Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition review

Plants vs. Zombies is the cheapest way into tower defense and still one of the best reviewed. Instead of towers along a path, you plant defenders in lawn rows, from peashooters to cherry bombs, against 26 types of zombies. The GOTY Edition on Steam includes five modes: Adventure with 50 levels through day, night, fog, a swimming pool and a rooftop, plus Mini-Games, Puzzle, Survival and the Zen Garden. You earn 49 plants and spend coins in Crazy Dave's shop. It costs $4.99 on the US Steam store, and 98% of 43,692 English Steam reviews are positive, the highest share on this list. The limits come from its age: Steam lists Windows XP, Vista and 7 requirements, English only, and there is no multiplayer. EA also sells Plants vs. Zombies: Replanted, a 2025 HD remaster, for $19.99, but only 65% of its 3,327 English Steam reviews are positive.

Who it is for

casual players and families on a tight budget

Price

$4.99 one-time purchase on Steam (US store).

zombies dead in their tracks. $4.99 Buy on Steam
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 11, 2026.

Key features

• Five modes: Adventure, Mini-Games, Puzzle, Survival and Zen Garden
• 50 Adventure levels across day, night, fog, pool and rooftop
• 26 zombie types and 49 plants
• Almanac with every plant and zombie
• Crazy Dave's shop for special plants and tools

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: $4.99, the cheapest paid game on this list
• Strength: 98% of 43,692 English Steam reviews are positive
• Strength: Minimum spec asks for 1 GB of RAM and 65 MB of storage
• Weakness: Steam lists English as the only supported language
• Weakness: Lists Windows XP, Vista and 7 in its requirements, a 2009-era release
• Weakness: Single-player only, with fewer systems than the top picks

Key facts

• Developer: PopCap Games
• Publisher: Electronic Arts
• Released on Steam: May 5, 2009
• English Steam reviews: 98% positive of 43,692
• Metacritic (shown on Steam): 87

Where it ranks

Plants vs. Zombies GOTY Edition is No. 3 in our Best Tower Defense Games verdict.