Squash

The Squash is a single-use plant that attacks zombies in a space directly to the left or right of it by squashing them. When a zombie comes in its range it jumps up and squashes it. The Squash appears to be loosely based on the Chayote Squash.

Suburban Almanac Entry
Squash

Squashes will squash the first zombie that gets close to it.

Damage: massive

Range: short range, hits all zombies that it lands on

Usage: single use

"I'm ready!" yells Squash. "Let's do it! Put me in! There's nobody better! I'm your guy! C'mon! Whaddya waiting for? I need this!"

Cost: 50

Recharge: slow

Usage
When planted, the Squash waits until it sees a Zombie in an adjacent square (to the left or right), which will be known, as the Squash's eyes will turn around to the zombie and make a "Hmm?" sound as if disapproving, and then it will pounce, crushing the zombies in that square. It has a slow recharge speed. It can also pounce on Vaulting Zombies who have vaulted over it. Sometimes, the Squash will fail to smash a Pogo Zombie. This usually happens on the slanted part of the Roof.

Standard Levels
The Squash is an excellent plant to use in early setup against that one zombie or tight group of zombies which are too strong for the current defense or that managed to sneak through. However, plant slots are generally too valuable for this plant to be of frequent use in earlier levels, though they are good against Gargantuars and Zombonis, and are excellent for Survival: Endless after you finish your setup. The Bobsled Bonanza Mini-game is one level that the Squash really shines on (although some setups need no Instant Kills at all), because of its relatively cheap cost and ability to destroy a Zomboni, but it only squashes one or two of the Zombie Bobsled Team in one hit, so use a Wall-nut or Tall-nut to make the zombies stack up. It is also helpful in the Column Like You See 'Em and Pogo Party Mini-games. One thing to remember is not to stack Squashes in one lane. For example, in the Roof levels, if a Bungee Zombie drops a zombie in the middle of the Squashes, two or three Squashes will squash only one zombie, wasting sun.

Vasebreaker
Vasebreaker Endless and Ace of Vase almost absolutely requires that you use the Squash, due to the presence of Gargantuars. Whenever you see a Gargantuar, hit it with two Squashes as quick as you can. Don't forget you can even plant the Squashes directly under the Gargantuar, and it will hit it before it has a chance to react. You may also use extra Squashes for the Buckethead Zombies. Squashes also apper on other Vasebreaker levels but they aren't necessary.

I, Zombie Puzzle levels
There are several I, Zombie levels with Squash. Make sure you use cheap zombies whenever you can, and remember that the Gargantuar can be easily taken down by two of them in the same lane.

Monster Mash Achievement


The achievement Monster Mash is earned by crushing five Zombies of any kind with one Squash. For Survival levels, this achivement can be earned quickly, but if your version does not have Survival, then plant a              Tall-nut during the final wave and wait for a mob of zombies to pile up. Then, Squash them all. You could also put a Wall-nut too, but it won't work as well.

Trivia

 * Technically, the Squash cannot be eaten/smashed, as he jumps on the attacker and kills it before he can be done more damage than a couple bites. It can when there are heaps of zombies and a Gargantuar so it can't get away.
 * It seems as if the Squash is sweating in its pictures.
 * The Squash can withstand the smash of a Gargantuar, although the Squash will jump before the Gargantuar can even try to squash it.
 * The Squash can be destroyed by Peashooter Zombies, Gatling Pea Zombies, Jalapeno Zombies, basketballs and Jack-in-the-Box Zombie explosions.
 * On the PSN and XBLA versions, your controller (connected) or your friends' controller (connected) will rumble when a Squash jumps at a land Zombie.
 * The Squash takes 16 Pea damage from a Peashooter Zombie or a Gatling Pea Zombie before dying just like a normal plant.
 * In the online version of the game, you get the Squash instead of the Potato Mine after Level 1-5.
 * For some reason, the Squash never squashes a Bungee Zombie to the left. This may be because, like when a Bungee Zombie targets a Chomper, it drops slightly behind the plant. But it should squash the zombie (since Squashes can go left or right).
 * Squashes deal almost full damage to Tall-nut Zombies, leaving them about with about a third of their health left, approximately 48 hits.
 * Only an Imitater Squash that is transforming can be run over, eaten or smashed.
 * The Squash, the Wall-nut, the Explode-o-nut and the Giant Wall-nut  are the only plants that can move. The last three plants mentioned can only move in Wall-nut Bowling.
 * However, the Explode-o-nut always moves, the other plants move only in specific ocasions.
 * If you plant a Squash on the edge of the Pool and squashes a zombie, instead of hitting the floor and making a thud, it makes a splash instead.
 * The Squash, the Chomper, the Tangle Kelp and the Potato Mine are the only Instant Kills that are activated on contact with the enemy.
 * The Squash, the Chomper and the Potato Mine are the only Instant Kills that can miss.
 * The whole screen will shake whenever a Squash squashes a zombie.
 * In the Online Version of the game, the Squash jumps higher than usual when squashing zombies.
 * It is the only massive damage plant besides the Chomper and the Tangle Kelp that is not an explosive.
 * The Squash, however, is the only one of these three that are Area-Of-Effect, making it a good choice when multiple zombies are coming in a single area.
 * Squash.pngBadge-642-5.png is also the plant that talks the most according to the Almanac, with the second one is the Coffee Bean.
 * In the free PC version, you can't use the Squash and Threepeater.
 * Squash's name means two things - one is the fact that he is a squash and the other being that he squashes enemies.
 * The Squash was bigger than usual in the DS trailer.
 * If the Squash looks left it will squash at the right and vice versa. It is unknown if this is a glitch or not.
 * If a Squash kills a zombie in the Pool, the Squash creates a small splash.
 * In the DS version, the Squash's "Hmmm?" is barely audible, however can still be heard when wearing headphones or putting your ears near the DS speakers.
 * A Squash can kill a Squash Zombie before it gets squashed.
 * The Squash is one of the two plants that can verbally speak. The other one is the Sunflower.
 * The Squash's idle animation looks like it's trying to squash the ground under it.
 * If a Pole Vaulting Zombie vaults over a Squash and the Squash doesn't kill it, it will not squash the zombie behind it.