Plants vs Zombies 2 - Penny's Pursuit - Core Plant Showcase - Hypno-shroom - May 2023

This Penny's quest focuses on the GEM plant Hypno-shroom and was offered between between May 3, 2023 and May 10, 2023.

Special Delivery levels - where the plants are given to the player via a conveyor belt - are the most difficult of the Penny's Pursuit. This is because the player is unable to select the desired plants and usually must contend with under-powered and sub-optimal plants.

With four (4) Special Delivery levels this week, this is an exceedingly difficult selection of levels. So do not be too discouraged. Just do difficulty level 2 instead.

Hypno-shroom is a member of the Enchant-Mint family.
Hypno-shroom costs 125 Sun. (-25 Sun at levels 5 and 9.)
When a zombie eats Hypno-shroom, said zombie will convert - change sides - and fight for the player.
When a zombie eats a plant-food enhanced Hypno-shroom, said zombie will transform into a Gargantuar and fight for the player.

The Good:
Having zombies fight for you? Definitely a good thing.
Having a Gargantuar on your side? Definitely a nice sight to see.

The Bad:
The zombies tend to be rather fragile; eliminating 0-2 additional zombies before being dispatched. Even turncoat Gargantuars can be overwhelmed. Turncoat Gargantuars typically can keep a lane clear of zombies, but it is not as reliable as you would like. Jalapeños can damage all zombies in a row. Rhubarbarian is pretty good at lane clearing. Not sure we want to use a precious plant food and a plant slot for something that isn't as reliable as we would like.

The Bottom Line:
Don't get us wrong - this is a fun plant. It is a cool plant. It's just not a super-effective plant.

Level 1 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 0 of 2
Survive for 2 / 2.5 / 3 minutes
Chosen Perk is boosted hypno-shroom
Survive and protect the endangered plants - Homing Thistle on R3C4
Defeat not offered / 150 / 180 zombies in not offered / 150 / 180 seconds.

Level 2 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 0 of 2
Survive the zombie attack - Last Stand Style
Chosen Perk is Plant food carrying zombie.
Do not lose more than 4 / 2 / 1 plant(s).
Never have more than not offered / 18 / 15 plants.
Starting Sun = 2,200 / 2,000 / 1,750
Need Boingsetta to remove tombstones. Spikeweed will not kill weasels.

Level 3 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 1 of 2
Survive the zombie attack.
Chosen Perk is Powered Hypno-shroom
Fill a horizontal row with plants. (All 9 tiles must have a plant on it.)
Butter zombies not offered / 30 / 50 times.
Chickens with no reliable way to eliminate them?

Level 4 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - FAIL
Survive for 3 / 3 / minutes
Chosen Perk is Powered Hypno-shroom
Score to beat: 4,250,000 / 4,500,000 / 9,000,000
Poison zombies not offered / 75 / 100 times
Are they serious? Drop a zombie on column 1 at the beginning of a level with no way to eliminate it?

Level 5 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 0 of 2
Survive for 2.5 / 2.5 / 2.5 minutes
Chosen Perk is Quick Delivery - plants come faster.
Survive and protect the endangered plants - Torchwood on column 3.
Score to beat: not offered / 2,000,000 / 2,500,000

+Timestamps
00:00 Level 1 - Difficulty 3
03:00 Level 2 - Difficulty 3
04:26 Level 3 - Difficulty 3
06:02 Level 4 - Difficulty 3
06:42 Level 5 - Difficulty 3