshroom

Scaredyshroom

Ice-shroom

Doomshroom

Lily Pad

Squash

Threepeater

Tangle Kelp

Jalapeno

Spikeweed

Torchwood

Tall-nut

Sea-shroom

Plantern

Cactus

Blover

Split Pea

Starfruit

Pumpkin

Magnetshroom

Cabbage-pult

Flower Pot

Kernel-pult

Coffee Bean

Garlic

Umbrella Leaf

Marigold

Melon-pult

Upgrade plants
These are bought from Crazy DaveCrazy Dave's Shop and are placed on top of certain plants to upgrade them.

Gatling Pea

Twin
Sunflower

Miscellaneous plants

Imitater

Gloomshroom

Cattail

Winter Melon Gold Magnet

Spikerock

Cob Cannon

Regular Plants...
Sunflower
Sunlight Required: 50
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Produces 25 sun occasionally, even at night.
Recharge Time: Short

PeaShooter
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: None
Recharge Time: Short

Cherry Bomb
Sunlight Required: 150
Damage Info: Massive, One-usage. Fires instantly.
Extra Info: Medium size splash damage.
Recharge Time: Long

Wall-Nut
Sunlight Required: 50
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Until the Wall-Nut has been destroyed, it prevents most Zombies from
passing through. Its tough outer shell makes it extremely durable against Zombie
attacks.
Recharge Time: Moderate

Potato Mine
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: Massive+Splash
Extra Info: Look for eyeballs to know mine is ready to blow. Single-usage,
massive damage plus minor splash damage. Also has the ability to impact
underground Miner Zombies.
Recharge Time: Moderate

Snow Pea
Sunlight Required: 175
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Impact of Snow Peas temporarily slows Zombies rate of speed.
Recharge Time: Short

Chomper
Sunlight Required: 150
Damage Info: Massive
Extra Info: Able to swallow most small Zombies whole, but is
vulnerable during the digestion phase.

Recharge Time: Short

Repeater
Sunlight Required: 200
Damage Info: Normal (for each pea)
Extra Info: Fires two peas at once.
Recharge Time: Short

Puff-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 0
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Short range attack only. Nocturnal (use at night).
Recharge Time: Short

Sun-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Produces 15 sun at first, but when after it grows, it can
produce up 25 sun. Nocturnal (use at night).

Recharge Time: Short

Fume-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 75
Damage Info: Normal+Splash
Extra Info: Hits all Zombies in the fume-cloud. Also, not impeded by
screen doors and ladders. Nocturnal (use at night).

Recharge Time: Short

Grave Buster
Sunlight Required: 75
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Eats graves thereby eliminating Zombies that return in
the final round. Single use. Must be planted on a grave.

Recharge Time: Short

Hypno-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 75
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Hypnotizes Zombies and turns them to your side so they will fight for you.
Nocturnal (use at night).

Recharge Time: Moderate

Scaredy-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Use at a distance only as Scaredy-Shrooms will hide when a Zombie gets close
and vulnerable to attack. Nocturnal (use at night).

Recharge Time: Short

Ice-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 75
Damage Info: Low, Instant fire, single-usage.
Extra Info: Freezes all Zombies visible to the player. Nocturnal (use at night).
Recharge Time: Long

Doom-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: Massive+Splash
Extra Info: Explosion leaves a crater that cannot be planted in temporarily. Nocturnal (use
at night).

Recharge Time: Long

Lily-Pad
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Gives you the ability to plant non-aquatic plants on your pool.
Recharge Time: Short

Squash
Sunlight Required: 50
Damage Info: Massive+Splash
Extra Info: Single use. Splash damage hits all Zombies in the spot where it lands.
Recharge Time: Moderate

Threepeater
Sunlight Required: 325
Damage Info: Normal x 3
Extra Info: Fires three peas, one in front, one in the lane above, and one in the lane below.
Recharge Time: Short

Tangle Kelp
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: Massive, single-usage
Extra Info: Aquatic use only.
Recharge Time: Moderate

Jalapeno
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: Massive+Splash
Extra Info: Single use. Impacts all Zombies in the lane in which the Jalapeno is planted.
Recharge Time: Long

Spikeweed
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: Normal / Massive
Extra Info: Damage is massive against vehicles, it can't hit flyers, and it can be hurdled.
Pops tires on Zombie vehicles, but is destroyed in the process. Can't be eaten.

Recharge Time: Short

Torchwood
Sunlight Required: 175
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: All pease that fly through Torchwood have their damage doubled. Also,
Fireball Peas do slight splash damage.

Recharge Time: Short

Tall-Nut
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Can't be hurdled, but can be flown over. Also has an even thicker shell than
the wall-nut.

Recharge Time: Moderate

Sea-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 0
Damage Info: Normal, short-range only.
Extra Info: Aquatic, Nocturnal
Recharge Time: Moderate

Plantern
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Clears fog in an area around it.
Recharge Time: Moderate

Cactus
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Can hit both ground and air targets. Use this to pop balloons.
Recharge Time: Short

Blover
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Use the Blover to blow away fog and Balloon Zombies.
Recharge Time: Short

Split Pea
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: Normal (for each pea)
Extra Info: Reminds me of a mullet...peashooter (business) in front, repeater (party) in the back.
Recharge Time: Short

Starfruit
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Shoots in five directions - backwards, sideways, and diagonally forwards.
Recharge Time: Short

Pumpkin
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: This is a defense plant similar to the Wall-Nut and the Tall-Nut. Pumpkins can be
planted on other plants.

Recharge Time: Moderate

Magnet-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Robs Zombies of buckets, helmets (football and mining), screen doors, Pogo Sticks,
and ladders.

Recharge Time: Short

Cabbage-Pult
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Shots follow an arcing trajectory.
Recharge Time: Short

Flower Pot
Sunlight Required: 25
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Allows plants to be planted on the rooftop.
Recharge Time: Short

Kernel-Pult
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: Medium-low (kernels), Normal (butter)
Extra Info: Shots follow an arcing trajectory. Random shots of butter immobilize Zombies.
Recharge Time: Short

Coffee Bean
Sunlight Required: 75
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Single use. Use to wake mushrooms up during the daytime by planting them on
the mushrooms.

Recharge Time: Short

Garlic
Sunlight Required: 50
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Forces Zombies to move into an adjacent lane.
Recharge Time: Short

Umbrella Leaf
Sunlight Required: 100
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Reflects Bungee Zombies and basketballs from Catapult Zombies.
Recharge Time: Short

Marigold
Sunlight Required: 50
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Spits out Gold and Silver coins intermittently.
Recharge Time: Moderate

Melon-Pult
Sunlight Required: 300
Damage Info: Heavy
Extra Info: Shots follow an arcing trajectory. Use to inflict damage on closely Zombie groups.
Recharge Time: Short

Upgrade Plants...
Gatling Pea
Sunlight Required: 250
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $5,000. Shoots four peas at once. Should be planted
over Repeater.

Recharge Time: Long

Twin Sunflower
Sunlight Required: 150
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $5,000. Releases two 25 suns. Should be planted
over Sunflower.

Recharge Time: Long

Gloom-Shroom
Sunlight Required: 150
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $7,500. Should be planted over Fume-Shroom. Able
to hit Zombies one square away in all directions simultaneously. Nocturnal (use at night).

Recharge Time: Long

Cattail
Sunlight Required: 225
Damage Info: Normal
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $10,000. Should be planted over Lily Pad.
Recharge Time: Long

Spikerock
Sunlight Required: 125
Damage Info: Normal + Heavy on vehicles
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $7,500. Plant over Spikeweed.
Recharge Time: Long

Golden Magnet
Sunlight Required: 50
Damage Info: None
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $3,000. Should be planted over Magnet-Shroom.
Attracts silver coins, gold coins, and gems.

Recharge Time: Long

Winter-Melon
Sunlight Required: 200
Damage Info: Very Heavy
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $10,000. Plant over Melon-Pult. Chills down groups of
Zombies, resulting in them move and attack at a slower rate.

Recharge Time: Long

Cob Cannon
Sunlight Required: 500
Damage Info: Massive
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $20,000. Plant over two Kernal-Pults positioned side-byside in one lane. Medium explosions similar to Cherry Bombs.

Recharge Time: Long

Special Plants...
Imitater
Sunlight Required: N/A
Damage Info: N/A
Extra Info: Buy from Crazy Dave for $30,000. Allows you to plant two of the same plants in
the same round.

Recharge Time: N/A

Zombies

Name

Health

Special

Zombie

10

None

Flag Zombie

10

Moves faster and signals a huge wave.

Conehead
Zombie

28

Headwear Zombie

Pole Vaulting
Zombie

17

Vault zombie, single jump; jumps over the first plant it encounters with a
fiberglass pole that cannot be attracted to the Magnet-shroom.

Buckethead
Zombie

65

Headwear Zombie

Newspaper
Zombie

18

Shield zombie, moves twice as fast after newspaper is destroyed.

Screen Door
Zombie

65

Shield zombie, is not affected by Snow Peasand fire peas, unless screen door is
removed.

Football Zombie 80

Headwear Zombie, moves faster.

Dancing Zombie 17

Dances as it walks, summons Backup Dancers.

Backup Dancer

10

Dances as it walks in groups of four. Can be re-summoned.

Ducky Tube
Zombie

10

Only appears in the Pool

Snorkel Zombie 10

Invulnerable to most plants while underwater. Only resurfaces to eat plants.

Zomboni**

Rides a Zamboni which crushes plants, leaving an ice trail behind.

75

14 (bobsled)

Zombie Bobsled
Team
10 (each

Only appears on an ice trail. Appears in groups of four in a bobsled.

zombie)
Dolphin Rider
Zombie

17

Vault zombie, Single jump. While riding his dolphin, he's much faster. Dolphin will
disappear after its jump.

Jack-in-the-Box
Zombie

17

Carries an exploding jack-in-the-box and moves twice as fast as normal zombies

Balloon Zombie 10

Floats over the ground. Protected to ground attacks.

Digger Zombie

15

Digs through the ground and appears on the left side of the lawn.

Pogo Zombie

17

Vault zombie, makes multiple jumps.

Zombie Yeti

75

Runs away if not killed, drops about 4 diamonds if killed. Only appears in Fog level
4-10 the second time that you play Adventure Mode.

Bungee Zombie 23

Steals a plant at random positions or drops zombies.

Ladder Zombie

Shield zombie, attaches ladder to defensive plants to let others go over them.
Shield unaffacted by Snow Peas and fire peas.

42

Catapult Zombie 34

Attacks the last attackable plant in a row, (it doesn't attack spike weeds or spike
rocks) until it is out of basketballs, then moves forward and crushes plants.

Gargantuar

150

Takes two instant kills. Crushes plants and throws an Imp if it is not halfway
through the lawn.

Imp

10 (3 in I,
Zombie)

Thrown by Gargantuars deep into your defenses after losing half of it's health.

Dr. Zomboss

20,572/41,144

Final (and only) boss, has double health in Dr. Zomboss's Revenge

GigaGargantuar

225

Takes three instant kills, crushes plants and throws a giga Imp, only found
in Survival: Endless

Giga-Imp

15

Thrown by Giga-Gargantuars after losing half of it's health.

Giga-Football
Zombie

150

Headwear Zombie, moves faster, Takes about 2 instant kills, only in Vasebreaker:
Endless and Survival: Endless (Online Version only).

Appears only in XBLA and DS versions****

Trash Can
Zombie

50

Shield zombie, moves about 1/4th the speed of a Normal zombie, only appears in
the Xbox Live Arcade version

Target Zombie

10

Only appears in Versus Mode.

Appears only in the ZomBotany Mini-games.****

Peashooter
Zombie

10

Shoots peas at plants, only appears inZomBotany and ZomBotany 2

Wall-nut Zombie 72

takes high amounts of damage, only appears in ZomBotany and ZomBotany 2

Gatling Pea
Zombie

Shoots 4 peas at once, only appears inZomBotany 2

10

Tall-nut Zombie 144

Takes about 2 instant kills, only appears inZomBotany 2

Jalapeno
Zombie

17

Explodes after a short time (like the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie) and destroys all
plants in the row, only appears in ZomBotany 2

Squash Zombie

10

Squashes the first plant it comes near, moves faster, only appears in ZomBotany 2

Imps in I, Zombie are the weakest, taking exactly 3 normal hits.

Health is estimate

This zombie has an Invisible form in Invisighoul.

This zombie has a Giga form.

Does not appear in the almanac.

This zombie has a smaller form in Big Trouble Little Zombie.

Other Zombies
Other zombies encountered in or out of the game.

Zombie China:

Chinese Zombie (Hat)

Chinese Zombie (Takeaway Container)

Zombie Worm when you scroll down the Achievements section.

Paralyzed Zombie (Music Video)

Queen Zombies (PopCap Advertisements)

Baseball Zombies

Plant Strategies
You can learn plenty about the plants available for Zombie battle by reading the Suburban Almanac featured in
the game, but weve included further strategic info below.

Peashooter
Strategy: Your most basic level of defense. Use Peashooters early in the game, but move on
to more powerful plants as soon as possible.

Cherry Bomb
Strategy: Your most basic bomb. Use it for massive damage early in the game, but, like the
Peashooter, move on to more powerful plants as soon as possible.

Chomper
Strategy: Chompers can devour an entire Zombie in a single bite but they need time to
digest them. They are not a great choice for levels with lots of Zombies. Plant them in pairs one behind the other. This way, when the Chomper in front is digesting a Zombie, the
Chomper in back can take over.

Puff-Shroom
Strategy: You should only use a Puff-Shroom at night. While they are free, it will cost you a
Coffee Bean (75 sun) to wake them up. They have a range of 3 patches, so they can kill just
one Zombie before it starts getting eaten. Keep this in mind when placing your Puff-Shrooms!

Fume-Shroom
Strategy: These are your best defense against Screen Door Zombies. They have an added
bonus of damaging multiple Zombies simultaneously. Placing a Gloom-Shroom on top of a
Fume-Shroom will give you 2 more patches of range in all directions except the front where
you lose 2 patches. As such, placing these on the outskirts of the lawn is a bad idea.

Grave Buster
Strategy: You might not think Grave Busters are all that valuable, but in the final wave, most
Zombies rise up from their graves. Clear those graves throughout the level with your Grave
Busters and the final wave will be much easier.

Hypno-Shroom
Strategy: Although Zombies dont have brains (they eat them, after all), they can still be hypnotized. This
is just what the Hypno-Shrooms can do! They turn Zombies around and send them back to attack their
Zombie friends (do Zombies have friends?). Use them against bigger zombies...like Football zombies.

Scaredy-Shroom
Strategy: There are an inexpensive plant that works well backing up your defensive lines. Beware, these
wimps will hide as soon as a Zombie comes within 1 patch of them, leaving them defenseless.

Doom-Shroom
Strategy: Need fire power? These are the nuclear weapons of the plant army world. When they detonate,
they eliminate every Zombie within 3 patches in every direction. While they leave a crater that cant be
used for planting it will heal in time.

Squash
Strategy: These are a good final line of defense. They squash every Zombie they encounter, as well as
any Zombie immediately to the left of right.

Threepeater
Strategy: These are pretty simple to understand. Rather than shooting one pea, they shoot three peas
that cover three lanes. As such, just be sure now to place them on the lawn edges.

Torchwood
Strategy: Placing any pea shooting plant behind Torchwood doubles the strength of said peas shoot
through it. Torchwood also drives off fog in 3 patches in all directions.

Plantern
Strategy: Want to drive off fog? Reach for your Planterns! They will light up any area covered in fog and
clear up to 3 lanes.

Split Pea
Strategy: Since Split Peas fire forward and backward, use them against Digging Zombies who will try to
attack your plants from behind.

Pumpkin
Strategy: Place these directly over other plants. They offer a layer of protection against Zombie
attacks.

Kernel-Pult
Strategy: Due to the random attack nature of Kernel-Pults, they are either great or terrible. A
good strategy is to implement them in pairs. That way if one is firing duds, the other can back it
up.

Garlic
Strategy: Use Garlic to protect parts of the lawn as Zombies will avoid it to the point of switching
lanes. Put one on the first, third and fifth lane, and youre left with only 2 lanes to protect.

Marigold
Strategy: In the earlier levels, Marigolds are a good idea as they give you coins over the course
of the level. However, at higher levels, dont opt to use these when you need as much firepower
as you can muster.

Cattail
Strategy: These are great for taking down Balloon Zombies. They must be planted on Lilypads.

Cobcannon
Strategy: These guys are your missile launchers of the game. They do serious damage and, as
a result, are also the most expensive plants available. Their impact effects 3 patches in every
direction from the point of impact. Beware of the recharging time (25 seconds) as it is enough
time for a Zombie to cover a lot of lawn.

Imitator
Strategy: You can fill two patches with the same plant when using the Imitator. This reduces the
wait time for recharging to complete.

Zombie Strategies
The game has a very nifty Suburban Almanac, which can be found in the main menu, that shows you a description
of all the zombies you have encountered. In this section, I will give some additional hints on how to best take on
some of those thougher zombies.

Zombie
Strategy: The basic Zombie is pretty straightforward. Susceptible to every type of plant attack.

Flag Zombie
Strategy: The Flag Zombie is the same as a standard Zombie except slightly faster. It too is
susceptible to all plant attacks.

Conehead Zombie
Strategy: Conehead Zombies are a regular Zombie with a traffic cone on its head for protection.
This makes him twice as tough as a normal Zombie. They can be taken out with almost all
strategies, so a basic setup (Peashooter, Snow Pea, or Repeater) should be sufficient.

Pole Vaulting Zombie

Strategy: Pole Vaulting Zombies vault over the first plant the run into. If you have to deal with
Pole Vaulting Zombies, make sure your plants are at least two deep.

Buckethead Zombie
Strategy: Buckethead Zombies can absorb a lot of damage - up to five times what a standard
Zombie can handle. Use one-hit plants (Squash, bombs) if your range plants dont have enough
power. You can negate the bucket with a Magnet-Shroom to make things easier.

Newspaper Zombie
Strategy: Newspaper Zombies are protected by an old newspaper that can stop direct attacks
from Peashooters. However, the newspaper is useless against lobbed shots, instants, the
Fume-Shroom, and the Gloom-Shroom. Once the newspaper is detroyed, the Newspaper
Zombie will charge forward very quickly so be ready to deal with him.

Screen Door Zombie

Strategy: Screen Door Zombies present a serious challenge as their screen door acts as a
shield against projectiles. However, the screen door can be removed via a Magnet-Shroom.
Also, these Zombies are susceptible to the Fume-Shroom (highly recommended).

Football Zombie
Strategy: Think of Football Zombies as fast Buckethead Zombies. Hit them hard and hit them quickly.

Dancing Zombie
Strategy: The biggest concern with Dancing Zombies is their ability to summon Backup Dancer
Zombies. Kill him with a Squash or a Cherry Bomb before he calls in his pals or hit him with a HypnoShroom and the Backup Dancers will dance for you!

Backup Dancer Zombie

Strategy: Backup Dancer Zombies are no real threat. They can be killed by nearly any plant in your
army. However, they can also be used to your advantage by applying the Hypno-Shroom to the
Dancing Zombie. All newly summoned Backup Dancer Zombies will fall under your control.

Ducky Tube Zombie

Strategy: The Ducky Tube Zombie is a water-able regular Zombie, Conehead Zombie, Buckethead
Zombie, or Flag Zombie. Deal with them in the same manner in which you would deal with the others.

Snorkel Zombie
Strategy:Snorkel Zombies swim underwater, but you can force them to the surface with Lily Pad.
You can also keep them out by planting Tangle Kelp.

Zomboni
Strategy: Zomboni is a Zombie driving a zamboni, and are very tough as a result. With such power,
he will crush your plants and leave behind an ice trail for the Zombie Bob Sled Team and the Zombie
Yeti. Use a Jalapeno or a Squash to take him down (Bonus! A Jalapeno will also melt the ice trail).

Zombie Bobsled Team

Strategy: The Zombie Bobsled Team only appears after the passing of the Zomboni (to create an ice
path for the bobsled). Place a Potato Mine at the end of the ice trail to destroy the bobsled and the
entire Zombie Bobsled Team.

Dolphin Rider Zombie

Strategy: The trick to dealing with Dolphin Rider Zombies is to plant a Lily Pad at the beginning of
the pool. This forces the Dolphin Rider Zombie to jump over the Lily Pad and he then slows down to
normal Zombie speed.

Jack-in-the-Box Zombie
Strategy: Jack-in-the-box Zombies are fast, but other than that, pose no big threat. Use any of the strategies
outlined above for regular Zombies to deal with these guys.

Balloon Zombie
Strategy: Balloon zombies think theyre smart by floating over your attack plants, but are easily taken down
by a cactus or a blover.

Digger Zombie
Strategy: Digger zombies are tricky zombies that dig through your garden, come out at the other end and eat
their ways through your plants from the back. Use split-peas to have a guard against them, or a magnetshroom to stop them in their underground tracks.

Pogo Zombie
Strategy: Pogo zombies jump over nearly every plant you put in front of him, but is stopped short by a
magnet-shroom.

Zombie Yeti
Strategy: While the Zombie Yeti poses no threat to your home, destroying it results in a nice diamond drop.
Use the same tactics you use to destroy the Buckethead Zombie. If the Zombie Yeti starts to run away, you
can place defensive plants in his path to stop him.

Bungee Zombie
Strategy: Think of Bungee Zombies as death from above. If you see a bulls-eye appear on the ground,
brace yourself...a Bungee Zombie is on its way to make off with one of your plants. Defend against them with
an Umbrella Leaf.

Ladder Zombie
Strategy: It is possible to snatch the ladder away from the Ladder Zombie with the Magnet-Shroom. You can
also destroy it with any explosive plant. Ladder Zombies are also weak to Fume-shrooms, Gloom-shrooms,
Spikeweed/Spikerock, and lobbed-shots as they can impact the Zombie without dealing with the ladder.

Catapult Zombie
Strategy: In order to stop the Catapult Zombie, use Spikeweeds and Spikerocks to pop the tires on his
vehicle. If you dont have these available, use Umbrella Leaves to shield your plants while your offensive
plants deal out damage.

Gargantuar
Strategy: Gargantuar is huge and crazy tough. You simply wont be able to destroy
him with standard projectile weapons. Resort to your power plants so as the Squash,
Cherry Bomb, or Jalapeno.

Imp
Strategy: Although the weakest Zombie, Imps are fast and when thrown from the
back of a Gargantuar, they can land near the back of your defenses and wreak havoc.
Be sure to have Pumpkins in the back row to protect against Imp damage.

Dr. Zomboss
Strategy: Dr. Zomboss is the final Zombie boss, and only appears in the last level.
When Dr. Zomboss lowers his head, unleash your lob attack. You can also freeze him
with an Ice-Shroom to lengthen your attack time.

Cheats
Type any of the following cheat codes during gameplay to see the effect take place. Remember, in some
cases, you have to grow your Tree of Wisdom to a specific height in order to activate the code. In such
cases, weve called out the minimum height required to activate the cheat.

Code: pinata
Effect: A shower of candy erupts from Zombie whenever one is destroyed.
Tree of Wisdom Height: 1000 Feet

Code: trickedout
Effect: The appearance of the lawn mower is updated to a much more tricked out style.

Code: future
Effect: Give Zombies futuristic retro shades (is that a contradiction of terms?). Its like
youre back in the 80s.

Code: daisies
Effect: Zombies leave small patch of daisies behind when destroyed.
Tree of Wisdom Height: 100 Feet

Code: mustache
Effect: What Zombie doesnt want a killer motorcycle cop mustache? Make it happen!

Code: dance
Effect: Want to see some super-bad moves? Dance, Zombies, dance! FYI, this is
different from the Dancing Zombies.
Tree of Wisdom Height: 500 Feet