Yesterday, it was widely reported that Popcap Games had announced a sequel to its smash-hit Plants vs. Zombies which is somewhat predictably titled Plants vs. Zombies 2. My sister, who does not play all that many games, was so excited that she sent me an e-mail about it. That’s when you know that your game has reach. If you played the original Plants vs. Zombies, you can probably understand why, the game was strangely addicting, eating up hours like zombies eating a Peashooter.
Still, other than giving a ‘late spring 2013’ release window for Plants vs. Zombies 2 and stating that it ‘will include a bevy of new features, settings, and situations’ (specifically mentioning new plants and zombies, which is to be expected), we have basically absolutely no information to go on as to what will be included in in the sequel to the world’s foremost linear tower defense game. As such, this being the internet and all, that means it is time for rampant speculation as to the sorts of features, settings, and situations we would like to see in Plants vs. Zombies 2. To start off the conversation, I’ve put three suggestions for things that would be interesting below.
Plant combos – In Plants vs. Zombies 2, Pop Cap could make it so that putting different plants near each other (likely just by proximity, although you could also do unique formations) will cause a bonus to all of the plants in that formation, or will cause the plants to form a unique, larger plant.
A meta-game/upgradable house – So here’s the deal: In Plants vs. Zombies 2, you let people amass points at the end of the level (as they do). However, now, they don’t just spend those upgrades on buying new plants, they spend them on buying upgrades for their house that provide additional defenses and offensive capabilities. Of course, this would add an extra monetization point in Plants vs. Zombies 2 (by selling the fake money, much to everyone’s chagrin) but – if done right – it could also add an interesting layer of strategy. Maybe in Plants vs. Zombies 2, the zombies are progressing through a sort of ‘overworld map’ where they have to be stopped before the progress too far, taking away your resources. Maybe you even add some sort of loot and experience system, allowing people to upgrade and personalize their plants. Or maybe I’m over-thinking it.
Upgraded I, Zombie mode – I mean, this really has to make it into Plants vs. Zombies 2, doesn’t it? While the ability to play as the zombies was a late addition to Plants vs. Zombies, seeing the mode expanded for its own single-player campaign seems like a pretty likely choice after it was added as a multiplayer mode in the original game. Of all of my wild-made-up-speculation, this is the one I would expect the most in Plants vs. Zombies 2.
So that’s it for my suggestions for possibly interesting features to add to Plants vs. Zombies 2. What will Popcap actually add to the sequel? Well, we’ll probably know sometimes before its late-spring 2013 release window. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it mostly be the same game with a bunch of new units and some new maps, but the folks at Popcap might surprise me. Until then, let me know if you played the original Plants vs. Zombies and what you would like to see in a sequel. Shamble down to the comments section in search of delicious, delicious plants (and comments).
God, I cannot wait to play this.
Well, it’s not coming out for quite a while. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them release it for ‘free’ and then make you earn coins or some such nonsense to unlock parts of the game (or pay real money to get them). I will be pleasantly shocked if Plants vs. Zombies 2 doesn’t have some sort of alternate monetization scheme.