How does Plants vs. Zombies differ from platform to platform?

Plants vs. Zombies is available for PC, iPad, and iPhone so far as I know. I'd like to help answer Plants vs. Zombies questions, but my knowledge is based on the PC version. So...

What platforms are Plants vs. Zombies available on?

Are there any major differences between the versions available on each platform such as: gameplay, campaign, puzzles, survival, achievements, or anything else?

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7 Answers

Since you are already familiar with the PC version, I'll go into the other ones:

iPhone version

It contains the entire campaign, as well as different achievements (also different Easter eggs, such as what happen if you scroll down the achievement listing continuously). The puzzles are mainly the same as well.

• Doesn't have survival mode.
• Doesn't come with most of the bonus games (including the plant garden, the tree of wisdom, as well as the Zombiequarium minigame)
  • These must be purchased with either in-game coins or with real money using microtransactions
  • All Mini-game packs can be purchased for 50,000 coins each, the I, Zombie game pack for 150,000 coins, the Vasebreaker game pack for 150,000 coins, and the Last Stand game pack for 100,000 coins.

iPad version

Identical to the iPhone version, except it now includes the Survival mode. However, now it includes a new way to improve the power of your cobb plants (by putting butter on enemies first). This is making use of the iPad multitouch mode of up to 11 touches at once (think launching multiple walnut in walnut bowling at once). Still no zen garden.

Read more on the Wiki here: Game versions of Plants vs. Zombies

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According to the Wikipedia article on PvZ and the official PvZ site it is currently available for:

• Google Chrome (via Chrome Web Store)
• Microsoft Windows
• macOS
• iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)
• Xbox Live Arcade
• Xbox 360 (Part of a PopCap compilation disc)
• PlayStation Network
• Nintendo DS
• Nintendo DSiWare
• Bada
• Android
• Windows Phone
• PlayStation Vita
• BlackBerry Tablet OS
• Kindle Fire

So pretty much everything under the sun at this point. And as new platforms become available, I expect to see it ported to those too.

As to version differences, from what I've seen the main campaign is mostly identical, the main differences seem to be the extras included with each version.

The Plants vs. Zombies Fandom has a page about the differences between platforms and langauges that is worth looking at.

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The XBLA version that came out in September also features coop mode, as well as:

• A goofy new way to track and share progress online, where players create their own custom house and cruise down the street to see their friends' cribs!
• The highest resolution of any Plants vs. Zombies adaptation to date at 1920 x 1080

(source1, source2)

Plants vs Zombies is available for the following:

• PlayStation 3 (also works on Vita)
• Xbox Live Marketplace
• PC
• Android
• Windows Phone
• Iphone (and Ipad, Ipod touch)
• DSiWare (Nintendo DSI, 3DS)
• Nintendo DS

The game is similar version to version, though appears to run smoothest on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360. I would generally not recommend Popcap games on Nintendo platforms (usually poor frame rate).

The PS3 version, which is released just few days ago in US(and might also in EU but not in Asia), looks like have identical features as the XBox's version but not yet explored.

The last time I played it is on PC(bought from Steam) for more than a year now, when I play it last night on PS3 I was disappointed with the new dancing zombie; I prefer the old one. Haven't had a chance to look at my pc version though 'coz my laptop is still broken. ;)

Achievements also differ between versions — the Steam version has different achievements from the iOS version, which again differs from the console versions. The console versions have very few achievements.

Here's a list of achievements for the different platforms.

It has also been announced that there will be a NDS version coming soon with "bonus features".