Creator: George Fan, Sound: Laura Shigihara
I loved playing Plants vs. Zombies growing up. It was my go-to game because I loved the sounds and music, always had something new to uncover (through new plants abilities), and tested my thinking. The game wraps you up in a vibrant world with cartoonish plants and goofy looking zombies that bring the garden battlefield to life. The music really gets me in the mood. I found myself humming the themes a lot. I would argue that personally, I got sense pleasure from the sound design. It was a very crisp, cute, but also relaxing soundscape.
The game taps into the aesthetic of discovery through the various types of plants. As you progress, you discover a new plant which has a unique ability. I found myself being very motivated to complete levels because I knew at the end there would be a new plant for me to discover. The artwork for each plant was drastically different from others. Additionally, different plants were stronger than others, so when I had a string of “bad” plants, I would be more invested in the new plant discovery because I was in need of a strong one.
Finding creative ways to use them against different zombie types is a challenge. The strategy became more nuanced with each stage. There are more plants to choose from, the zombies get stronger. Finding the perfect plant and where to place it was a fun puzzle.
