Plants vs. Zombies DS released in Europe and Australia

Released in North America at the start of 2011, PopCap's most excellent Plants vs. Zombies has finally made its way onto DS and DSi in Europe and Australia.

Of course, we thoroughly enjoyed the dual-screen version with reviewer Steve McCaskill giving it a Pocket Gamer Gold award and saying, "Plants vs. Zombies belies its cartoonish appearance with a deep and engaging tactical experience providing lasting appeal."

The DS game features all the gameplay modes included in the PC edition, such as Adventure, Survival, and Puzzle, adding ad-hoc wireless network multiplayer action, as well as four new exclusive mini-games - Air Raid, Home Run Derby, Heat Wave, and BOMB All Together - and 14 achievements.

Of course, the game has been reworked for Nintendo's handheld to ensure it runs as smoothly as it can, although the graphics and animations have been subtly pared down compared to more powerful hardware.

As for the DSiWare version, that's a cutdown edition to enable it to work as a download-only title. It contains the Adventure mode, the four mini-games, and one DSiWare exclusive mini-game, Zombie Trap.

"Plants vs. Zombies is already a fan favourite on PC, iPhone, iPad, and Xbox, and with this latest incarnation, we're bringing something special to Nintendo DS enthusiasts that'll keep players equally enthralled," Ed Allard, head of worldwide studios at PopCap, said.

Plants vs. Zombies is available now, priced around £20 or €30, or 800 Nintendo Points for the DSiWare version.