Plants vs. Zombies (PC)

Zombies have risen from the dead, and for some reason keep invading your home, not even bothering with your neighbors. To defend yourself, you must plant a variety of zombie-fighting vegetation. As crazy as it sounds, it's actually a pretty solid game.

Changes in GOTY Edition
On August 10, 2010, a "Game of the Year" edition of the game was released (according to the readme, this edition is version 1.2.0.1073). Aside from adding new content, a few changes were made.

Michael Jackson Zombie
When the game was originally released, the Dancing Zombie and Backup Dancer Zombie looked different. The Dancing Zombie originally resembled Michael Jackson dressed in his classic "Thriller" outfit, and the Backup Dancer Zombie resembled the backup dancers from the music video of the aforementioned song. The description of the Dancing Zombie even mentioned "any similarity to celebrities, dead or alive, is pure coincidence."

More than a year after his death, Michael Jackson's estate objected to its inclusion. PopCap subsequently changed the designs of the Dancing Zombie and Backup Dancer Zombie out of respect to Jackson. The new Dancing Zombie resembles a stereotypical disco dancer, and the Backup Dancers have pink shirts with mustaches. The redesign has been included in the Game of the Year version, released August 10, 2010, and all other versions since. Despite being removed, the textures of the original Dancing Zombie and Backup Dancer Zombie can be found in the game's files.

Zomboni Description
In the original version of the game, the Zomboni enemy had a different description in the Suburban Almanac than it does in the GOTY edition. Judging from the current description, it was most likely changed for copyright reasons.

Other Additions

 * The Game of the Year version adds an achievement system, in which various awards are given for completing certain requirements. However, because of this, one of the games messages is unable to be seen (see below).
 * The Zombatar, an avatar creator, was introduced in the GOTY edition. This allows you to create your own zombie. Additionally, the accessories chosen for your Zombatar will appear on the Flag Zombie.
 * The GOTY edition adds some extra music.

Unused Text
Most of texts are stored in main.pak/properites/LawnStrings.txt.

[DOG_WALKING_ZOMBIE] Dog Walking Zombie [DOG_ZOMBIE] Dog Zombie [PROPELLER_ZOMBIE] Propeller Zombie Names of cut zombies.

[DOG_WALKING_ZOMBIE_DESCRIPTION] Dog Walking Zombie description [DOG_ZOMBIE_DESCRIPTION] Dog Zombie description [PROPELLER_ZOMBIE_DESCRIPTION] Propeller Zombie description Placeholder description text for cut zombies.

[ADVICE_SCARY_POTTER_TUTORIAL] TEMP - Dave put more vases on your lawn!

[ADVICE_SHOVEL_REFRESH] The shovel needs time to refresh before digging again In the final game, the shovel can be used instantly all the time. [ADVICE_3_IN_A_ROW] More vases incoming! {STREAK} of 3 waves cleared These texts were probably used in Level 4-5 (Vasebreaker) before Crazy Dave's proper dialog was implemented.

[ADVICE_I_ZOMBIE_PLANTS_NOT_REAL] Do not be alarmed Plants are not real This text is probably used in I, Zombie puzzles before Crazy Dave's proper introductions are implemented.

[UNLOCKED_SURVIVAL_MODE] Survival mode unlocked! Play it from the main menu! Survival mode never unlocked from a present item, so this text is not used.

[WIN_MESSAGE1] You have defeated the Boss Zombie! [WIN_MESSAGE2] Congratulations! You have most triumphantly fended off the zombie attack! Your lawn is safe... for now! This message was used in the original version, but became unused in GOTY version. In GOTY version, if you beat the final boss, the "achievements unlocked" screen will appear, but this message is not displayed.

[DIALOG_WARNING] Warning Not sure if this is unused, but it looks like a place holder.

[VASE] Mysterious Vase

[FOUND_VASE] You found a Mysterious Vase!

[VASE_DESCRIPTION] Now you can play Vasebreaker Mode! In the final game, you unlock puzzle mode which comes with I, Zombie and vasebreaker mode.

[MORE_SEEDS_HEADER] More seeds?

[MORE_SEEDS_BODY] Would you like to be able to plant more kinds of seeds? Not sure if these are unused either.

[ZOMBATAR_FINISHED_WARNING_HEADER] WARNING! Another warning, but this time a Zombatar warning.

[REPLAY_LEVEL_BODY] Do you wish to replay level 3-4? Said when the demo is finished, as it ends on 3-4. [SCARY_POTTER_10] Vasebreaker Facebreaker A unused level for Vasebreaker.

Limbo Page
A hidden menu called "Limbo Page" exists in the game's code. This menu allows the players to access most of the unused minigames and hidden features. To enable "Limbo Page", change the following bytes in PvZ's process ("popcapgames1.exe" or "PlantsVsZombies.exe") by using a cheating program such as Cheat Engine.

After changing these values, a link to Limbo Page will appear at the bottom of the Mini-games/Puzzle/Survival page. Note that this also adds three other links: PAGE0, PAGE1, and PAGE3. PAGE0 is Survival, PAGE1 is the regular Minigames menu, and PAGE3 is Puzzle. The Zen Garden and Tree of Wisdom can also be accessed from this menu.

The minigames are:
 * Art Challenge Wall-Nut: Place Wall-Nuts in the proper spaces to create one giant Wall-Nut.
 * Sunny Day: Same as a normal level, but all Sun from the sky is 50 Sun instead of the normal 25.
 * Unsodded: Rows 1 and 5 cannot be planted on, but Zombies still appear in those rows.
 * Big Time: Same as a normal level, except Sunflowers, Marigolds and Wall-Nuts are all twice their normal size.
 * Art Challenge Sunflower: Place plants in the proper position to create a large Sunflower.
 * Air Raid: A Fog Level where a lot of Balloon Zombies appear.
 * Ice Level: This level is unplayable. It has six seed slots with Peashooter, Cherry Bomb, Wall-Nut, Repeater, Snow Pea, and Chomper. No zombies appear, and there is no way to reset the level. Name suggests it would have been a snowy level.
 * High Gravity: A roof level where all projectiles hit the ground due to high gravity.
 * Grave Danger: The Zombies all surface from graves, and more graves appear frequently.
 * Can You Dig It? The lawn is full of Wall-Nuts and you can only plant Peashooters.
 * Dark Stormy Night: The same as level 4-10 in Adventure Mode, but with different plants and zombies.
 * Bungee Blitz: The same as level 5-5 in Adventure Mode.
 * Intro: The beginning segment of the game.
 * Survival: Day through Roof Endless: The same as Survival: Endless, but inside the day, night, fog, and roof areas, respectively.
 * Upsell: An advertisement for the full version of the game from the trial version.
 * Squirrel: This hidden minigame is about finding 7 Squirrels by digging up Wall-Nuts. Does not appear in the Limbo Page.

Squirrel
Squirrel is an unused minigame that cannot be accessed through the Limbo Page. To access it, you will need Cheat Engine. First, go to ZomBotany and key in 16 in the Value bar. Click First Scan. Then go to Seeing Stars and key in 22 in the Value Bar. Click Next Scan. When the address appears, change it to 49. If you have more than 1 address in the result, repeat the steps until you get 1 result. Make sure to change the value before the "Choose your Seeds" dialogue appears.

The minigame involves digging up Wall-Nuts to find squirrels. The game ends when you find seven squirrels.

Unused Graphics


An unused zombie vase for Vasebreaker, which would produce zombies. They only come out of mystery vases in the final game.



This "Quick Play" option goes unused in the GOTY version.



An unused second stage of degradation for the pumpkin, which resembles the first stage.



Second stage of degradation of the Spikeweed.