Plants vs Zombies 2 - Penny's Pursuit - Seedium Showcase - Chili Pepper - January 2024

Chili Pepper - was offered between February 3, 2024 through February 10, 2024.

Chili Pepper is a member of the Winter-Mint family.
Chili Pepper costs 100 Sun. (-25 Sun at levels 5 and 9.)
Chili Pepper does 1,200 damage to all zombies on the square it has been planted on. (+100 on levels 2-7, +400 on level 8.)
Chili Pepper does 900 damage to all zombies two (2) tiles to the left and right of the planting spot. (+100 per level except level 8.)
Chili Pepper freezes all zombies in the tile it has been planted in for 13 seconds. (+1 second per level until level 8.)
Chili Pepper freezes all zombies in the rows above and below for 3 seconds. (+1 second on levels 3 and 5. +2 seconds on level 8.)
Chili Pepper chills all zombies in the rows above and below for 3 seconds. (+1 second on levels 2, 3, 5, 9 and 10.)

Commentary:
There is a lot happening here so we should digest some of this.
Chili Pepper does nice damage to the zombies on the tile it was planted in.
Chili Pepper freezes any zombies which survive.
Chili Pepper does light damage to zombies in nearby tiles.
Chili Pepper does light freezing to zombies in nearby tiles.

Basically, this is a cold version of a merge between Cherry Bomb and Jalapeño.

The problem with Chili Pepper is that is does a little of many things instead of a lot of a few things. This generalist approach means Chili Pepper will do *something* when planted, but won't he *helpful* when you need it to be.

Bottom Line:
We want to like Chili Pepper. It's a cool idea and should be implemented properly. Having played this plant, we simply have not found a place for it. We would rather have Cherry Bomb AND Jalapeño instead of playing a weaker and winterized version of a merge between these plants and saving a seed slot.

Level 1 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 2 of 2
Survive the zombie attack.
Chosen Perk is Heavy Watering Perk - Plants recharge faster.
Butter Zombies 100 / 100 / 100 times
There are precious flowers on the lawn which can not be trampled - not offered / 3 & 4 / 4 & 5
Need to save the plant food for the Gargantuar.

Level 2 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 1 of 2
Survive the zombie attack - Last Stand Style
Chosen Perk is SHIELDS
Protect the endangered plants: Rotobagas on R15C4 / +R3C5 / +R24C3
There are precious flowers on the lawn which can not be trampled - not offered / 2 & 3 / 3 & 4
Starting Sun = 2,075 / 1,875 / 1,625
We've tried this multiple times and could not find a solution. Maybe a high level knockback coupled with Blastberry Vine can delivery enough firepower to clear the level. But shields are needed for Fisherman zombie.

Level 3 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 2 of 2
Survive for three (3) minutes.
Chosen Perk is Bass Blast - knocks back zombies
Score to beat: 750,000 / 1,000,000 /
There are precious flowers on the lawn which can not be trampled - not offered / 2 & 3 / 3 & 4
This can be done but need to do this slower that I was.

Level 4 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 2 of 2
Survive the zombie attack.
Chosen Perk is Boosted Hypnoshrooms - zombies who eat this are transformed into Gargantuars.
There are precious flowers on the lawn which can not be trampled - 4 & 5 / 4 & 5 / 4 & 5
Destroy not offered / 20 / 30 Gravestones.
Like everything else this week, high levels of perks may not be enough. ZCorps HR Zombies moving zombies around make things difficult.

Level 5 - Difficulty 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Bonus 1 of 2
Survive the zombie attack - Beghouled style. - 100 / 100 / 100
Chosen Perk is Float Away zombies
Produce at least 3,500 / 4,250 / 5,000 Sun
There are precious flowers on the lawn which can not be trampled - not offered / 2 & 3 / 3 & 4
The Sun production is easy enough. But there are just so many zombies, so little firepower and with Beghouled levels, so difficult to manipulate that these levels are more frustrating than difficult.

+Timestamps
00:00 Level 1 - Difficulty 3
03:41 Level 2 - Difficulty 3
04:56 Level 3 - Difficulty 3
06:08 Level 4 - Difficulty 3
08:12 Level 5 - Difficulty 3