The Plants vs. Zombies franchise has undergone several transformations over the years, going from an approachable tower-defense franchise to the series of third-person (third-plant?) hero shooters we’ve seen over the last several years. The most recent entry, Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, took the PvE and PvP elements of the Garden Warfare games and expanded them out in myriad ways. Now, that 2019 release is coming to Switch via the Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville Complete Edition on March 19.
One of my chief complaints of Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville was in its overly complicated economy. This Complete Edition seems to minimize the impact of the competing currencies of the base game, delivering access to all 23 fully customizable characters and all cosmetic items ever released through offline or online in-game unlockables with no premium store or currency required.
You can zap zombies or pick off plants either solo offline, up to four-player cooperative play, or in 8v8 multiplayer matches. The Switch version also gives players the opportunity to take advantage of the console’s motion controls if they so choose and will be the first game that uses Electronic Arts’ Frostbite engine on Switch.
“We are excited to bring everyone’s favorite Plants vs. Zombies characters to Nintendo Switch for the first time, giving players the ability to play in their homes or on the go, however they choose,” producer Melvin Teo said in a press release. “The Switch’s motion controls allow us to try a fresh new take on Neighborville, and with its docked and portable play, we have the ability to bring the game and its characters to life in ways that weren’t possible before.”
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville originally launched on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in October 2019. For more on that version of the game, check out my review.
