PopCap released Plants vs. Zombies on May 5, 2009, a tower defense game in which players use plants to stop zombies from crossing a lawn and eating their brains. [1]
The game asks players to collect sunlight from Sunflowers and spend it on offensive and defensive plants. Zombies do not steer around plants, and the plants fire only straight ahead, giving the game a simple but rigid battle line. [1]
PopCap priced the game at $20 at release. It also set minimum system requirements of a 1.2 GHz CPU, 256 MB of RAM, a DirectX 8-compatible graphics card and an internet connection. The recommended specs were slightly higher than the minimum. [1]
The game had no multiplayer mode. PopCap said it was influenced by Insaniquarium and tower defense games, and its original working title was Lawn of the Dead before the name changed over unspecified issues. [1]
PC Gamer reviewed Plants vs. Zombies in issue #200 in May 2009. [1]
