The original zombie-defending gardening sensation may be a few years old, but the real-time strategy hit, Plants vs. Zombies, lives strong as it makes its way to more and more devices. The killer PopCap app hasn't changed much from its original incarnation, it's just been optimized for touch-based controls and smaller screens. It's just as wacky and fun as ever, though, so if you've never given it a try, now's your chance! It's Apple's Free App of the Week!

The general idea of Plants vs. Zombies is this: the zombies are coming, and they're trying to get into your house to eat your brains! They think coming in through the back yard is smart, but what they didn't count on is your army of defensive plant-based weaponry. By gathering sunlight as your currency, you can plant different flora in the soil of your lawn. Each plant has a different zombie-harming ability, such as pea shooters that damage the baddies, wallnuts that create sturdy barriers, or potato land mines. Keep the waves of undead at bay and you just might survive with your gray matter intact!

Zombies, too, have their own personalities and abilities, like pole vaulting zombies, football zombies, or the zombie catapult. Each level introduces new environmental elements to challenge you, such as night time stages where mushrooms reign supreme, fog, a swimming pool, and even a stage on the roof! There are plenty of bonuses to unlock as well, including achievements, items in the in-game shop, mini-games, and more. It all leads up to an epic final battle with the zomboss, an encounter you surely won't want to miss.

Be sure to check out our Plants vs. Zombies Walkthrough and Strategy Guide to get the most out of your mobile PvZ experience!

The creative variety of plants in Plants vs. Zombies is, on the surface, what makes it a supremely interesting game to play. The pitch-perfect level of difficulty and item progression is what makes you want to keep playing for hours on end. And, surprisingly, holding it all in your hands and using touch-based controls works just as well as a mouse, and it feels more natural, to boot. Still one of the best defense games around, the mobile version of Plants vs. Zombies packs just as much fun and funny as the PC version!