While not the most complete version, Plants vs. Zombies on the DS is just as addictive as any version of it.
GRAPHICS:
Definitely this versions weakest point, the graphics on the DS are cramped and unimpressive. The plants and zombies still ooze with charm, but it is an overall simple looking game, and that simplicity can at times be rather ugly. The game, while still fast paced, is slower on the DS, and some effects do look kind of worse due to that. 2.5/5
SOUND:
The music in this game is just amazing. Again, while a bit muddled in the DS, it still sounds awesome. The themes are incredibly catchy and fitting of where they play. The credits song is specially good, matching Portal's Still Alive in quality of its lyrics. 5/5
GAMEPLAY:
The game is a tower defense-type of game. There are zombie, and you have to protect youir brains from it. There is no more need for storyline and that is enough reason to keep playing.
To defend your house (and your brain), you have to plant a variety or plants and fungi to protect your lawn. You start the game with the most basic plants, but as you keep playing, you gain newer and more powerful ones, and the variety in the latter parts is amazing, since you can have a huge amount of different strategies.
To plant, you have to collect sun that is falling from the sky and from your sunflowers. Aftet you get a certain amount, you spend it to plant something. For example, the most basic artilery, the Pea Shooter (I see what you did there game), you have to spend 100 sun. Every drop of sun counts as 25, so you have to get 4 of those. Carefully choosing the most adequate plants for a level and spending your sun consiently is the key to succeed in this game.
The variety in plants is a huge posite of the game. There is the already mentioned Pea Shooters, deadly Cheery Bombs, protective Wall-nuts and so on. Like I said, over the end of the game, you will have a multitude of ways to play the levels, and at times you can even play a level for a second time with a different strategy and see that that can have great results.
The is a total of 50 levels, divided in 5 segments: Day, Night, Pool, Fog and Roof. They vary in dificulty, but it never is too much to handle is you know what you are doing. However, besides the main quest, the are also 20 minigames to play. And the minigames are another big reason to play the game. They are for the most part incredibly fun. There are a few bummers and a few that are incredibly hard, but they are worth playing.
For the DS version, we have a few exclusive minigames, which are fun additions, but three game modes have been left. I mean it is of course due to the limitaion of the DSiWare games, but it still is disapointing. The modes left were the Puzzle mode, that had two types and many variations; Survival mode, which was to endure 5 or 10 flags of incoming zombies and the Zen Garden, where you could plant stuff and then sell them. They were all very cool modes and are sorrowly missed.
One the minigames and the main quest, you collect money, which can be used to buy newer plants and some other stuff to help you. After you beat the main quest once (which can take well over 10 hours), you unlock what is basicaly hard mode, where you can't choose 3 of your plants ( the game chooses to you) and there are more zombies.
On what matters, this version delivers what PvZ is about: very addictive and simple to understand gameplay mechanics, and the ability to take it anywhere is amazing. I can't fail to mention the humor of the game, on a last note. The game can be outright hilarious at times. You neighbor Crazy Dave delivers some lines before a few levels, and they can be quite funny, but the zombies and the plants themselves can be really funny too, due to their expressions and attitude. The descriptions for those are the best example, as they are pure genius.
5/5
OVERALL:
Plants vs. Zombies is one of the most addictive games I've ever played. I just couldn't stop playing it the moment I bought it. If you can, get any other version, due to the better looks and more stuff, but if you have to play the game, there is no shame on picking this version.
The good:
-Soundtrack is an absolute joy
-Incredibly fun and addictive gameplay
-Is almost bleeding charm, and can be quite funny
-Long adventure and a few great extras
-No matter how many times you play, you can play is again and will be just as fun
The bad:
-Quite some stuff is absent
-Graphics are a drab