I just finished my appointment for *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* at PAX West 2025, and I must say, I’m impressed. Although I’ve witnessed many *Plants vs. Zombies* games being played by my children at home, I hadn’t fully immersed myself in the franchise until now, and I genuinely believe *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* is an excellent way for the series to reconnect with its origins while also paying tribute to its evolution since its initial launch in 2009.

But what does this mean for both new and veteran players? Well, *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* is a remastered version of the original 2009 game, upgrading all those pixel graphics to 4K. The game not only looks stunning, but it also introduces several additional updates. PopCap Games has taken the feedback from players across numerous iterations of the game on various platforms and is incorporating some of the community’s beloved features into *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted.*

All the beloved game modes are included: Day, Night, Pool, Fog, and Roof. There’s also a feature labeled “Bonus Levels,” which I was briefed on only slightly as levels that players discovered but were never formally released. In *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted,* two new modes are also featured, known as Cloudy Day and Rest in Peace mode.

Beginning with the new Cloudy Day mode, this introduces something you would anticipate in *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted*…rain. Unfortunately for your cheerful sunflowers, with rain come clouds, and without sunlight, your sunflowers doze off—the team is rather proud of this charming little sleeping animation. Once they fall asleep, you cease generating the sun power necessary to plant, adding a fresh layer of challenge to the foundational *Plants vs. Zombies* experience.

Rest in Peace mode represents another layer of difficulty, particularly for players who have already completed the game. After finishing the entire adventure, you gain access to a handy switch that can increase the game’s difficulty. In this mode, Crazy Dave will randomly select three of the six plants available to you, and if you fail, your adventure resets to the very beginning. This could be quite punishing for some players, but fortunately, you can easily turn off that reliable switch and return to the standard game.

*Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* will include several other fan-favorite modes from previous titles in the franchise, such as the co-op mode introduced in the 2010 Xbox 360 version. In this mode, you collaborate with your own set of four plants and shared sun stock. You and your partner strategize and defend against zombies, although planting in front of one another can lead to the need for synchronization in gameplay.

Versus mode, which appeared in earlier *Plants vs. Zombies* titles, is also available in *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted.* In this mode, one player embodies the plants while the other takes on the role of the zombies in a competition to determine the victor. It’s important to note that both of these modes are restricted to couch co-op, and there has been no mention of online play.

*Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* also comes with the original game’s 20 mini games. I had the chance to preview Walnut Bowling, and I believe these modes will deliver a lot of enjoyment for newcomers while evoking a delightful sense of nostalgia for returning players. There are currently no plans for DLC for *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted,* as this is designed to be the foundation upon which the future of the franchise will be constructed.

No new plants will be introduced in *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted,* but a retro zombie skin will be available, bringing that 8-bit pixel art style to this 4K remaster. Additionally, early purchasers will receive a pre-order bonus: an 8-bit pixelated Pea Shooter, who is incredibly cute.

In summary, *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* looks exceptionally sharp in this remaster, effectively blending some of the favorite elements from more recent games while drawing players back to the fundamentals. I think *Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* will serve as an outstanding entry point for newcomers, and immediately after my playthrough, I began downloading other *Plants vs. Zombies* titles since it sparked my desire to start playing right away.

*Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted* launches on October 23, 2025, for $19.99 USD on Xbox Series X|S, Play