Plants VS Zombies Pollinating Other Platforms

Handheld this = crack.

I'll be interested to see if PopCap manages to work in some sort of online multiplayer mode for the XBLA version. Peggle Party was surprisingly addictive.

@Chinpokomon: Buying it on Steam gives it achievements.

nworobes

It might work for DS or iPhone, but that's it. The game would be nothing without point'n'click.

SEX_BISON

Drat, I already bought it for the PC.
No achievements :(
Unfortunately, don't think I'll be buying it again just for that. Great game though.

Chinpokomon

@the7k: It may have to do with the fact that you have to submit your game for approval three times at Sony (one for each region) with separate costs associated with each submission, instead of once with Microsoft.

@Save me:

Yeah, but the cost is pretty damn small. I remember a few publsihers being up in arms about it, and then after hearing about how much it was costing them, it made me see them a money-grubbing penny-pinchers.

I remember thinking the company that was complaining could have easily covered the cost by simply charging $10.25 instead of $9.99, and their game was about a Gig in size - PopCap games should cost a whole hell of a lot less to upload.

I think this is more an issue of exposure. Everyone knows what XBLA is. It's become a generic term for 'Online Video Game Service', in much the same way that Band-Aid has become a generic term for adhesive strip.

psn, please

WayByWind

Here's to hoping for a hand held version.

I would love this on my iPod Touch.

Gray665

I think this is my favorite news story of the day. It combines zombies, plants, and achievements, all on the comfort of my new 360. Good times.

@ShadowOdin isn't american: There are MANY reasons. 1. Popcap is a PC Developer, why would they waste time on sony's silly PS3 architecture when they can bring it the 360 and iPhone with almost 0 extra dev costs. 2. Sony charges devs for each mb of upload and download space that their users use. 3. Sony does not help out the devs with the online. The devs have to front all costs of servers and etc for allowing their customers to use online play. This is what your subscription fee goes to in XBL. 4. PopCap and MSFT have long had a good mutualy beneficial relationship.

Fyro

I would buy it on XBLA or Wiiware, its an awesome game I didnt buy because I dont use my PC for gaming.

I wouldve thought wii would be the best platform for this crack-like (as in stupidly addictive) game - if only for the pointer

clammy

@NightMystic:That's what I'm saying. An iPhone version of this would be spectacular.

ILikeToLevelUp

I'd pick it up for the XBLA -- my gf would love it.

I play this thing on a Tablet PC. All you fools trying to keep up with a mouse are just fooling yourselves into foolhardily thinking your foolish mouse is the device of choice. Pen and screen is the only way to roll.

Psudonym

This game was probably the most fun and charming game I've played all year. It's absolutely brilliant and I will gladly pay for it two more times to be able to play it on my 360 and iPhone.

Why isn't this on the iphone yet?

Despacio

@ShadowOdin isn't american: same reason you don't hear a lot of news and games going to palm, G1, Symbian, and other cell phones. Not much of an install base and when they do get them nobody knows but the users of said devices.

TylDurden

@NightMystic: for real, when I heard reviews of this game I said to myself. "I don't see it on the app store, oh, because its a pc game" it sounded so much like an iPhone game.

TylDurden

@seem likely.

@[ZTF]NSF Operative: Touchscreen is pretty much the quickest cursor you can get..

@MrBangBam: I like to know what company you work at where its ok to bring a DS to a business meeting and play it.

rip

@NightMystic: This game would be perfect on the iPhone! Also DS Please.

anabbeynormality

@ShadowOdin isn't american: Kotaku didn't use a good quote. That quote was referring specifically to Peggle. If you read the article, he does mention PSN and interest. Additionally he mentions that he doesn't think this game would work on mobile phones. Then goes on to say you may see it on the iPhone. Interesting that he doesn't consider the iPhone a mobile phone.

rip

@Omnimon: I beg to differ. They seem to have porting down to an art.

@Kobun: While I agree that a controller scheme might work to cover the basic gameplay, one has to wonder how viable it'd be in all aspects. Some of the more difficult levels and gameplay modes require pretty quick reflexes. Unless they slow down the cooldown of certain plants and/or make waves come slower, I dunno how they'd be able to make *ALL* gameplay modes viable, even with a solid control scheme. That being said, I hope they do find some way to make it work. It's a really fun game that I feel more people should enjoy.

Kanji08

@scubaculture: Your wife will probably like playing it too. Than you can thank me good sir. My lady enjoys it, even though she kinda sucks at it.

@NightMystic: looks like someone hasn't read the zombie survival guide.

@NightMystic: seriously, whenever i flip through the app store all i can think about is how awesome it would be to see Plants Vs Zombies for sale.

ghastlyprotector

@deanbmmv: someone promote this comment! useful info

I would kill for it on the iphone

I would really love a DS or Iphone version. When I'm at my computer (or even my console) I am usually more in the mode of a different type of game. And for those that were doubting PSN support: popcap does have heavy weapon on the PSN.

@Jsmoke: Allrighty, I'm sold. Will pick it up when I get home. If wife refuses to speak to me all weekend can I blame you? :P

scubaculture

People's control ideas seem interesting so far, but I'm not 100% sure this game could work without a mouse... Still, I'm going to hold off on buying the $20 mac version until I play the eventual XBOX demo, because I know it's coming and XBOX is really where I'd rather play this game.

salmonbottle

@scubaculture: This game isn't like TF2. Even an older laptop can handle it. I say why wait? If you got an extra ten spot get it today and your whole weekend will be spent playing it.

I would buy it again if they gave it multiplayer support over x-box live (with some thought put into balance). Vs. would be fun, and you can already play both sides anyways. And a few more levles/zombies/plants. Still cannot believed I (and of my own free will) happily bought a Popcap game.

Ultraseamus

PopCap is really strong. Love Peggle and Bejeweled 2 on my iPhone. Keep them coming.

@patapon: do zombies use the bathroom?

App Store PLEASEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!! =)

Now to wait for it to hit xbl or psn, or get it for pc... Havent had a game on my crappy 3 year old laptop since WOW

scubaculture

@kagekiri: Yeah, I realized that after kobuns post. Sorry, misunderstanding on my part.

[ZTF]NSF Operative

@Kobun: Yeah, not too taxing, but in Endless Survival, the cool downs on instant Cherry Bombs, Cob Cannons, and some other plants gets a little more important, and quicker reactions have helped.
Of course, your setup there sounds pretty good, and the lack of lag that I have on my cruddy computer would probably help as well for making a console port as easy to handle.

kagekiri

I'll definately buy this again if it comes out for xbla, although I would hope they'd have some sort of expansion on the game or some little add-ons.

@Kobun: d-pad/thumbstick shoudl do for navigating the lawn, it's small enough, n just use the bumpers to switch through seeds.

@[ZTF]NSF Operative: I was thinking of consoles and how well control sticks would work out.

kagekiri

I'm so glad I waited for this to happen before buying it recklessly. I'm not much of a PC gamer, but I adore this game.

@Save me: It's 16c per GB in bandwidth fees. As Plants vs Zombies is only 25mb though I doubt that will be an issue at all. It's only an issue for demos, which can sometimes be quite big, like Infamous was nearly 1.5GB, though you just need to sell one game to cover 300ish demos.

I was wondering when this game was gonna get released on XBLA. As my friend is addicted to it and is playing it everytime I stop by his house. And the music is very catchy IMO.

Hotline128

@Thomathan: The Cattails are great because they home in on Balloon Zombies and can hit Miner Zombies if they get to the rear flank. A must for Survival Endless in my opinion

@kagekiri: Here's my ideal Plants vs. Zombie control scheme, based on the 360 controller:

LB - shifts seed highlight left
RB - shifts seed highlight right
A - plants highlighted seed
B - shovel
Left analog stick - move cursor
RT - cursor speed
D-pad - move cursor


With the cursor automatically picking up coins and shines when passed over, I believe such a scheme would work. Remember Plants vs. Zombies is hardly a demanding game, so I don't think the mouse beats controller argument weighs too heavily on such a console port in this case.

@scubaculture: Yes it is. 10 bucks on Steam well spent.

@scubaculture: Yes, it's amazing. It's my favorite game involving zombies, which is pretty good.

njd09

Great game and the more people who play it the better. But gotta say, who actually uses Cattails? Machine gun repeater is way better.

Thomathan

I knew this was happening, but it's still lovely to see it confirmed. This is the kind of game I would readily buy on multiple platforms, just to have it on multiple platforms. The level of care and polish put into it is almost ludicrous.

Sustenance

See lot's of people raving about this, is it really that good?

scubaculture

Personally, I want them to bring this to the iPhone/iPod Touch. The interface is simple enough that it would work very well with touch controls and I'd love to play this on the go.

Sean MacLean

Ah, what the fuck, I don't have a star anyway.

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAINS

njd09

PopCap seems to have the porting down to a science. I personally love Peggle on both XBLA and my iPhone. Hopefully they'll keep this fine work up with continued success on future games, including Plants vs Zombies.

@kagekiri: Touchscreen isn't quick?

[ZTF]NSF Operative

@(Zombie) Jolan: ... and then they get devoured by zombies :)

@Kobun: I'm not sure. Though a DS version would be decent (other than needing tweaking to properly utilize both screens, maybe do it book style?), I think having a quick moving cursor is almost required for collecting sun and coins.

Of course, they could probably just switch that to autocollector or have a wider cursor for collection, so maybe it'd work out with some smart changes.

kagekiri

@ShadowOdin isn't american: The way the PSN works has been explained to me but I forgot how exactly. Its goes somewhere along the lines of the developers/publishers/game makers having to pay for the service of uploading and running servers for their games on Sony networks.

That is why the PSN is free.

I could be wrong, memory is a bit hazy at the moment.

Can I please get me some PvZ in the App Store? I haven't had even the slightest interest in any of my TD games (even Star Defense after about 90 minutes of novelty) on iPhone since it came out.

FrakEarth

@ShadowOdin isn't american: I'm not sure what it is, but I whole heartedly hope PSN does get this game. Though, if I had to choose between getting a game on my 360 or PS3 I almost always choose 360, I already own and adore this game on PC, and I hope everyone, regardless of their prefeered gaming platform, gets a chance to play this wonderful gem.

@Kobun: +1 on the DS version!

That would be so amazing. I'd play it everywhere - during a business meeting, in the loo, while driving...

Dreams really do come true.

I know it probably isn't very likely, but I'd really like this game for blackberry storm. There aren't many games I'd enjoy playing on a touchscreen, but I can see this one working well.

this is a first day buy for me...great game.

woot! i've been wasting a lot of time with this game all week. well.......shouldn't say 'wasting', cuz its been awesome :)

This is one of the areas which shows that Sony have to reconsider how they work with the PSN-Store.

We often hear about how developers want to bring their games to Xbox Live. Meanwhile, Sony's online-division actually worked together with PopCap not long ago to bring some of their games to the PSN. Yet here we are again, with them just mentioning Xbox Live.

I find it curious, and I wonder if there's something about Sony's store-policy that is directly off-putting and makes developers shy away from porting it there.

DS and iPhone are perfect for this game.. I don't understand why it's not there yet.

I've love to see this on XBLA/PSN. I think a reasonable control scheme could be implemented using the buttons to shift among the seeds and lawn for speed, assuming such an option can be included. Plants vs. Zombies isn't so dependent on the mouse to make a console port a poor idea, though a DS version seems like a no brainer.

This game on a console? Hardcore thumb exercises come to mind.

Now thats a game I wouldn't mind spending 1200 MS points on.

This game is Addicting, I must admit.

Steam already has the achievements for PvZ. So people who bought it stand a lone got ripped off IMO.

@Kobun: Really? Thanks for the heads up!

Hotline128

@deanbmmv: Actually, the way a game sale's value is divided up, one game sale would only cover about 40 demos.

Between the publisher, developer, platform-owner, investors being repayed, etc, the developer only sees about $5-10 a sale. The publisher probably gets $10-20.

And that's being optimistic that the game sells well and pays back investors easily.

@Chinpokomon: It has achievs :S Not tied to your Gamerscore is what you mean I guess

JellyDoodle91