Plants vs. Zombies is a 2009 tower defense video game developed and published by PopCap Games. First released for Windows and Mac OS X, the game has since been ported to consoles, handhelds, and mobile devices. In Plants vs. Zombies, the player takes the role of a homeowner in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. As a horde of zombies approaches along several parallel lanes, the player must defend the home by putting down plants, which fire projectiles at the zombies or otherwise detrimentally affect them. The game was designed by George Fan (pictured) as a sequel to Insaniquarium. Fan took inspiration from the games Magic: The Gathering and Warcraft III and the movie Swiss Family Robinson. The game was positively received by critics and was nominated for multiple awards. It quickly became the best-selling game developed by PopCap Games. Plants vs. Zombies was followed by a series of games after the acquisition of PopCap Games by Electronic Arts.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plants_vs._Zombies_%28video_game%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1801:

French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons co-discovered the first of his 37 comets, more than any other person in history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Louis_Pons

1921:

Former president William Howard Taft was sworn in as Chief Justice of the United States, making him the only person to date to have held both offices. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Howard_Taft

1991:

Shortly after taking off from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 caught fire and crashed, killing all 261 people on board. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_Airways_Flight_2120

2011:

An explosion at the Evangelos Florakis Naval Base killed 13 people, including the head of the Cyprus Navy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelos_Florakis_Naval_Base_explosion

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

athanor: (historical) A furnace or stove designed and used to maintain uniform heat, primarily used by alchemists. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/athanor

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Anyone who writes down to children is simply wasting his time. You have to write up, not down. Children are demanding. They are the most attentive, curious, eager, observant, sensitive, quick, and generally congenial readers on earth. They accept, almost without question, anything you present them with, as long as it is presented honestly, fearlessly, and clearly.   --E. B. White https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/E._B._White