Column Like You See 'Em

Column Like You See 'Em is a conveyor-belt mini-game in Plants vs. Zombies that takes place on the Roof. It is also present in Plants vs. Zombies: Journey to the West and Plants vs. Zombies: Great Wall Edition. The gimmick of this level is that all plants occur in a column. If one or more spaces in the column are occupied by other plants or unoccupied by Flower Pots, no plant will appear there. Because the player can plant up to five plants at once from each seed packet, the entire level consists of three huge waves. The game goes almost immediately to the first huge wave upon starting the game and in each wave, the zombies come in large groups.

Plants
Only one column of Tall-nuts, Potato Mines, Magnet-shrooms and Coffee Beans are provided.

Coffee Beans are always given right after Magnet-shrooms to wake them up.

Note that if players use the Jalapeno, it may not burn every zombie, since some zombies at the far right of the screen may be just visible, but cannot be attacked, due to their hitbox.

General tips

 * As only one column of Tall-nuts is provided, it is recommended not to place them in the very front but in the second or third column from the right instead, because this reduces the likelihood of them being destroyed or laddered.
 * Squash, Chompers, Jalapenos, and the Potato Mine can weather the storm of zombies.
 * It is recommended that the player saves at least one Jalapeno in case of an emergency, because they clear the screen of all non-Gargantuar Zombies if planted in an open column. They also destroy ladders off of Tall-nuts and Pumpkins.
 * When a column of Ladder Zombies appear, the player should place a column of Pumpkins on the column(s) succeeding the Tall-nuts to force them to waste their ladders. After a column of Ladder Zombies place their ladders, the player should then plant something pointless (like a Chomper) in the laddered Pumpkins to make the ladders disappear and force a second column of Ladder Zombies to lose their shields. If the Ladder Zombies manage to ladder the player's Tall-nuts, he or she should plant a column of Pumpkins on top of them and manually dig up all of the Pumpkins one by one with the shovel. The ladders will disappear.
 * The player should be cautious of the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie; since they come in columns, the chances of one exploding at any time are very high; just one set of Jack-in-the-Box Zombies is enough to destroy a fortified position and waste roof cleaners.
 * Ladder Zombies always appear halfway between waves, Jack-in-the-Box Zombies always appear just before a large wave starts, and Gargantuars only appear during the huge waves.
 * The player receives Flower Pots very frequently and should be used to stall zombies, but should not waste them.
 * When the player digs a plant up, he or she will not dig the whole column up.
 * The player should save his or her Jalapenos for the second and third waves and the Jack-in-the-Box Zombies.

Strategy 1
One particular setup involves Potato Mines in front, Tall-nuts immediately after, followed by Magnet-shrooms (with Pumpkins and Coffee Beans) and Chompers (again with Pumpkins), and an empty column for Squash or Jalapenos (if you are going for Chilli Free, plant Chompers here; but if there are no more Chompers, leave it open for Squash), followed by as many columns of Melon-pults as possible.

The theory is that the Potato Mines are used for the first few zombies and the Tall-nuts block off the zombies until the Ladder Zombies show up. After they climb over the Tall-nuts, they will either climb over the Magnet-shrooms or eat them, and hopefully they get eaten by the Chompers. The Magnet-shrooms are right behind the Tall-nuts for a better effective radius, and Squash are for Imps and emergencies. If you have a Flower Pot and you save your Potato Mine, you can use it for the Gargantuars.

If the zombies successfully breach your defenses, plant as many columns of Flower Pots as possible to stall the zombies. Once the Jack-in-the-Box Zombies appear, wait for them to pass the third column from the right. Place a column of Flower Pots in the rightmost column. Use your resources (especially the Jalapenos) to eliminate the final zombies.

Strategy 2
Another strategy involves Tall-nuts in Pumpkins at the front, Potato Mines behind, followed by Magnet-shrooms and Chompers, with as many columns of Melon-pults behind as possible. The theory behind this strategy is for the Magnet-shrooms and the Melon-pults to take care of the first few zombies, while the Potato Mines can be used against stronger enemies that come while your Magnet-shrooms are occupied.

Strategy 3
First plant Potato Mines in the rightmost column, Melon-pults in the leftmost column, Tall-nuts in the second column from the right, and Pumpkins with Magnet-shrooms in the third column from the right. When the Ladder Zombie and the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie appears, plant a Jalapeno in any column to burn the zombies. The Melon-pults will attack at Gargantuars and Squash can punch the last breath out of Gargantuars. Just squash the Gargantuars and kill everything else with Jalapenos.

Strategy 4
Plant a column of Pumpkined Tall-nuts in the rightmost column and a column of Pumpkined Magnet-shrooms in the second column from the right. Plant Pumpkined Chompers behind that, and Potato Mines behind them. Keep one column open for Jalapenos or Squash and fill the rest up with Melon-pults.

Strategy 5
The strategy for the Chilli Free achievement should have Tall-nuts on the first available column, Potato Mines in pots to the right, and Magnet-shrooms on behind the Tall-nuts. Plant your Melon-pults before the first wave comes. The melons will crush the zombies, but the Magnet-shrooms are still non-busy and available. Do not use any Jalapenos, you won't get the achievement. Plant the Chompers when the zombies are about to break through the Magnet-shrooms. You'll notice your Flower Pots will start to queue. Be wary of the Gargantuars. Do not hit them in the third column as they'll toss their Imps to eat all of your Melon-pults. If you manage to get the Melon-pults pumpkined, they will kill the Imps. For the wave of Jack-in-the-Box Zombies and Ladder Zombies, make use of your Squashes. Ignore the Bungee Zombies, as your Chompers and Squashes will take care of them, and Melon-pults will kill the Imps and other zombies. You may want to invest in Roof Cleaners prior to trying for this achievement, as they will kill the Gargantuars in one mow.

Strategy 6
At the start of this mini-game, you will get a Potato Mine. Put it in the second column from the right. Then put the Tall-nuts in front of the Potato Mines. Behind them, plant the Magnet-shrooms and Coffee Beans. At the back plant all of the Melon-pults. Pumpkin the plants at the front unless you are worried about Ladder Zombies. Behind the Magnet-shrooms, plant Chompers, and behind those, Squash.

Strategy 7
First, place the Potato Mine in the rightmost column. Then, put the Tall-nuts behind the Potato Mines. Next, Place the Melon-pults in the leftmost column. Place the Magnet-shrooms behind the Tall-nuts with the Coffee Beans. When the zombies come, save the Jalapenos, Flower Pots, Squashes, and Chompers. Use Pumpkins first on the Magnet-shrooms, then on the Tall-nuts, lastly on the Melon-pults. Use Jalapeno to kill the Ladder Zombies, then use Jalapeno to kill the Jack-in-the-Box Zombies. When a huge wave comes, put Flower Pots in the rightmost column, next put Squashes on them. Lastly, Jalapeno the zombies. Repeat the last two steps. You might win depending on if the Jack-in-the-Box Zombies self-destruct.

Strategy 8
At the start of this mini-game, you get Potato Mine. Put it in the column closest to where the zombies come from. Put the Tall-nuts in third column from the right-hand. Put any appearing Melon-pult in the columns two, three to four furthest from right-hand, leave one column empty for Jalapenos (in dangerous case, usually leave a first column empty. Except the case game give you four Melon-pults, you should use all four columns for them. Attack power will more effective and with addition Squashes and stuffs, many Gargantuars can't even cross over the Tall-nut. In extreme dangerous situation, like Gargantuars go to your three to four column from the left, dig all the melons in first column and put Jalapenos to clean the field). Put the Magnet-shrooms behind the Tall-nuts with the Coffee Beans. When the zombies come save Jalapenos, Flower Pots, Squashes and Chompers (some game won't give you Chompers at all). Use Pumpkins first on the Magnet-shrooms or the every front flowerpot to slowdown zombies wave, then on the Tall-nuts, then on the Melon-pults (if available).

Strategy 9
At the start of this Minigame, you place the Potato Mine at the back. Put the Tall-nuts at the front where the zombies come. Then put the Magnet-shrooms behind the Tall-nuts And then place the Pumpkins on the Magnet-shrooms so that when the Ladder Zombies come, they will place the Ladders on the Tall-nuts and the Pumpkins, And then put the Melon-pults after the potato mine and if you get three, leave two squares for the Chompers behind the Magnet-shrooms and leave one square for the Jalapeno.

Strategy 10
Do this pattern before the huge wave starts.

M M S S S P M T - -

M = Melon-Pult

S = Space

P = Potato Mine

T = Tall-Nut

Plant Chompers at the front once you get them, save Jalapenos for jacks and ladders. Once they show up place jalapenos and you're done with them. Use a squash for the gargantuars. Keep flower pots with you to snare them once they throw the imp. The first chomper you get should replace the Potato Mine. Ladders and Jacks will be back. So kill them with jalapeno or place pumpkins for ladders to make them lose their ladders. Once they appear kill them with jalapenos or snare their ladders. The 2nd wave should appear. 70% you have a squash.Bring it at them and BOOM! You should place flower pots to snare them. Once you do so you win.

P.S : Once you get the 6th melon replace it with a magnet-shroom.

P.S.S : Keep the 7th and above melons for emergencies.In case you lose your defenses by jacks.

Trivia

 * The name of this mini-game is a pun on Midnight Brown's song "Call 'em like you see 'em!" from his album, 2084.
 * Column Like You See 'Em is one of only two mini-games that plays "Ultimate Battle" as its soundtrack, the other being Air Raid.
 * It is the only level in the entire game where the first zombie is always a Flag Zombie.
 * The difficulty of the mini-game varies depending mainly on the number of Melon-pults and Jalapenos provided. The game is extremely easy with many Melon-pults and Jalapenos (the player can get eight Melon-pults if lucky, even trivializing Gargantuars), while the occasional two Melon-pult and zero Jalapeno board borders on impossible, especially if the majority of the plants are Chompers, since they can only kill one zombie every 42 seconds (and they can't even damage Gargantuars significantly).
 * If the player is playing the iOS version and completes this mini-game without using Jalapenos, he or she will earn the achievement, Chilli Free.
 * The Gargantuar will never appear on the top lane.
 * Column Like You See 'Em will start without the zombies saying "The zombies are coming", as it starts with a huge wave approaching.
 * The first six plants are always the Potato Mine, the Tall-nut, the Melon-pult, the Magnet-shroom, the Coffee Bean, and the Melon-pult, in that order. Two random plants will also spawn on the conveyor belt in rapid succession before the frequency of plants slows down, to a point it's probably the slowest frequency of plants giving in any Conveyor-Belt levels, this plants are vary from the Squash the Jalapeno, the Pumpkin, the Chomper to Flower Pot.
 * If the player hacks to get himself or herself a Cob Cannon seed packet (along with two Kernel-pult seed packets), the player will only lose two Kernel-pults and still get five Cob Cannons.
 * It is the only conveyor-belt level with the Coffee Bean.
 * The iPhone, Android, Xbox, and PS3 icons all have the Peashooter with the leaves of a Repeater.
 * Column Like You See 'Em is the only mini-game that has no zombies coming before the first wave.
 * The iPad, iPhone, Android and Xbox icon of Column Like You See 'Em have a row of Peashooters and Wall-nuts, despite these plants not being given.