PopCap Games have indeed created an outstanding success in the form of Plants vs. Zombies. It was not just victorious in the casual gaming scene in PCs, Macs, or mobile phones, but it had stirred a worldwide phenomenon that made players from various nations become addicted from spitting shooters and devouring piranha plants to zombies that know how to bungee jump. In respect to the fad that invaded the world by storm, many game developers, both amateur and professional, have imitated the gameplay and even created some stir on having the most celebrated tower defense game to appear in movies and other media in ripping forms. We will venture in this list, ten of the worst rip offs available in the internet, where some have promised to provide the same kind of fun, while others aroused interest in the release of the second game.
10. Territory WarAn Apple iTunes app that has been created by Lidmon Games Incorporated, this game uses the same kind of concept that Plants vs. Zombies has incorporated in its gameplay. Instead of seeing the usual sun coming down from the sky, gold nuggets become the resource of summoning various units for protection. There are catapults, witches, shield knights, archers, and even wooden rafts that bring out the same sensation of the game in just a different setting and character group. Even the enemies are as greenish as the zombies are, represented in the form of pirate ogres and orcs.
9. Chinese Themed Plants vs. MonsterThe graphics are actually cute, making the overall experience of the game quite interesting. The house, the garden, and even the plants themselves have already presented the same feeling when playing the actual Plants vs Zombies from PopCap. What may be unique from this concept is that every plant has its own level, which may add an additional thrill in the game. Enemies are even more amusing because it has nothing to do with zombies but various monsters like large octopuses, rock beasts, phoenixes, and more.
8. Chinese Plants vs. SkeletonsAlmost all of the elements found from the official game are actually available in this game. There are plants that have the same function as a sunflower that looks like a blue dandelion, a peashooter that appears to be a turnip, and a blue cactus that has the same ability as the Doom Shroom, which can obliterate enemies in a large area and creates a hole on the soil. Zombies are in the form of skeletons and ghouls, which can be somehow entertaining and challenging in a way. Some other plants include a Jalapeno in the form of an angry chili, a Mexican mushroom, and a marshmallow looking plant that acts as the squish squash.
7. Fake Plants vs. Zombies Movie Trailer Good thing that the title of the video has been labeled fake, otherwise, people would have believed that a movie was indeed in the making upon checking the video the first time. The view count is actually low so there is no need to be misled that this is not the real thing. Nevertheless, the spoofiness of the video was not that obvious at first since there was that green screen at first, the previews seemed to be realistic enough, but everything started to flop out when some texts have been displayed. There may be effort for using the actually fonts of the game, but it was too bright and obviously fake.
6. Plants vs. AliensThis game is the most successful rip off that became famous over Facebook for a couple of months. However, due to the close similarity of the game with PvZ, the game had to endure so many rants of being a copycat with the original concept of the game. Most plants featured in the online version of the famous tower defense game are significantly the same, such as found in the picture. The sunflower may not be that obvious but the Snow Pea and the Peashooter cannot be mistakenly imitated.
5. Pants vs. ZambonisThis rip off actually was featured in Game Spy and was ranked as the funniest and silliest version in the website. Imagine controlling various colored pants that do not have abilities but to endure attacking ice-shaving machines with wheels. It may be able to destroy thin and slippery slacks but wait until a powerful arsenal of jeans is released and have those shaving blades get all tangled, jammed, and obliterated. Oh, did I mention that the game actually costs $20 and the entry page of the game has Megan Fox topless? I did not think so.
4. Plants DefenseBelieve it or not people, this game has been included as one iPhone’s game apps. Yep, you read it right. This has been developed by a mobile software company back in the last quarter of 2009. At first glance, you will not even think that this is a mobile game, but is more of a child’s artwork due to the lame graphics, bad visual design, and poor concept. Even Yoshi’s Island from Nintendo looks a lot better despite of kiddie graphics. It only has four plants, which you can see on the picture above. The sunflower, peashooter, cactus, and piranha plant battles it out with gummy worms, cute Cyclopses, chicken-looking ghouls, and a mysterious Battletech robot. What is more amazing is that this game has five levels with “fierce” enemies in each stage. Wow… Yeah…
3. Plants vs. Zombies II: Zombie Bible Imagine what kind of fun you will get with this rip off that promises 67 killer plants that would be used as arsenal against 46 zombie types. The numbers cannot be compared with the original, but at least every character in the game looks cute and artistically created. This is because most plants look like they have been zombified, while zombies have been peeled off becoming skeletons. The app site for this game is very misleading since most descriptions used were addressed for the original game. However, the most shocking thing is that this has been approved and added as a certified game app for the iPhone, even running on the iOS 4.
2. Plants vs. Zombies: the Arcade Versionust by the look of the pictures above, you can already tell where the game is being played. This version of Plants vs. Zombies is played in China, looks like it is an actual arcade adaptation of the said game. The graphics and the new zombies are actually made promising, and the gameplay is quite amazing including four players controlling a peashooter beating the zombies down. However, PopCap has already confirmed that the Shanzhai maker has no right or authority to use the design, concept, and characters.
1. The August 2, 2010 TeaserYes, this is no diversion or any kind of adaptation from the original game, but this announcement has caused quite a stir into creating various rumors and hunches about what the date means. Some have thought that this could be associated with the launch of Plants vs. Zombies 2, while others imagined that it could be a new console release date for XBox Live and other units. However, it all ended up being an announcement about the “Game of the Year Edition” of the famous zombie whacking casual pastime.
