An army of the living dead, led by the undead scientist Doctor Zomboss. They will attempt to break into the player's house and eat their brains. The zombies will be listed by the levels they debut in, or if they differ greatly.
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In general:
In general
- Affably Evil: The zombies even send you notes before storming in with a huge horde of them toward your house, although they turn up a little late. Additionally, they can act civil whenever it's necessary, such as declaring a temporary truce so they can make a music video with you after beating the first game.
- Badass Army: Especially the more powerful and formidable zombies. This trope seems to be played up in the Garden Warfare spin-off, as both the zombies and plants look more militarized.
- Beware the Silly Ones: The zombies might looks quite silly with their googly eyes and quirks. But they're still dangerous with their multiple methods to invade your house and some games outright have them taking over Neighborville with ease.
- Big Head Mode: During the Big Brainz Pinata Party events, all the Player's House and Modern Day zombies have massively oversized heads.
- Brain Food: Pretty much all of them are after the player's brains, and will eat those brains should they successfully enter the house. In Plants vs. Zombies: Heroes, brains are used as their resource.
- Eating the Enemy: Most zombies attack the plants by eating them (and it seems they can devour an endless amount of plants) before they can finally reach the helpless player.
- Elite Zombie: Most of the advanced zombies fall under Armored, wearing various types of Improvised Armor to make them tougher than the basic Zombie, or a downplayed version of Smart, using various tools to get over, under, around, or through your defenses, albeit in only one specific way per zombie type. The Gargantuar is a textbook Brute, and Dr. Zomboss is a Zombie Person/Horde Master.
- Friendly Zombie: Played With. For most of the games they seem like stereotypical, hostile, brain-eating zombies. But there are scenes that show they are not only intelligent but capable of getting along with the humans, even willing to declare a ceasefire. They're also the player's main allies in the "I, Zombie" puzzle mode and don't make any attempt to attack the player and eat his brains during this mode (although it's possible that since the player and Crazy Dave are placing brains at the end of the yard, they're merely satisfied with accepting those brains as payment rather than eating the player's). They also formed their own working society in Garden Warfare and are quite civilized.
- Handwriting as Characterization: The zombies' notes to the player all have sloppy, crude handwriting, in addition to poor spelling and grammar. This is fitting because they're all unintelligent creatures. In contrast, their leader, Dr. Zomboss, writes in a cursive font with eloquent language, making it clear that he's vastly smarter than his minions.
- I'm a Humanitarian: Obviously, they're undead cannibals who eat the flesh of living humans, and especially crave their brains. Using the Hypno-Shroom on them will cause them to crave fellow zombies.
- Incongruously-Dressed Zombie: Everybody aside from the Browncoat Zombies, with them eventually gained unique clothing as well to match the time period in the sequel.
- Kung Fu-Proof Mook: Some zombies are able to counter the effects of certain plants to bypass your defenses.
- Mad Eye: Most zombies have one eye slightly bigger than the other one.
- Monogender Monsters: Most (formerly all) of the zombies are male. This is eventually averted in Plants vs. Zombies 2 (from Big Wave Beach until Neon Mixtape Tour), which introduces at least one female zombie type per time period.
- Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot:
- Most of the zombies have different professions and abilities that help them go through your defenses. In the second game, they're even more varied, with different zombies for the various time periods.
- In fact, in the second game, there are actual pirate zombies (in the Pirate Seas world of course), and some zombies (particularly Dr. Zomboss, and many zombies in the Far Future world) pilot robotic vehicles. However, there are no ninja zombies in the game.
- No Body Left Behind: All of them will disappear after they're beaten.
- The Noseless: All of the humanoid zombies lack noses, as they decayed off long ago. But averted with the animal zombies, who still seem to have noses.
- One-Word Vocabulary: Most zombies can't say anything besides "brains".
- Our Zombies Are Different: While most of the zombies seem dumb, they are not mindless, as they can use tools and weapons, can ride animals and vehicles, and can even speak and write (though poorly). Their Almanac entries also indicate that different zombies have unique personalities.
- Punch-Clock Villain: According the "I, Zombie" minigame, they practice invading houses, and are willing to use fake plants to do so. They are also honorable enough to not attack the player and eat his brains during this mode since he is helping the zombies out, even though it would be a prime opportunity to do so.
- Raising the Steaks: A few of the zombies are non-human animals (dolphins, parrots, chickens, weasels, etc.)
- Share Phrase:
- "Brains!"
- "The zombies are coming!"
- Shows Damage: Most zombies will lose one of their arms when low on health, and eventually their head falls off upon death. Most armor worn by zombies will also show deterioration as they take damage.
- Sound-Coded for Your Convenience: A few zombies such as Jack-in-the-Box Zombie, Balloon Zombie and Pogo Zombie will come after a designated sound effect plays.
- Sweeping Ashes: This happens to most of them when they're killed by most fire attacks, sans the sweeping (they fade instead).
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: Many special zombies have weaknesses to certain plants.
- Trademark Favorite Food: We dare you to take a guess.
- Undeathly Pallor: All of the humanoid zombies have green skin. But averted with the animal zombies, all of whom look like they could still be alive.
- Zerg Rush: Being zombies after all, the greatest threat they can pose happens whenever they appear in very large numbers, especially if they include some of the deadlier zombies. A huge horde of zombies can quickly overwhelm all of your plants if you aren't prepared for them.
- Zombie Gait: Though some of them are faster than the others.
Dr. Edgar George Zomboss
"...It is I, the terrifyingly brilliant, and startlingly good-looking Dr. Edgar George Zomboss, or as I'm also known the greatest evil genius that has ever lived!"
An undead Mad Scientist who leads the zombie hordes and the Big Bad of the series overall. He is the Final Boss of the first game, and returns to haunt several time periods in the sequel. He always fights by piloting "Zombot" machines that can summon huge waves of zombies.
- Bald of Evil: He's bald, and he's also the Big Bad of the series.
- Bad Boss: One of his most recurring traits is his tendency to mistreat his minions. Not only can he insult them, a couple of trailers to the first game suggest he has no qualms using them in experiments. Several of his attacks during his boss fights are also capable of killing his own zombies as much as the plants do. Moreover, Zombot Hot-Rodicus' Almanac entry in the second game suggests he's even blown through food budgets. He also suggests in the comics and the third game that he doesn't let his zombies have vacations either.
- Big Bad: He's the mastermind behind the zombie invasion, with him being the Final Boss of the first game, and the guy also causing the trouble in the sequel.
- Characterization Marches On: In the first game and early on in the second, he is a calm yet cunning individual. As more worlds were being added for the latter game, Dr. Zomboss becomes more arrogant, brash, and over-the-top.
- Creepy Crossdresser: In Neon Mixtape Tour's boss stage, he dresses up in a dress and a wig during the Pop Jam.
- Determinator: He just won't quit trying to Take Over the World and defeat the plants.
- Dressed to Plunder: Downplayed. In the world "Pirate Seas", he wears an eyepatch while piloting Zombot Plank Walker (which resembles a pirate ship). Its Almanac entry also suggests he was intentionally "getting into this whole pirate thing".
- Evil Cannot Stand Cuteness: Implied; he's the main villain of the franchise and he describes Solar Flare as "disgustingly adorable" in Plants vs. Zombies: Heroes. In "Mini-Golf Standoff", he even suggests he has no issue with kicking "small and cuddly" things.
- Evil Gloating: Not initially, but he loves to gloat when in the villainous mood and when he feels things are going his way.
- Evil Laugh: Especially in the sequel, in which he laughs very often during his boss fights.
- Fantastic Racism: A zombie who hates plants, or at least sapient ones.
- Faux Affably Evil: At least in the first game, despite his minions being more Affably Evil. He writes you a note about how he plus his zombies will "be forced to take extreme action" unless you give them your brain (which he initially refers to as "our rightful claim") and also requests you hand over your house to them. While it has a fairly polite tone, it helps highlight how much of a threat he is and his note still sounds malicious. Not so much later on, in which he often has no issue talking down to other characters.
- Final Boss: He's the final hurdle in the first game.
- Flunky Boss: In his boss fights, Zomboss fights mainly by summoning other zombies, but he has a few attacks of his own.
- Graceful Loser: He seems to accept being defeated just fine, given that he joins the rest of the Zombies in their dance party in "Zombies On Your Lawn." He also doesn't take advantage of this opportunity to eat your brains during this truce. Not that it stop him from attacking you once more in the sequel.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Zomboss is the one who responsible for all the zombie invasion you're facing throughout the game before he personally show up himself to fight you.
- Informed Attribute: One Almanac entry states he's allergic to mammoth fur and thus brings allergy meds when using Zombot Tuskmaster 10,000 BC (which resembles a giant wooly mammoth). However, none of this is shown, besides him using said Zombot.
- Insufferable Genius: He's smart enough to create various inventions and is a fine schemer, and he won't stop talking about his intellect (namely after the first game).
- Ironic Allergy: In the sequel, one of his Zombots strongly resembles a giant wooly mammoth. However, at least according to one Almanac entry, he has an allergy to mammoth fur.
- Large Ham: He's often hamming it up whenever he let out his Evil Laugh, which is especially notable in the second game.
- Last-Name Basis: He often referred with his last name "Zomboss" despite having a full name.
- Mad Scientist: He builds a lot of advanced technology for his evil plans, including various robotic vehicles, and even a time machine.
- Mean Boss: When he's not abusing his minions, he's often rudely yelling at them instead.
- Mook Chivalry: Same deal as Bungee Zombies.
- Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: He has a doctorate in thanatology (the study of death). Considering that zombies are dead, their creation might be a product of his "thanatological technology". Supplementary material reveals he got his degree for “promising to take his giant killer robot and never come back.”
- Mr. Exposition: He often provides exposition to his zombies (and the player) in Plants vs. Zombies: Heroes.
- My Brain Is Big: His brain is massive, and he comes with the intellect too.
- One-Hit Kill: Dr. Zomboss always has an attack that can one-shot all plants (and even his own zombies) on one or more lanes.
- Phlebotinum Killed the Dinosaurs: In Day 32 of Jurassic Marsh in the second game, it's revealed that he's the one who sent the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs.
- Punny Name: His name is combination of "Zombie" and "Boss", which fits his status as the Big Bad of the series.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Aside from the Creepy Crossdresser moment he has during the Zombot Multi-Stage Masher fight, he is shown wearing a pink apron with "KISS THE COOK" written on it during Green Shadow's mission in Heroes.
- Recurring Boss: In the second game, he's facing you at the end of each world with multiple Zombots at his disposal.
- Shorter Means Smarter: He's one of the smallest zombies around, second only to the Imp (and variants) in diminutiveness. He's also the smartest zombie of them all.
- Support Party Member: His boss fights technically fall under this trope, as he can't directly cause a Game Over. His attacks just clear the way for other zombies to enter your house.
- Surrounded by Idiots: He's one of the very few smart zombies around, the only other Zombies coming close being Professor Brainstorm and the Scientist classes. Unsurprisingly, the Zombies' general idiocy tends to annoy him very often.
- Villain Decay: Zig-Zagged. Towards the end of the first game, he's introduced as a threatening and mysterious villain who manages to kidnap Crazy Dave (the Player Character's only ally besides the plants) moments before he could reveal his Zombot's weakness. By the second game, he's not as threatening (most notably in later worlds) and more so comedic rather than intimidating. It doesn't help that he gets foiled far more than in the first game, especially in the second game (though part of it is that he's a Recurring Boss). With that said, some of his Zombots in the second game are much harder to beat and he's still capable of being triumphant despite the aforementioned factors, if games like Garden Warfare 2 is any indication.
- Villainous Breakdown: Once you defeat him in Jurassic Marsh, Zomboss decides that he doesn't have any other choice but to enact his Project Paradox, and spend the entire Modern Day level told Crazy Dave (and the player) to give up.
- Walking Spoiler: The reason his name spoiler-marked in the first game is because he only appears in the final level and has no forshadowing whatsoever before that. This has been averted in the sequel and later games, however.
- Well-Intentioned Extremist: If his words were indeed true at the end of the second game (and that's a huge if), it means that he was trying to stop Crazy Dave from re-eating his taco as it would cause a Time Paradox.
- Wicked Cultured: Unlike the other zombies, Zomboss can write letters very neatly and elegantly. Though in the sequel, he tends to write with slang or mannerisms appropriate for a specific time period, which produces some odd results.
- Yellow Eyes of Sneakiness: He's often depicted with yellowish sclerae, befitting of an underhanded villain like himself.
Day Levels:
The zombies introduced in the Day levels are the Browncoat Zombie, Flag Zombie, Conehead Zombie, Buckethead Zombie, and Pole Vaulting Zombie. Browncoat Zombies
General
These are the most recurring enemies found in all areas of both games. They are all variants of the Browncoat Zombie, a slow and weak zombie without any special abilities.In the first game, all of these zombies looked the same (bald heads, white shirts, red ties, brown coats, blue pants, and brown shoes). In the second game, there are many different variants of the Browncoat Zombies, dressed for different time periods.
- Bald of Evil: The classic version and most of their variants in the second game have bald heads, though some variants do have hair. The bald ones have some sparse hairs still clinging to their scalp, suggesting the rest have fallen off due to decay.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: The classic version wears a collared shirt, necktie, and suit jacket. In the second game, while all variants wear different clothing based on their time period, most of them show at least one parallel to the classic version's outfit (commonly the necktie).
Basic Zombie
This zombie loves brains. Can't get enough. Brains, brains, brains, day in and night out. Old and stinky brains? Rotten brains? Brains clearly past their prime? Doesn't matter. Regular zombie wants 'em.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Basic Zombie hates the term "Basic." He doesn't consider himself some generic foe or common corpse. He's an individual, darn it, and he's going to make a difference even if it kills you.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
A slow and weak zombie without any special abilities.
- Boring, but Practical: In Versus mode, he's easily the least flashy or armored zombie you can throw; but due to his fast recharge and cost of only 25 brains, he's your best friend for spamming early in the game.
- The Goomba: Naturally, it is the most common enemy in the game, and the first one you face. Also one of the weakest (though always a little tougher than an Imp).
- I Just Want to Be Special: His Almanac quote in the second game states that he wants to be seen as an individual more than just a common mook.
Flag Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Make no mistake, Flag Zombie loves brains but somewhere down the line he also picked up a fascination with flags. Maybe it's because the flags always have brains on them. Hard to say.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
A spelling impaired zombie named "Brian," Flag Zombie keeps thinking the rest of the zombies are talking to him. At least he feels important.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
He holds a flag and leads the way to mark the arrival of a new "wave" of zombies, but otherwise he looks and acts just like a Basic Zombie (and is just as weak).
- Character Customization: A strange variation on this. In the Game of the Year editions of the PC and Mac versions of the first game, the player can use the Zombatar feature to customize Flag Zombie's face, even though he is a non-playable enemy.
- Mook Lieutenant: Flag Zombie appears in front of a huge wave with other zombies behind him. He's only as tough as a Basic Zombie, albeit slightly faster. In the first game's Versus Mode, placing a Flag Zombie summons a swarm of other Zombies behind him.
Conehead Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Conehead Zombie shuffled mindlessly forward like every other zombie. But something made him stop, made him pick up a traffic cone and stick it on his head. Oh yeah. He likes to party.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
After a wild night, Conehead Zombie woke up holding a mysterious receipt for a cone and industrial strength adhesive.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
He wears a plastic traffic cone as a protective helmet. After taking enough damage, he loses the cone and acts like a typical Basic Zombie afterwards.
- Heavily Armored Mook: Coneheads can take more damage than a Basic Zombie, though not as much as a Buckethead.
- Improvised Armor: They wear plastic traffic cones as helmets. It somehow protects them, even if plants aren't attacking its head.
Buckethead Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Buckethead Zombie always wore a bucket. Part of it was to assert his uniqueness in an uncaring world. Mostly he just forgot it was there in the first place.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
There was a time when Buckethead Zombie was hailed as a zombie genius for his innovative bucket-on-head strategy. It's been a few years, though, and zombies wonder if he's got any surprises left. His secret? He doesn't.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
He wears a metal bucket as a protective helmet. After taking enough damage, he loses the bucket and acts like a typical Basic Zombie afterwards.
- Armored But Frail: Take away his helmet with a Magnet-Shroom and he becomes just a Basic Zombie, and can be mown down like one since the helmet forms most of his health pool.
- Heavily Armored Mook: Bucketheads can take even more damage than a Conehead Zombie.
- Improvised Armor: They wear metallic buckets as helmets. It somehow protects them, even if plants aren't attacking its head.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: Their buckets are metal and thus can be stolen by Magnet-shroom, reducing them to a basic Zombie.
Pole Vaulting Zombie
Some zombies take it further, aspire more, push themselves beyond the normal into greatness. That's Pole Vaulting Zombie right there. That is so him.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
A track athlete who runs forward while carrying a pole, vaulting over the first plant he gets close to.
- It Only Works Once: He can only jump over one plant, after which he loses the pole and stops running.
- Fun with Acronyms: He shares a set of initials with the very game he's in!
- Kung Fu-Proof Mook: Wall-nuts or Potato Mine won't save you from the Pole Vaulting Zombie, as he'll jump over them (unless the Potato Mine is armed).
- Weaksauce Weakness: He will jump over any plant in his way apart from Spikeweed/Spikerocks and Tall-Nuts. Planting a cheap plant in front makes him lose his pole vault prematurely.
Night Levels:
The zombies introduced in the Night levels are the Newspaper Zombie, Screen Door Zombie, Football Zombie, Dancing Zombie, and Backup Dancers. Newspaper Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Newspaper Zombie was *this* close to finishing his Sudoku puzzle. No wonder he's freaking out.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
You can't really blame him for getting so upset; he was THIS close to finishing the crossword (23 down was "Brains").
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
He carries a newspaper that acts as a weak shield. When the newspaper is destroyed, he runs faster out of anger.
- Bald of Evil: He has an obvious comb-over hairstyle.
- Berserk Button: Destroying his newspaper, because he's that close to finishing his Sudoku puzzle. In the sequel, he was close to finishing his crossword puzzle (23 down was "Brains").
- The Bus Came Back: He appears in the sequel in the Modern Day world.
- Fake Ultimate Mook: While the original game makes a big deal about him going ballistic after losing the newspaper since that's his primary gimmick, he's not hard at all to dispatch due to being barely tougher than a Basic Zombie; a well-defended lawn can kill him before he can even finish reacting to the newspaper's destruction. Averted hard in the sequel, where a Newspaper Zombie's newspaper being destroyed is absolutely something to watch out for.
- Fragile Speedster: In the original, he becomes faster than most zombies when his newspaper is destroyed, but only has about the health of a Basic Zombie. In the sequel, he borders on a Lightning Bruiser, possessing around regular health (slightly less than a Conehead, and was actually tougher than a Conehead before being nerfed), but he moves and eats extremely quickly.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: In the sequel, his extremely fast eating speed can be used against him via the Explode-O-Nut, which is guaranteed to kill him when he destroys it in seconds.
- Goofy Print Underwear: Wears white boxers with pink hearts on them.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: But he still bothers to wear a black suit jacket anyways.
- Shield-Bearing Mook: His newspaper acts as a shield against frontal assaults. However, Fume-shrooms can pierce through them, and catapult plants can go right over them. In the second game, it protects him from all forms of assault except the Shadow-Shroom.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: In the first game, using lobbed-shot plants will hit him over the newspaper, while fumes will penetrate it. In the sequel, the Shadow-Shroom will poison him and deal direct damage instead of damaging his newspaper, killing him quickly.
- Took a Level in Badass: He appears in the sequel's final world, this time with more health, a much tougher newspaper, and a much higher moving and eating speed when he's angry.
- Turns Red: He moves faster after the newspaper is destroyed. In the sequel, he goes into turbo mode and eats plants in the blink of an eye.
- Unstoppable Rage: In the sequel, he'll absolutely shred through plants in his way once enraged by his newspaper's destruction. He's not so unstoppable in the original game, though.
- Villainous Breakdown: Goes into full, burning rage ones his newspaper is destroy. Even moreso in the sequel, where he gets a speed boost after this.
Screen Door Zombie
He got his screen door from the last inexpertly defended home he visited, after he ATE THE HOMEOWNER'S BRAINS.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Another Browncoat Zombie variant, although not listed with the others, due to not returning in the second game. He carries a screen door which acts a shield. If the screen door is destroyed, he will become a Basic Zombie.
- Armored But Frail: Very resistant to attacks from the front thanks to the screen door, but anything that bypasses the door will make quick work of him due to only having the health of a Basic Zombie.
- Improvised Armor: A screen door, which was stolen from the home of the last human he killed and ate.
- Shield-Bearing Mook: His screen door acts as a shield against frontal assaults; in addition to damage, it also blocks Snow Pea's slowing effect and Torchwood's splash damage. However, Fume-Shrooms can pierce through them, and catapult plants can go right over them. In Wall-Nut Bowling, he takes four hits to kill from the front (more than a Buckethead), but a single hit from the side will do him in.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors:
- Sure, that screen door is a good shield, but it’s completely ineffective against catapult plants. Granted, he stops appearing long before you get them, but he does get deployed by Dr. Zomboss during his fight, and you can see just how quickly he goes down.
- Because the screen door blocks attacks intended for him, Snow Peas cannot slow a Screen Door Zombie because the pea never touches the actual zombie. It will also block the splash damage of flaming peas lit by Torchwood, protecting zombies behind him.
- Team Rocket Wins: His official Almanac entry said he got the screendoor as a souvenier when he stormed a house that was underdefended, something not a lot of zombies can canonically boast about.
Football Zombie/All-Star Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Football Zombie gives 110 percent whenever he's on the field. He's a team player who delivers both offensively and defensively. He has no idea what a football is.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
All-Star Zombie is a third-round draft pick and shows a lot of promise, but come on, his salary demands are beyond ridiculous. Ten million brains per year? For FIFTY YEARS?
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry for All-Star Zombie
A football player, whose helmet not only makes him very durable, but he can also run swiftly. Reappears in Modern Day part 2 under the name of All-Star Zombie, with the ability to charge into and destroy the first plant it meets.
- Armor Is Useless: If his helmet is removed by Magnet-Shroom, his durability takes a nosedive despite still wearing the body armor. Without the helmet, he's not much tougher than a Basic Zombie.
- Begin with a Finisher: In the sequel, he enters the fray with a high-speed tackle that will One-Hit Kill the first plant he hits (except Primal Wall-Nut). After that, he loses his speed and moves/eats as fast as any normal zombie.
- The Bus Came Back: He reappears as All-Star Zombie in the sequel's Modern Day part 2.
- Combination Attack: In the sequel, he will now punt the Super-Fan Imp a great distance into your plants to destroy them.
- Heavily Armored Mook: Football Zombie can take even more damage than the Buckethead!
- Hoist by His Own Petard: In the sequel, his One-Hit Kill tackle can be used against him via the Explode-O-Nut, which is guaranteed to kill him when he crashes into and destroys it.
- Jerk Jock: He's a football-themed zombie.
- Lightning Bruiser:
- In the first game, he has lots of health (second only to the Gargantuar), moves very quickly, and eats pretty quickly too.
- In the sequel, he moves even faster initially, and even one-shots the first plant it meets!
- One-Hit Kill: In the sequel, his initial attack is now a One-Hit Kill on the plant it hits (except Primal Wall-nuts or armored Wall-nut variants).
- Skeleton Motif: The sides of his helmet and the front of his jersey are adorned with skulls, with the front of his helmet sporting crossbones.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors:
- Using the Hypno-Shroom on him turns him into a powerful ally, while the Magnet-Shroom removes his helmet and most of his durability.
- In the sequel, he can't kill Primal Wall-Nut in one hit with his tackle attack.
- Took a Level in Badass: In the sequel, his health is lower, but his charging attack is extremely fast and is now a One-Hit Kill on the plants it hits. Also, his helmet is no longer removable by Magnet-Shroom.
Dancing Zombie/Disco Zombie (and Backup Dancers)
Dancing Zombie's latest album, "GrarrBRAINSarblarbl" is already rocketing up the undead charts.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Backup Dancer Zombie spent six years perfecting his art at the Chewliard Performing Arts School in Zombie New York City.
Backup Dancer's almanac entry
A groovy zombie who dances across your lawn. He can summon Backup Dancers to give you more trouble.
- The Dead Can Dance: Obviously.
- Disco Dan: The new Dancing Zombie is a disco dancer. They are literally deader than disco.
- Expy: The new Dancing Zombie resembles Disco Stu from The Simpsons, complete with goldfish-tank shoes.
- Michael Jackson's Thriller Parody: The original Dancing Zombie was modeled after Michael Jackson in his music video "Thriller". He and his Backup Dancers even did the famous dance.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Originally, the Dancing Zombie resembled Michael Jackson (as an allusion to his famous music video "Thriller").
- Squishy Wizard: While the Dancing Zombie can summon an endless number of Backup Dancers if left unattended, they're also very slow and are only marginally tougher than a regular Zombie.
- Summon Backup Dancers: The Trope Namer. Obviously, Dancing Zombie can summon 4 Backup Dancers to the adjacent tiles from his own. They act as cover as well as additional offense.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: If he's turned to your side by the Hypno-Shroom, he'll start calling in hypnotized backup dancers on his way off your lawn, giving you five hypnotized zombies (and possibly more) for the price of one. You even get an achievement for doing this.
Pool Levels:
The zombies introduced in the Pool levels are the Ducky Tube Zombie, Snorkel Zombie, Zomboni, Zombie Bobsled Team, and Dolphin Rider Zombie. Ducky Tube Zombie
It takes a certain kind of zombie to be a Ducky Tuber. Not every zombie can handle it. Some crack. They can't take it. They walk away and give up on brains forever.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry for Ducky Tube Zombie
A Browncoat Zombie wearing an inflatable pool ring.
- Aquatic Mook: Can only spawn on water.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: If a Ducky Tube Zombie has a cone or a bucket, Tangle Kelp can drag them underwater.
Snorkel Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Zombies don't breathe. They don't need air. So why does Snorkel Zombie need a snorkel to swim underwater? Answer: peer pressure.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Snorkel Zombie has a hard time getting the Bikini Zombies. He's tried offering them flowers, jewelry, and even chocolate-covered brains. But nothing seems to work. They just can't seem to see past the snorkel on his face.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
These zombies dive underwater to avoid most attacks. They also reappear in Big Wave Beach in the sequel.
- Aquatic Mook: He swims across the pool to reach your house.
- Casanova Wannabe: According to his Almanac entry in the second game, Snorkel Zombie wants to chase after the Bikini Zombies. He is never successful.
- Kung Fu-Proof Mook: Snorkel Zombie can't be damaged by straight-firing plants when he's submerged.
- Stealth Expert: He can snorkel underwater and bypass most attacks, and will only stop to eat a plant, though of course this makes him vulnerable.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: Catapult plants can hit him while he’s snorkeling. Of course, they aren’t obtained until long after he’s stopped appearing, but they can be used just fine when you’ve got them. Tangle Kelp will also drag them to their deaths even while underwater.
Zomboni
Often mistaken for a zombie driving a ice machine, the Zomboni is a totally different life-form more closely related to a space ogre than a Zombie.
Plants vs. Zombies original almanac entry
Not to be mistaken for a Zamboni® brand ice resurfacing machine. Zamboni® and the image of the ice-resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co. Inc., and "Zomboni" is used with permission. For all your non-zombie related ice resurfacing needs, visit www.zamboni.com!
Plants vs. Zombies Game of the Year almanac entry
Introducing the Zomboni - the coolest undead on wheels! Caution: Not your typical ice resurfacer. We repeat, NOT a Zamboni® brand ice resurfacing machine! This frozen fiend from the north will turn your lawn into a slippery slope of doom faster than you can say "brain freeze!"
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
A zombie who drives a Zamboni ice resurfacer
, leaving behind an ice trail.
- The Bus Came Back: Returns in Plants vs. Zombies 2 during the Feastivus 2023 event.
- Enemy Summoner: Anytime he manages to make an ice trail long enough, a Zombie Bobsled Team will appear from it.
- Every Car Is a Pinto: The Zomboni explodes when killed, even if you did it by simply popping the tires.
- Instakill Mook: Any plant run over by a Zomboni, barring the Spikerock and instant-use explosives, will be immediately crushed and destroyed.
- The Juggernaut: Zombonis are durable, can run over most plants, and can't be slowed down unlike most other zombies.
- Lightning Bruiser: Zombonis can take a lot of punishment, instantly kills any plant it runs over (barring Spikerock), and moves fairly quickly, though they will slow down over time.
- One-Hit Kill: Can instantly crush most plants it runs over.
- Pop the Tires: A quick way to to destroy a Zomboni is by doing this with a Spikeweed, Spikerock, or, if you have enough sun, a Chili Pepper.
- Squashed Flat: Any non-instant, non-spike plant that gets run over by him will be instantly flattened.
- Trade Snark: His Game of the Year almanac description is riddled with reminders that he's not driving an officially licensed Zamboni ice resurfacer, accompanied by multiple Registered Trademark® symbols.
Zombie Bobsled Team
Zombie Bobsled Team worked hard to get where they are. They live together, eat brains together, and train together to become a cohesive zombie unit.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Meet the lean, mean bobsledding machine - the Zombie Bobsled Team! These undead athletes stick together like glue, or should we say frosty ice? They're the epitome of teamwork, never leaving a ghoul behind.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
A group of four zombies who arrive by riding a sled down a Zomboni's ice trail.
- The Bus Came Back: They return in Plants vs. Zombies 2 during the Feastivus 2023 event.
- Fragile Speedster: They can very quickly cross the lawn in their bobsled if there's enough ice for them, but neither the bobsled nor the zombies themselves are particularly durable. This can be easily observed in the Bobsled Bonanza minigame, where most of your lawn is iced over at the beginning.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: The Bobsled Team counts as a single zombie while riding their bobsled, meaning that a well-timed Potato Mine or Chomper at the end of the ice trail will instantly dispatch all four of them. Jalapeños also destroy both them and the ice trail.
- Zerg Rush: The Zombie Bobsled Team always appears as a group of four, allowing them to eat plants more quickly and making them more of a hassle for single-target plants.
Dolphin Rider Zombie
The dolphin is also a zombie.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
This zombie rides a dolphin to quickly dash across the pool, jumping over the first plant it encounters.
- Aquatic Mook: Obviously encountered in the Pool.
- Devious Dolphins: The dolphin is a zombie too, and it also wants to eat your brains.
- Fragile Speedster: While Dolphin Rider Zombies are on the low end when it comes to durability, they're the fastest zombie variant bar none... at least until they jump.
- It Only Works Once: Like Pole Vaulting Zombies, Dolphin Rider Zombies can only jump over an obstacle once. He's also subjected with the same Weaksauce Weakness.
- Raising the Steaks: The dolphin is also a zombie. note
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors:
- Like the Pole Vaulting Zombie, he's stopped cold by a Tall-nut. He also can't jump over a Tangle Kelp, which will drag him under instead.
- Conversely, while on his dolphin, he moves too quickly to be hit by catapult plants.
Fog Levels:
The zombies introduced in the Fog levels are the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie, Balloon Zombie, Digger Zombie, Pogo Zombie, and Zombie Yeti. Jack-in-the-Box Zombie
This zombie shivers, not because he's cold but because he's crazy.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
A crazy zombie who carries a jack-in-the-box, which eventually explodes if not killed on time.
- Action Bomb: If not defeated quickly, his box will open and then explode, dealing serious damage to your lawn. He will detonate as soon as he’s revealed in Vasebreaker mini games, potentially causing trouble if he reveals a tough zombie.
- Barefoot Loon: He's only seen barefoot, eccentric enough to go into battle playing an explosive jack-in-the-box, and has loose screws.
- The Bus Came Back: Joining Digger Zombie who has the same status, he didn’t make it into the international version of the sequel, but manages to return in Memory Lane for the Chinese version of the sequel.
- Helpful Mook: In Vasebreaker, his jack-in-the-box can destroy multiple vases allowing you to plant more plants.
- Instakill Mook: If his box opens, he'll blow up a 3x3 area of plants, including Spikerocks, something that even the Gargantuar cannot do!
- Ironic Nursery Tune: The jack-in-the-box plays "Pop Goes The Weasel"... and then explodes.
- Laughing Mad: He is described as always cackling maniacally, which fits considering how mentally unstable he is.
- Mad Bomber: Carries an explosive jack-in-the-box that blows himself up? Check. Wears a straitjacket, has a crazed expression on his face and laughs frequently? Double check.
- Oh, Crap!: When his box opens, he gets a shocked expression on his face and lets out a surprised squawk before exploding.
- Slasher Smile: His default expression; the first sign that something isn't right with this zombie.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: Like many other zombies, he gets neutered by Magnet-Shroom, which steals the Jack-in-the-Box. Amusingly enough, a Hypno-Shroom and a bit of luck can turn him into your Action Bomb.
- Took a Level in Badass: For his return to the Chinese version of Plants Vs. Zombies 2, his speed has been greatly increased, which complements his suicidal Action Bomb role.
- Twitchy Eye: Combined with a crazed smile and straitjacket to give him a crazy appearance.
Balloon Zombie
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
Balloon Zombie really lucked out. The balloon thing really works and none of the other zombies have picked up on it.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Balloon zombie has no idea where the balloon came from, but he's going with it and he's open to seeing where it takes him.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
These zombies float over your defenses with a balloon tied to their backs.
- Achilles' Heel:
- Cactus and Cattail can pop his balloon, forcing him to land prematurely on the ground. This was only in the first game, however, until a later update in the second game allowed Cactus to do the same there.
- Blover will instantly blow him offscreen.
- Airborne Mook: The only zombie in the first game who can actually fly in midair. This also makes him immune to most attacking plants until the balloon is popped.
- Balloonacy: He's somehow able to fly with a single balloon tied to his back.
- The Bus Came Back: He appears in the sequel in the Modern Day world.
- Dungeon Bypass: He will fly over all plants including Tall-nuts! In the sequel, he can't fly over Tall-nut or Infi-nut's barrier, but can still fly over most other plants.
- Hamster-Wheel Power: When electrocuted, you can see the skeleton of a monkey on a bicycle inside his balloon.
- Nerf: In the sequel, he's now vulnerable to straight-shooting plants, and he can't fly over Tall-Nut or Infi-nut's barrier. On the other hand, he's now much tougher and his balloon is not instantly popped by Cactus' and Homing Thistle's spikes, until a much later update allowed Cactus to do so.
- Super Drowning Skills: He instantly disappears if the balloon is popped while over water.
- Took a Level in Badass: In the sequel, his balloon now has its separate health from him and is surprisingly durable.
- Your Head A-Splode: In the sequel, his head pops like a balloon when he's killed.
Digger Zombie
Digger Zombie spends three days a week getting his excavation permits in order.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
A miner who digs underground and then appears from the far left corner of the lane, walking to the right and eating plants from behind.
- The Bus Came Back: While he didn’t make it into the normal version of the sequel, he managed to show up again in Modern Day for the Chinese version of the sequel.
- Cool Helmet: His miner helmet. It serves as his extra hit points.
- Discard and Draw: Coming into the Chinese version’s sequel, he now walks onto the lawn normally and only digs after getting a tile forward, giving you a window to kill him before he does anything. In return, his tunneling speed was made much faster, he throws off the plant he encounters in the very back column when coming up for a One-Hit Kill, and he’s no longer dizzy at the end of his digging, meaning theres no longer a free window to kill him where he stands there and does nothing.
- Dungeon Bypass: He digs a tunnel to avoid most plants, and then attacks them from behind.
- Fast Tunnelling: He's somehow able to dig even faster than he walks.
- Fat Bastard: He's a bit tubbier than other zombies. Although while digging underground, he moves surprisingly swiftly (but he still walks at the same speed as other zombies).
- Mook Chivalry: He can dig all the way to the very far left side of the screen... and then he starts eating the plants from behind instead of, you know, going straight at the house. Can perhaps be explained that he's dizzy after he jumps out of the dug hole and lost his direction.
- Non-Malicious Monster: Compared to the other zombies, anyway. If you don't have a Magnet-Shroom or take him out with a Potato Mine, he'll just eat your plants from behind and walk away. According to "Zombie On Your Lawn", he likes the pink tricycle in your yard.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors:
- A few plants such as Split Pea are capable of attacking backwards, which is good against Digger Zombie when he's at the left side of the lawn.
- Magnet-shrooms can take away the Digger's pickax, forcing him to resurface prematurely, and he starts walking to the left like everyone else. Granted, depending on when Magnet-Shroom removes it, this can backfire and result in the Digger Zombie surfacing in the middle of your lawn...
- Potato Mines, being underground and all, will explode on contact with a Digger Zombie if armed.
- Tunnel King: His specialty of course.
Pogo Zombie
Sproing! Sproing! Sproing! That's the sound of a powerful and effective zombie doing what he does best.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
These zombies can hop over most plants with their pogo sticks.
- Dungeon Bypass: Pogo Zombie will hop over most of your plants.
- Fragile Speedster: While not the most durable zombie, Pogo Zombies' speed and ability to jump over other plants make them relatively difficult to stop.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: Fortunately, a Tall-nut will easily block him (causing him to crash and lose his pogo stick), while a Magnet-shroom will take away the pogo stick.
Zombie Yeti (and Treasure Yeti)
Little is known about the Zombie Yeti other than his name, birth date, social security number, educational history, past work experience, and sandwich preference (roast beef and Swiss).
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
The rare and wondrous Yeti carries his lunch box up and down Mount Brainer to his isolated mountain lodge.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
A rare yeti-like zombie that sometimes appears in random levels. Also re-appears in the second game as the "Treasure Yeti", though it's a bit different now. A boss variant can also appear in Penny's Pursuit levels, which has much more health and doesn't drop goodies.
- Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti: A yeti of course.
- Boss in Mook Clothing: In Penny's Pursuit levels, the boss variants have lots of health, move and eat quickly, and are immune to certain types of stuns. They only retreat at low health, meaning that it's likely for them to eat your brains if you don't kill them fast enough.
- Metal Slime: The Yeti rarely appears, is fairly durable, and tries to run if low on health. But if it gets killed, it will drop a lot of money.
- Nonhuman Undead: It's probably the only undead yeti you'll see in a video game.
- Robotic Reveal: In the second game, the Treasure Yeti turns out to be a robot.
Roof Levels:
The zombies introduced in the Roof levels are the Bungee Zombie, Ladder Zombie, Catapult Zombie, Gargantuar, Imp, and finally Dr. Zomboss' Zombot. Bungee Zombie
Bungee Zombie loves to take risks. After all, what's the point of being dead if you don't live a little?
These zombies swing down from bungee cables to steal a random plant. Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
- Bandit Mook: He can steal your plants. You have to be quick to kill him before he succeeds. Alternatively, Umbrella Leaf can bounce them away. A crosshair will appear to note their position before they descend.
- Enemy Summoner: During the final wave of each Roof level, Bungee Zombies will drop other zombies off. Level 5-5, in particular, is composed of nothing but zombies dropped off via Bungee.
- Instakill Mook: Can instantly abduct any plant he targets, no matter how tough it is.
- Mook Chivalry: Why can't they drop a zombie directly through the chimney?
Ladder Zombie
He picked the ladder up for $8.99.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
He carries a ladder that allows himself and other zombies to climb over and bypass any defensive plant, including Wall-nuts and Tall-nuts.
- Anti-Armor: Variant: He can bypass your defenses by placing a ladder onto the first defensive plant he meets, letting zombies behind him step over said plant as well.
- Dungeon Bypass: His ladder allows him and other zombies to bypass a defensive plant.
- Helpful Mook: Of the Accidentally Assisting sort — his ladders can be used to prevent the need of replacing Pumpkins, if used in conjunction with a Gloom-Shroom. Imps thrown to the back will not eat the Pumpkins and instead will walk over the ladders, getting killed by the Gloom-Shroom in the process, thus saving sun on planting Pumpkins.
- It Only Works Once: The ladder can only be placed once.
- Lightning Bruiser: While he has his ladder, Ladder Zombie is extremely fast and fairly tough, though not quite as tough as a Screen Door Zombie.
- Shield-Bearing Mook: Their ladders make excellent shields. Although Fume-shrooms can bypass them, and once he puts his ladder on a plant, he moves slower.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: Like fellow Shield-Bearing Mook Screen Door Zombie, his ladder doesn't protect from fumes, overhead attacks, or Spikeweeds. Magnet-Shroom can also remove ladders (both carried and placed), and explosives like Jalapeno and Cherry Bomb can destroy ladders placed on plants.
- Weaksauce Weakness: Heavily downplayed compared to the Pole Vaulting and Dolphin Rider Zombies before him. While he can be tricked by planting a cheap plant in front of him to waste the ladder, he will only place ladders on defensive plants other than Garlic, which have slow recharge times (so the only cheap plant that fits the bill is Wall-Nut, which might cost you later if you need a Wall-Nut and it's on cooldown). Furthermore, the plant that the ladder is placed on becomes useless, though this can be exploited with Pumpkin as any plant placed inside the Pumpkin will essentially never be eaten unless the ladder is removed.
Catapult Zombie
Of all the things Catapult Zombie could launch with his catapult, basketballs seemed like the best and most obvious choice.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Even with two Z Corp factories producing basketballs around the clock, there never seems to be enough.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
He drives a catapult that flings basketballs at far-away plants.
- Achilles' Heel: As he only ever targets the plants furthest in the back, a couple of Umbrella Leafs planted in the two columns to the left make him a complete non-issue.
- Bottomless Magazines: Averted; Catapult Zombie has a limited supply of basketballs. If he runs out, he'll start driving forward like a Zomboni.
- The Bus Came Back: Returns in Plants vs. Zombies 2 for the Lawnbowl II event.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Shows up in the brief scene upon staring Adventure Mode, long before you encounter him.
- Every Car Is a Pinto: Like the Zomboni, the Catapult Zombie's catapult will explode when defeated.
- Fat Bastard: He is noticeably overweight in the first game.
- Instakill Mook: While it doesn't come up very often (he only starts driving if he lives long enough to run out of basketballs or if there's nothing in his lane), Catapult Zombie can crush plants under his wheels like a Zomboni.
- Pop the Tires: Like the Zomboni, Catapult Zombie can be instantly killed by a Spikeweed or Spikerock. This doesn't come up when you first encounter it, however, since neither Spikeweed nor Spikerock can be used on the Roof.
- You Don't Look Like You: He has a much more muscular build in the second game, looking more like Cardio Zombie.
Gargantuar
Click here to see his PVZ 2 appearance
When Gargantuar walks, the Earth trembles. When he moans, other zombies fall silent. He is the zombie other zombies dream they could be. But he still can't find a girlfriend.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
Gargantuar is the embodiment of power, made real. He is a juggernaut of hunger, from which there is no escape. He is fear unleashed. Well, he's fear slightly leashed.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry for the basic Gargantuar
A gigantic zombie who is both very strong and durable. They can smash plants with whatever weapon they're carrying, and throw Imps when low on health.
- Anti-Frustration Features:
- Gargantuars do not throw their Imps if they're at least halfway across the lawn when reduced below half HP, preventing the Imps from going straight into your lawnmowers or house.
- In the Roof levels, if the Gargantuar is close enough to the right side of the screen when he is damaged, he will throw the Imp half-way across the board.
- Big Guy, Little Guy: The Big Guy to Imp's Little Guy.
- Boss in Mook Clothing: Gargantuar is the deadliest zombie in the original game, capable of destroying anything in one hit (except Spikerock). And it takes, not just one, but two plants that would normally insta-kill any other zombie to beat him (three with the Giga version), like the Potato Mine or Squash. They become worse in the second game due to them being much tougher and moving faster (except for Gargantuar Prime and Jurassic Gargantuar; instead, they have even more health and, for the former, he has an Eye Beams attack that also causes a One-Hit Kill).
- The Brute: Obviously, he's a big and strong giant after all.
- Brutish Character, Brutish Weapon: Gargantuars are huge, hulking, and monstrous zombies, so they wield weapons like ripped-up telephone poles, street signs, and other zombies, and simply attack by smashing plants with them. In the sequel, they tend to swing around crushing weapons thematically appropriate to the setting or time period, like the Dark Ages Gargantuar using a giant hammer.
- Clothing Damage: In the first game, Gargantuars have their clothing torn up to indicate how close they are to dying. Obviously, this isn't played for fanservice since they’re both undead and quite rotund.
- Elite Mooks: Gargantuars are the strongest zombies (after Dr. Zomboss and his Zombots), and thus serve as a sort of mini-boss.
- Enemy Summoner: He will throw an Imp when almost defeated.
- Fastball Special: As mentioned, he throws an Imp out of the trash can on his back once he’s down to half health. You can kill him before he throws the Imp, but only if you’re really, really quick or lucky with an instant kill.
- Giant Mook: He's about twice as tall as the other zombies.
- Helpful Mook: He can break a couple of vases for you in Vasebreaker allowing you to plant a few more plants.
- Improbable Weapon User: He will use various objects (a telephone pole, lamp post, road sign, or even another zombie) to crush anything in his way. In the second game, Gargantuars use many other kinds of weapons depending on the world.
- Instakill Mook: Almost every single plant dies in one hit when he attacks, barring the Spikerock.
- The Juggernaut: While Gargantuars can be slowed down by Snow Pea or Kernel-pult, he won't be stopped by defensive plants and can just pound them flat.
- Lightning Bruiser: In the sequel, they're just as tough and just as powerful (if only somewhat more due to a notable buff)... but they're now fast instead of slow.
- Mighty Glacier: In the first game, his strength and durability is beyond terrifying — the Giga variant even more — but thankfully, he's incredibly slow. This is the opposite case in the sequel, where his speed is "hungry", the game's third-fastest speed rating for zombies.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Giga-Gargantuar has red eyes, and is tougher than a normal Gargantuar (which are already dangerous).
- Smash Mook: Literally — he attacks by smashing a plant with his melee weapon. He has incredibly high damage and durability, but doesn't do much except slowly walk forward and crush everything in his way, outside of tossing his Imp at half health.
- Squashed Flat: What it does to your plants in the first game. In the second game, the plant disappears instantly instead.
- Super-Toughness: Is incredibly durable, being able to withstand heavy punishment from most attacks. He's also the only zombie (aside from Zomboss) that can withstand an instant kill, which does a little over half his starting health.
- Telephone Polearm: Some of the improvised weapons they can wield include a telephone pole, a lamp post, a road sign, and another Browncoat Zombie.
Imp
Imp may be small, but he's wiry. He's proficient in zombie judo, zombie karate, and zombie bare-knuckle brawling. He also plays the Melodica.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
What he lacks in reach he more than makes up for with his bad attitude, or zombadittude as he likes to call it. Don't encourage him.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 almanac entry
A tiny zombie who is usually seen riding on a Gargantuar's back, and is thrown to the far left of the lawn when their Gargantuar is almost dead. In the second game, Imps can also appear independently of Gargantuars (usually during ambushes) or riding other zombies.
- Big Guy, Little Guy: The Little Guy to Gargantuar's Big Guy.
- Depraved Dwarf: Imps may be tiny, but they still crave brains just like any other zombie.
- Fragile Speedster: In the I, Zombie mode, Imps are much faster than their regular versions but take a grand total of three peas to kill. If you send them down any remotely defended lane, they'll get cleaned up in short order.
- Giggling Villain: They often let out an annoying high-pitched laugh, especially in the second game.
- Informed Ability: According to his Almanac entry from the first game, the Imp is proficient in "zombie" martial arts (judo, karate, and bare-knuckle brawling), and can also play the melodica.
- Mini Mook: They're the shortest zombies, and have even less health than Basic Zombies.
- Our Imps Are Different: Imps are the smallest zombies, being short bald creatures with less than five fingers (two in the first game, four in the second). They come in many forms throughout the series, but are typically seen riding on the backs of hulking Gargantuars, who throw them deep into the plant defenses after taking enough damage.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: In the sequel. They're now vulnerable to being blown away by the Blover when thrown by Gargantuars, and the Shrinking Violet kills all forms of Imps instantly (excluding those driving machines) by shrinking them into oblivion.
Zombot
Edgar George Zomboss achieved his Doctorate in Thanatology in only two years. Quickly mastering thanatological technology, he built his fearsome Zombot and set about establishing absolute dominance of his local subdivision.
Plants vs. Zombies almanac entry
As the Final Boss of the first game, Dr. Zomboss takes matters into his own hands and pilots the massive Zombot to ensure the zombies can eat your brains personally.
- Artistic License – Physics: Despite how massive the Zombot is, the roof tiles are strong enough to hold said robot's weight, let alone an RV being thrown at them.
- Car Fu: One of its attacks throws down a camper van to squash plants in a 2x3 area.
- Damage-Sponge Boss: There isn't much things for you to do once the Zombot's head is lowered down, but to wait for your plants to hammer it repeatedly. Oh, and countering his attacks.
- Defeat Equals Explosion: After you hit the Zombot enough, it explodes and falls apart. Zomboss himself isn't killed by the explosion, though.
- Fair-Play Villain: During the boss fight, if a lane's lawnmower is used up (specifically used, not destroyed by a fireball/iceball), Zomboss will stop sending zombies down that lane to give players a chance to rebuild; if reduced to a single lane this way, zombies become much easier to handle, especially with Jalapenos. Be careful though: if the last lawnmower is spent or destroyed, Zomboss will spawn zombies on all lanes as usual afterwards.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: When the Zombot's eyes glow red or blue, it means that it's about to unleash either a fire ball or ice ball to roll down your defenses. You have to counter it with Ice-Shroom or Jalapeno quickly.
- Humongous Mecha: The Zombot is about the size of your house. Later Zombots aren’t as big in comparison.
- One-Hit Kill: All three of its direct attacks can remove plants instantly: the camper crushes every plant in its area, the fire and ice balls will crush any plant they run over and can even destroy lawnmowers if not stopped, and it can deploy Bungee Zombies to remove randomly targeted plants.
- Oh, Crap!: Dr. Zomboss freaks out the moment his Zombot starts to fall apart.
- Promoted to Playable: In Plants vs. Zombies: Heroes, the Zombot, here named as the "Zombot 1000" became a Legendary playable unit on the Zombies' side.
- Tactical Suicide Boss: The Zombot is usually immune to attack, becoming vulnerable only when its head lowers to deploy a fire or ice ball.
- White Flag: Zomboss raises a white flag after the Zombot is destroyed.
Other Zombies
Zombies that aren't introduced in Adventure Mode. Zombotany Zombies
- Action Bomb: Jalapeno Zombies will automatically detonate after a short time on the lawn, incinerating all plants in a row.
- Aquatic Mook: Because "Zombotany 2" takes place in the Pool, all of them have Ducky Tube versions except the Squash Zombie.
- Glass Cannon: The Gatling Pea Zombie can rip through non-defensive plants very quickly from a distance and even do a number on defensive ones, but has only the durability of a basic Zombie.
- Incredibly Durable Enemies: Wall-Nut Zombies have roughly the health of a Buckethead but without the weakness to Magnet-Shroom, forcing the player to chip it down slowly. The Tall-Nut Zombie is even tougher, enough to take a hit from a Squash or Potato Mine and keep going.
- Plant Mooks: Well, part-plant at least.
- Suicide Attack: The Squash and Jalapeno Zombies have powerful One-Hit Kill attacks, but they don't survive using them.
- Tactical Rock–Paper–Scissors: The Peashooter Zombie and the Gatling Pea Zombie can't actually hit short plants like Spikeweed, Spikerock, Potato Mine, and Puff-shroom, so they can defeat them without getting hit by the peas.
- Unique Enemy: Downplayed. Most of them only appear in one mini-game, with only the Peashooter Zombie and Wall-nut Zombie getting to appear in two. However, they appear in great numbers in those levels.
Zombie Gravestone
Appearing only in the console-exclusive Versus Mode, Zombie Gravestones generate Brains, the resource used by the Zombie team to place Zombies.
- Deployable Cover: Zombie Gravestones are reasonably durable and cheap, letting them shield against plant attacks for the Target Zombies that the Zombie team has to protect.
- Logical Weakness: They're gravestones that can be instantly destroyed by Grave Buster, a plant who's whole gimmick in the main story mode is eating gravestones.
- Worker Unit: Like Sunflowers for the plants, these generate the resources needed for the Zombies in Versus to mount their offense.
