Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders/Mechanics

This is a list of all the game mechanics and features in Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders.
=== Plants ===
Plants are living organisms that belong to the Plantae kingdom. They are the protagonists of Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders, and a full list of Plants can be found here:
=== Zombies ===
Zombies are reanimated, mindless, decaying corpses with a hunger for human brains. They are the main antagonists of Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders, and a full list of Zombies can be found here:
=== Currencies ===
Icon	Name 	Description
 	Sun 	Sun is collected within each level in order to place Plants onto the lawn. It can fall from the sky, be produced by sun-producing plants, or given as a refund for shoveling a Plant. Like in PvZ2, the base sun is worth 50 Sun, with other sizes fluctuating from 5 to 75 Sun in value.
 	Coins	Coins are the main form of currency, used to buy Plant levels, costumes, and items from Crazy Dave's shop. There are 2 types of coins, Siver Coins, worth $10, and Gold Coins, worth $100. Coins may be dropped by Zombies upon defeat, and one Silver Coin is earned at the end of a level for each Lawn Mower remaining. In the Zen Garden, coins can be produced by Marigolds and watered Plants and can be earned by selling Crazy Dave fully-grown Plants.
=== Coin Bags ===
Coin Bags are earned after completing certain levels on the map and give a large amount of coins once. There are 2 types of coin bags, a Bag of Coins, worth $500 or a Sack of Coins, worth $1000. 
=== Times of Day ===
In PvZ: SD, there are multiple different times in which levels can take place. These are Day, Night, Dawn, and Dusk.
*During daytime levels, normal Suns drop at a rate of one Sun every ten seconds and night Plants fall asleep when planted.
*At night, no sun falls from the sky, Sunflowers fall asleep, and night Plants will be awake.
*During dawn or dusk levels, small Suns fall that are worth 25 sun and all types of plants can be planted, but all sun-producers produce sun 20% slower.
=== Plant Food ===
Plant Food functions the same as in Plants vs Zombies 2, giving plants powerful effects that usually last a few seconds, but may also be permanent depending on the plant. Unlike in PvZ2, Plant Food cannot be purchased and Plants cannot be boosted to get PF effects for free.
=== Shovel ===
The Shovel lets you dig up your Plants, removing the Plant and giving you a 50% sun refund. It is unlocked directly after the Tutorial. In the Zen Garden, it is used to move Plants to different flowerpots, and to pick up and sell fully grown Plants.
===Gimmicks===
Gimmicks are area-exclusive gameplay modifiers in Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders. Gimmicks include level modifiers, sneak attacks, times of day, and other mechanics used to heighten the difficulty of the basic game. This is a list of all the gimmicks present in Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders, and are grouped by world and type. 
===Level Modifiers:===
Area	Modifiers 			
 	N/A 			
 	Dirt Sacks: Dirt Sacks block straight-shot projectiles and Zombies can pick them up as extra protection. 			
 	Cobblestones: Cobblestone tiles need Flower Pots to be planted on and are randomly scattered throughout the lawn. 			
 	Flowers: Flowers constantly grow throughout the lawn, overriding Plants on their tiles and buffing Zombies that bite them. Flowers have 3 bites of health, but Zombies will ignore a flower after biting it once. You can tap on a flower to spend 50 Sun to remove it or place Invasive Species to block them from growing. There are 3 types of flowers:
- Blue Flowers: Increase the walking speed of Zombies by 25%.
- Yellow Flowers: Increase the eating speed of Zombies by 25%.
- Red Flowers: Heal Zombies by 25% and give them +10% max health.
Tall Grass: Tall Grass covers random tiles of the lawn and is removed when Plants are planted on it, regrowing on a different tile over time.			
 	Logs: Logs block straight-shot projectiles and cannot be planted on. They may also contain 3-5 Zombie Weasels, which run at your Plants when their log is destroyed.			
 	Fog: Fog appears on the first 4 tiles on the right of the lawn and obscures your vision unless countered by Plantern.
Will-o'-the-wisps: Will-o'-the-wisps appear across the lawn and weaken nearby Plants, causing Plants in a 3x3 area to deal 25% less damage. Lightning Reed can be used to remove wisps, but they will disappear over time if left alone.			
 	Water: The first 5 tiles of the lawn are water and require Lily Pads to be planted on.
Seaweed Clumps: Seaweed Clumps appear on random water tiles and can be planted on like Lily Pads. Heavy Plants such as Wall-nut cause the Seaweed Clump to sink, destroying it and the Plant on it.			
 	Gravestones: Gravestones prevent planting on their tile and can only be destroyed by Grave Buster. At the start of every wave, a random basic Zombie spawns from each intact grave.
Tombstones: Tombstones block straight-shot projectiles and have lots of health, but can only summon Zombies during Necromancies.			
 	All tiles are hard tiles, requiring Flower Pot or Sod to be planted on
The middle 3 lanes are street, allowing Zombie Vehicles to appear there. 			
 	Water Lanes: The middle three lanes are water and require Lily Pads to be planted on.
Diving Boards: Some Water Lanes have diving boards on them, which Zombies can use to enter the pool two tiles further than normal. Destroyed Diving Boards are replaced at the start of each wave.			
 	All tiles other than the leftmost 2 are covered in ice. Flower Pots are required to plant on all tiles, and Sod cannot be planted here. However, Winter-mint Family Plants can be planted on the ice without a Flower Pot.
Freezing Floor: Every few seconds, a random Flower Pot on the ice will start to freeze. When a Flower Pot is frozen, both it and the Plant on it will be frozen solid. Fire Plants or Heat Moss are required to heat up Frozen Plants.			
 	Filing Cabinets: Filing Cabinets absorb a bunch of damage, then send papers flying after finally breaking down.
Desks: Desks absorb a good amount of damage and protect the Zombies working at them, who charge down the lane in a frenzied rage after their desk is destroyed.
Paper: Paper occupies tiles of the lawn and can be picked up by Zombies for extra protection or to activate special abilities.			
 	All tiles are hard tiles, requiring Flower Pot or Sod to be planted on.
Vents: Vent Tiles appear on some tiles of the lawn and cannot be planted on. After a Vent Inspection, all vents will open and Imps will continuously pour out until a Flat-shroom is planted to block it.
Pipes: Pipes slowly release steam that weakens Plants in a 3x3 area until they are destroyed and block straight-shot projectiles.
Birdfeeders: Birdfeeders constantly summon Zombie Pigeons that attack your defenses and can only be hit by lobbed-shot projectiles.			
 	Flower Pots are required to plant here.
Sharp Ground: The ground, aside from the leftmost 2 columns, is covered in sharp debris that slowly damages Flower Pots or quickly destroys non-potted Plants.
Toxic Pools: Toxic Pools cannot be planted on, and constantly summon Zom-Globs and occasionally Zom-Blobs.
Junk Piles: Junk Piles spawn on random tiles after the first wave of a level. When an unarmored Zombie steps on one, it will transform into a Rusty Armor Zombie.			
 	Hover-Graves: Hover-Graves drop down from the sky and act like normal gravestones, then begin to move up and down when damaged.
Pod Bots: Pod Bots slowly shoot mechanical peas at your Plants. They do not activate until 20 seconds into a level and cannot be destroyed, but will be stunned after taking enough damage.
Teleporters: Teleporters transport Zombies from one teleporter to another, but have to recharge after transporting 3 Zombies. There can be up to 2 sets in a level, which can be temporarily deactivated by E.M.Peach.
Conveyor Belts: Conveyor Belts act like PvZ2 Slider Tiles, but can activate, deactivate, or switch directions at the start of every wave.
Special Modifiers: Only 1 of these will be present in any given Zomboss Labs level, as they drastically change the layout of the lawn
Pipe Leak: Lanes 2 and 4 are water lanes, requiring Lily Pads to be planted on.
Broken Tiles: Broken Tiles appear scattered in groups throughout the lawn. They act like basic Rusted Junkyard tiles, requiring Flower Pots to be planted on and damaging Flower Pots on them.
Fog Machines: Fog covers the rightmost 5 tiles of the lawn, obscuring your vision and requiring Planterns to see through it.			
Special Areas	
Special Areas 	
Special Areas	
Special Areas	
Special Areas
 	N/A 			
 	Pumpkins: Pumpkins drop from Pumpkinface Zombies after they are defeated. Pumpkins absorb 5 nds of damage and can stack up to 3 on a tile, and cannot be planted on.			
===Suprise Attacks:===
Area	Special Attacks 			
 	N/A 			
 	Dirt Dump! 2-4 Dirt Sacks drop randomly onto the lawn and squish Plants underneath them. 			
 	Kite Flight! 3-5 Kite Zombies fly onto the lawn without Kite Flyers, then drop onto the lawn after a few seconds. 			
 	Impfestation! A single Imp is summoned from 7-10 Tall Grass tiles on the lawn.
Growing Season! 3-5 flowers begin growing on random tiles and bloom after about 5 seconds.			
 	Weasel Drop! 4-8 Weasels drop from the top of the screen onto random tiles.
Forest Fury! All Zombies move 25% faster and have 25% more health for 10 seconds.			
 	Chomp! Gator heads rise up from 3 random tiles and instantly destroy Plants there after 5 seconds unless they take 15 damage first.
Fog Flow! The fog temporarily expands to fill the entire screen.			
 	Zombies in the Water! Multiple basic Zombies rise up from underwater.
Wave! A wave of water rushes over the lawn, pushing aquatic Zombies up a tile and moving all Plants on Lily Pads back a tile if there is nothing behind them.			
 	Necromancy! A random basic Zombie is summoned from all Tombstones on the screen, and Gravestones summon 3 Zombies instead.
Paranormal Activity! Up to five random Plants begin levitating, and light Plants will be thrown off the lawn. While levitating, Plants cannot attack and are set down after 5 seconds.			
 	N/A 			
 	Zombies in the Water! Multiple Ducky Tube Zombies float up from under the water. 			
 	Refreeze! All Flower Pots gain an extra level of Ice and have a small chance to be frozen solid.
Cleaning Time! A Zomboni appears on every lane, but no Bobsled Teams are spawned after them.			
 	Board Meeting! 2-3 Zombie Middle Managers spawn on random lanes, leaving after 20 seconds. During this time, Middle Manager speed boosts are doubled.
Crunch Time! Piles of paper and desks drop down from the sky.			
 	Bungee Blitz! 2-4 Bungee Zombies drop down to grab random plants and will take them off-screen if not killed after 3 seconds.
Vent Inspection! Imps begin spawning from all Vent Tiles until they are blocked with a Flat-shroom.
Air Drop! Four to five Bungee Zombies carrying normal or Conehead Zombies drop onto the screen, dropping their Zombies onto the lawn.			
 	Toxic Leak! 2-3 Toxic Tiles spawn on random unoccupied tiles.
Rustformation! 4-5 Basic Zombies are transformed into Rusty Armour Zombies.			
 	Tele-Drop! Teleporters drop down over random tiles, summoning 3-5 basic Zombies on those tiles.
Pod Deploy! 3-4 temporary Pod Bots are summoned on random tiles near the back of the lawn.
Robot Rumble! All previously destroyed Cyborg Zombies are reborn as Enraged Cyborgs that charge towards your defenses.			
Special Areas	
Special Areas 	
Special Areas	
Special Areas	
Special Areas
 	Hero Time! A random Zombie Hero drops from the sky, using a variety of attacks to aid the Zombie in reaching your brains.			
 	Pumpking's Curse! All Pumpkins on the lawn transform into basic Pumpkinface Zombies.
Tricky Treats! 3-5 candies spawn randomly across the screen, which can be tapped to remove and have different effects depending on if they're a Trick! or a Treat!			
=== Plant Families ===
Like PvZ2, Plants can have families based on their abilities or appearance. Each Plant can have up to 2 families. Additionally, Pepper-Mint family Plants are immune to freezing, heat up Plants in a 3x3 area, and get a small attack buff when planted on Heat Moss, and Winter-Mint family Plants can be placed directly on ice and cannot be frozen.
=== Plant Synergy ===
When a column of Plants all share a common family*, all Plants in the column will receive a small boost, based on the synergizing plant family. These boosts are:
*Arma-mint, Appease-mint, and Ail-mint - 10% increased attack speed
*Pepper-mint, Enforce-mint, and Bombard-mint - 10% increased damage
*Winter-mint - Chilled Zombies move 10% slower, frozen Zombies stay frozen 10% longer
*Spear-Mint and Fila-mint - 25% more pierce (minimum +1 pierce, 10% more damage for infinite-pierce Plants)
*Enlighten-mint - 10% increased production speed
*Reinforce-mint - 10% damage reduction
*Contain-mint - 10% more effective containing (buff varies based on the plant)
*Enchant-mint - 10% more effective enchanting (buff varies based on the plant.
*Note that two-family Plants can receive two synergy buffs at the same time if the column is filled with Plants that share both families.
=== Alternate Plants ===
Alternate Plants are unlocked after receiving the Genetic Kit in Abandoned Greenhouse, allowing you to purchase and swap between alternate forms of your Plants. Each plant has one alternate form, which has different abilities, stats, and uses from its base form. Unlocking an Alternate Plant can be done for a small amount of coins while in the seed select screen or Almanac, the price of which increases based on where the plant was unlocked.
=== Special Areas ===
Special Areas are unique areas that are different from normal areas. They can be completed nonlinearity, and are usually unlocked by completing certain objectives or purchasing a special item from Crazy Dave.
=== Costumes ===
Costumes are cosmetic decorations that change a Plant's appearance but serve no purpose otherwise. Costumes can be bought at Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies or found in end-of-area Gift Boxes, and have a 1% chance to be dropped by a defeated Zombie.
=== Gift Boxes ===
A Gift Box is unlocked after completing certain levels on the map, or from purchasing with Tickets.
* A Costume
* 500-1000 Coins
* 2-3 Zen Garden plants
=== Seed Packets ===
Seed Packets function exactly as they did in previous Plants vs Zombies games, allowing you to chose the Plants you want to bring into a level. During a level, a Seed Packet can be tapped on to convert Sun into a Plant, which can then be placed onto the lawn. Seed Packets must recharge after being used, and, unlike in PvZ2, Plant Food cannot be used on Seed Packets to instantly recharge them.
SD Day Packet.png|Day Plant seed packet
SD Sun Packet.png|Sun-producer seed packet
New Dark Ages Seed Packet.png|Night Plant seed packet
SD Water Packet.png|Aquatic Plant seed packet
SD Sky Packet.png|Flying Plant seed packet
=== Seed Slots ===
Seed Slots act the same as the first two games. The player is given 7 default Seed Slots at the start of the game, but an 8th is unlocked after completing Furious Forest, and a 9th after Main Street.
=== Lawn Plants ===
Lawn Plants are a special category of plants made up of Flower Pot, Lily Pad, and Sod, which are required to plant on certain tiles. Lawn Plants are represented as circular icons on the bottom left of the screen, where they can be selected and planted. Lawn Plants cost sun but do not take up seed slots, and only appear on levels where they are needed for planting.
Flower Pot Icon SD.png|Flower Pot's placement icon
Lily Pad Icon SD.png|Lily Pad's placement icon
Sod Icon SD.png|Sod's placement icon
=== Status Effects ===
Status Effects are special effects that directly affect Plants or Zombies and can be applied by certain abilities. When a Plant or Zombie is suffering from a Status Effect it will have a visual indicator applied to it, usually a color change or added texture.
===List of Status Effects:===
Zombies 	Zombies
Chilled 	Chilled Zombies walk and eat 50% slower and have a blue tinge. Fire attacks instantly remove this effect from Zombies damaged by them.
Frozen 	Frozen Zombies are unable to move until the freeze wears off and are blue-tinged with ice crystals attaching their feet to the ground. Fire attacks instantly remove this effect from Zombies damaged by them.
Burning 	Burning Zombies have flame particles coming off of them and quickly take damage over time. Ice attacks instantly remove this effect from Zombies damaged by them.
Slowed 	Slowed Zombies walk and eat 25% slower and have a purple tinge, as well as clouds of perfume trailing behind them.
Hypnotized 	Hypnotized Zombies walk to the right and attack other Zombies they encounter, and have a pinkish tinge as well as semi-transparent bubbles slowly floating off their heads.
Stunned 	Stunned Zombies are unable to move for a short time and have white stars circling their heads.
Buttered 	Buttered Zombies are unable to move for a little while and have a large pat of butter attached over their face.
Sun-infected	Sun-infected Zombies drop small amounts of sun when they are damaged and have a yellow glow over their stomach.
Plants 	Plants
Stunned	Stunned Plants are ignored by Zombies and are unable to attack, and have a 'blinking' effect as well as a spiral icon spinning over them.
Kelped 	Kelped Plants have a blob of seaweed on top of them and are unable to attack until the seaweed is destroyed. Seaweed has 15 nds of health and must be eaten by Zombies before they can attack the kelped plant.
Frozen 	Frozen Plants have an ice block covering them and are unable to attack and ignored by Zombies until the ice block is destroyed.
Gooped 	Gooped Plants are ignored by Zombies and deal 50% less damage for the first 15 seconds, then are covered with a layer of hardened goop that prevents them from attacking and blocks straight-shot projectiles. Gooped Plants have a blob of goop covering them in Phase 1, then are covered in a goop crystal once it hardens.
----
=== Missions ===
Missions are special levels located off of the main level path in areas. Missions are shown as a single level point, which changes in appearance as you beat the mission levels, being replaced with your reward once completed. Missions are made up of 2-5 levels, usually being more difficult than a standard level with more unique gimmicks and harder battles. Completing missions unlocks Coins, new Plants, and other rewards depending on the mission completed.
=== Objectives ===
Like in PvZ2, some levels have Objectives, which are requirements needed to complete the level. These are:
* Don't let the zombies trample the flowers.
* Survive without planting on the mold colonies.
* Survive with plants picked for you.
* Survive with most plants picked for you.
* Survive with limited Seed Slots.
* Protect the endangered plants.
* Never have more than x plants. 
* Never have more than x copies of a plant.
* Don't lose more than x plants.
* Defeat x zombies in y seconds.
* Produce at least x sun.
* Spend no more than x sun
* End the level with at least x plants.
* Destroy x obstacles before the end of the level
* Survive while a conveyor belt delivers Seed Packets.
* Survive without Lawn Mowers.
=== Travel Log ===
The Travel Log is a feature that keeps track of the player's completed areas and alternate paths. It also houses the Achievement and Photo sections and notifies the player of changes between updates.
=== Zen Garden ===
The Zen Garden is a special area in Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders where the player can grow Sprouts they've collected and sell them at Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies. More info can be found here:
=== Suburban Almanac === 
The Suburban Almanac is a feature that gives details on your encountered Plants and Zombies, as well as housing the Plant Stat section, and is where the player can swap their unlocked Plant Levels and switch out Costumes, Cosmetics, and Plant Food abilities. You can also test your Plant's power on the new Zombie Dummies, immobile and invulnerable enemies perfect for showing off the skills of your fighters.
=== Cosmetics: ===
Cosmetics are unlockable, decorative objects found in Plants vs. Zombies: Suburbia Defenders. Cosmetics can be unlocked by completing Epic Quests, purchased from Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies, or completing Achievements. Each Plant can have 1 Cosmetic equipped at a time, and Plants can have both a Cosmetic and a Costume active at any time. 
=== List of Cosmetics: ===
Image	Name 	How to Unlock
 	Orbital 	Unlocked after completing the Astronomical Epic Quest
 	Enchanted	Unlocked after completing the Enchanting Epic Quest.
 	Trashy 	Unlocked after completing the Rusted Junkyard Challenge Pack.
 	Sparkles 	Unlocked after completing 50 Achievements.
 	Superstar	Purchased from Crazy Dave's Shop for 50,000 Coins.
*Cosmetics are available for all Plants, but are shown here on a Peashooter for scale.
=== Boss Fights ===
Boss Fights are special levels that take place on the final level of each area, where the player must fight and defeat one of Zomboss's Zombots. Bosses have a slower progression system compared to the second game, with more health but slower attack patterns and less Zombie spawns. Zombots also move around much less and sometimes have defined "weak points" where they must be hit or are invulnerable at certain times.
=== Minibosses ===
On the 15th level of each area, a miniboss fight against a Z-Mech will take place. Z-Mechs all have the same main set of attacks, with different specifics for attacking. For example, one Z-Mech may shoot missiles that instantly destroy a Plant, while another might shoot weaker missiles that do splash damage.
=== Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies ===
Crazy Dave's Twiddydinkies is Crazy Dave's shop and is located in the trunk of his car. The player gains access to it after finding his Car Key at the end of the Tutorial. The player can sell fully-grown Zen Garden Plants and purchase Zen Garden items, costumes, and certain Plants.
=== Difficulty Ratings ===
Difficulty Ratings are seen when viewing an area on the map and roughly represent the area's difficulty. Areas are ranked with Small Peppers, Jalapenos, and Devil Chilis, where one Jalapeno is worth 3 Small Peppers and one Devil Chili is equivalent to five Jalapenos. Jalapenos represent roughly the same difficulty as their PvZ2 counterparts, although levels are a bit more difficult overall.
== Gallery ==
Sun PvZ2.png|A Sun
Pvz2plantfood-0.png|A Plant Food
Travel Log HD.png|The icon for the Travel Log
HD Mystery Gift Box.png|A Gift Box
Money Bag.png|A Bag of Coins
Large Money Bag.png|A Sack of Coins
Silver Coin.png|A Silver Coin
Gold Coin.png|A Gold Coin
Suburbia Defenders genetic modification icon.png|The icon for Genetic Modification
Small Pepper.png|A Small Pepper, used for rating difficulty.
Hjala.png|A Jalapeno, used for rating difficulty
Devil Chilli.png|A Devil Chili, used for rating difficulty
Almanac PvZ2.png|The icon for the Suburban Almanac
Category:Uncleared page