Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time preview

If we've learned anything from pop culture over the past few years, it's that zombies are not going to leave us alone. Like ever. Our only solace is that out flora friends have our backs, and they will prove it again this summer in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time. EA's mobile suite had a playable version on display at E3, and yours truly got to spend some quality time with PopCap's latest effort.

The basics that made the first PvZ so popular haven't changed too much. In each stage, you can choose from a selection of plants to defend the left side of the grid from zombies who attack from the right. Strategic considerations include placement and timing, as more powerful plants can't come into play until you've collected enough sun. Zombies still don't like sun.

What the sequel gives you is more of everything. There are 12 new plants to master, each one giving you new options on defense. My favorites were Bonk Choy, a melee fighting cabbage, and the expensive but powerful Coconut Cannon. The Peapod, a ranged unit that can be purchased and stacked on itself multiple times for more firepower, was also a lot of fun.

Want more flexibility to deal with the shambling hordes? You've got it. Some levels have carts on tracks so you can slide plants between lanes. Sun can be collected by swipes instead of individual taps, something another E3 attendee said will save him from carpal tunnel syndrome.

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