Hit iPhone game transforms into Xbox 360 title

(All rights reserved - PopCap Games)

Plants vs Zombies, the hit iPhone, PC and Mac game, is to grace the Xbox 360's Live Arcade service early this September.

Players must defend a house from waves of waylaid zombies, by selecting and placing various garden plants endowed with defensive capabilities - pea-shooting legumes, cherry bombs, disruptive potatoes and walnuts are put to good use.

Easy to learn and hard to master, it was first released on PC in 2009, with a free version on the internet and a paid version allowing players to save their progress. The iPhone iteration came in February 2010, meaning that there was no escape for its addictive qualities.

The developers of Plants vs Zombies were also behind Bejeweled and Peggle, which have also been ported to consoles and phones after starting life as computer games or web-based diversions.

Though Plants vs Zombies can be had on PC for €10 or $10, its makers at PopCap Games are hoping that the addition of competitive and co-operative multiplayer modes will lure players to part with $15 for the Xbox 360 version.

Fieldrunners is another iPhone success that has made the transition to consoles. With similar gameplay to Plants vs Zombies, it can now be found on Nintendo DS, PSP and PlayStation 3.

In the same way, Flight Control started life as an iPod and iPhone game but within a year was released on Nintendo's handheld DS.