May 20 6:05 P.M.
Time-honored gem-swapping puzzler Bejeweled is one of the most successful games ever made, but the latest release from its creator, Popcap Games, is off to an even stronger start. Plants vs. Zombies, a quirky, horror-themed action-strategy game in the mold of Desktop Tower Defense, is officially the fastest-selling new release Popcap has ever seen.
Green Fingers: Plants vs. Zombies
Why has it been such a strong performer? As Popcap spokesperson Garth Choteau told us, "I think it's the crossover appeal of it. It means that the target audience is just about everyone. A hardcore gamer can really get into this game and play it in as hardcore a way as he wants -- but in the same way, it's accessible to a total novice, someone who's never played a game before."
Reviews from professional critics and casual gaming enthusiasts agree. Plants vs. Zombies is currently scoring 88% on review aggregation site metacritic.com, and IGN's Daemon Hatfield awarded it a 9/10, calling it "really fantastic...stands right up there with PopCap's other hits like Peggle and Bejeweled."
Although you might be wondering how Popcap went from jewels to zombies, the truth is the game sprouted from even stranger roots. Plants vs. Zombies is the latest work from the designer behind Insaniquarium, George Fan. "In the early days of the game it was more of a resource management game like Insaniquarium," Choteau told us. "It started as a virtual garden with fun kinds of plants with various characteristics, needs and benefits." Then, we assume, they added zombies. Everything's better with zombies, right?
Will Plants vs. Zombies go on to top Bejeweled's total of over 25 million sales, across almost every gaming platform we can name? If it proves as tenacious as its titular, recently-deceased stars, it's certainly got plenty of growing to do.
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Posted: 21 May 2009
