Between OG games like Bejeweled and Peggle, you’d think PopCap Games couldn’t top what they released, further dominating the casual gaming market in the 2000s. And then they barge back in 2009 to slap yet another gigantic hit on the table: Plants vs Zombies.

The classic pea-spitting tower defence game swept the accolades, becoming the fastest-selling video game they ever published. The smartphone versions promptly came out in 2011, with the iOS version selling over one million copies in the first nine days. Since then, they switched from a premium model to a free-to-play model, so anyone can play the full game on their phones.

So what can I say about this blast from the past? Well, Plants vs Zombies is tightly designed to keep you playing for hours. You have over 45 plants in total to collect, each of which is spread evenly between different “biomes”, let’s say, of the levels. Each plant does something different, so it’s up to you what plants you choose in your arsenal to protect your garden with. Personally, I found the Snow Pea and the Wall-Nut to be essential additions to buy myself more time or to push back zombies harder.

The zombies come in waves, so you’re encouraged to mix up your plant arsenal to get the best possible strategy. And considering the 50 levels and the 30+ zombie varieties to fight, you can strategise in a near-endless number of ways. So there’s a huge scope for gameplay that will keep you at theedge of your seat every time you play.

At the time of its release, the smartphone versions were feature-light in that they lacked certain game modes, such as Survival and Puzzle. I’d argue that these game modes made for 50 per cent of the game’s replayability. Thankfully, the game has seen updates over the years which slowly added those features back. The iOS version even enjoys an exclusive mode called “Buttered Popcorn”, where you can stun zombies with butter before attacking them with your plants.

And interestingly enough, the game is genuinely fun to look at. The art style is bespoke to the cartoony nature of the game’s theme. Compared to the PC version, though, both the interface and the visual experience have seen some downgrade. However, it still stands out as one of the more visually appealing casual games in the market.

The only drawback to kicking back to some zombie-busting plant-fest is the interstitial advertisements every time something happens. This can often interrupt the game’s UI functions, forcing me to restart and lose out on the bonus I was watching for anyway.

VERDICT: Plants vs Zombies is an evergreen classic that holds a special place in my heart, and reliving this game on my smartphone is an absolute pleasure. I give it a 10 on 10.