Trash Can Zombie

Trash Can Zombies are new zombies from the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game, and are also in the Nintendo DS and PS3 versions. They have only been seen in Survival: Fog, Survival: Roof, Hard Survival levels, Survival: Endless, Co-op Endless (PS3), and as a selectable zombie in Versus Mode. They do not have any Almanac Entry.

Trash Can Zombies are zombies holding a trash can for use as armor, negating the freezing effects of any Snow Peas hitting it or the splash effect of torched peas, but since Winter Melons throw their melons over the Trash Can, they can hit the zombie. Because of the weight of the trash can, these zombies move at about the speed of a Gargantuar, although even after the destruction or removal of the Trash Can, it will retain its slow speed. These zombies are identical in all respects to Screen Door Zombies, except for a difference in shield damage absorbency and speed. They can be found in all modes. It is found in the PC version, just in Survival Mode only.

Overview
Absorbs 50 normal damage shots. Appearance changes upon absorption of 14, 27, 40 (by this point the trash can is destroyed), and 45 normal damage shots before dying at 50 normal damage shots.

Strategy
The Magnet-shroom can be used to take away the trash can, turning the Trash Can Zombie into a normal Zombie. The lobbed shot plants simply throw projectiles over the shield, damaging the zombie directly, making the shield useless. It is a good idea to use Cabbage-pults, Kernel-pults, Melon-pults, Winter Melons, Fume-shrooms, Gloom-shrooms, Spikeweeds, and Spikerocks in hard levels to negate the protection of the trash can. Melon-pults are much more useful however, since the Trash Can Zombies appear a bit later in the rounds when there are large groups of zombies to begin with, and the chances of a Cabbage-pult actually killing one is slim. The trash can also negates the splash effect of flaming peas. You shouldn't try to hypnotize it, though as the trash can doesn't protect it against other Zombies like other shield zombies, making them very weak allies compared to the Football Zombie or Buckethead Zombie, since they will eat them, thus wasting your sun. However, Gargantuars, Zombonis, or any zombie that never eats plants don't kill him, but you don't need this to hypnotize it. Instant Kills work normally on the Trash Can Zombie.

Versus Mode
Many people feel that Trash Can Zombies are worthless for this mode, but they are actually very useful if used in combination with other Zombies. Their high health and low cost make them a good choice to clear a row of Plants. They also work well with Football Zombies. As the Football Zombie charges forward in the lane and eats the plants, it will protect the Trash Can Zombie long enough for it to move down the lane and finish off the last few plants if the Football Zombie is killed. The Trash Can Zombie can be also used as a cheap shield to protect the gravestones and Target Zombies in Sudden Death when you can't plant any more gravestones, making it kind of similar to a zombie counterpart to the Wall-nut.

Trivia

 * The Trash Can Zombie not only appears in Versus Mode, but also in Survival mode as an added zombie.
 * This is the first zombie that has been added in a later release of the game, not counting the Dancing Zombie which was only re-styled.
 * When hit, the trash can has the same effect noise as a Buckethead Zombie, when hit in the head.
 * The Trash Can Zombie is one of the zombies that can degrade into a normal zombie. The other three are the Conehead Zombies, the Buckethead Zombies and the Screen Door Zombies.
 * In the DS version, the Trash Can has a bigger border.
 * In Survival and Co-op Levels, The Trash Can Zombie moves as fast as a normal zombie.
 * Even if the trash can is destroyed, the zombie will continue to walk very slow.
 * It could be because it is used to that speed.
 * Or it could be exhausted from carrying the huge trash can across the lawn.
 * It is unknown how Fume-shroom's and Gloom-shroom's Fumes can penetrate the Trash Can, as there is no sign of holes in the Trash Can.
 * It is possible that the fumes go around.
 * That still doesn't explain as if that were to happen, then Zombies in adjacent lanes would get hit by the Fumes.

See Also:

 * Screen Door Zombie
 * Shield Zombies
 * Shields
 * Trash Can