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For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see Banana Launcher (PvZH).

Banana Launcher is the fifth and the last plant obtained in Big Wave Beach of Plants vs. Zombies 2. The player can tap on it to arm it, then aim at any tile on the lawn to fire an explosive banana that deals 1200 damage per shot to all zombies in a 1x3 area. After firing, Banana Launcher will be disabled for 20 seconds before he can fire again.

Origins

Bananas

Banana Launcher is based on the banana, a fruit produced by several kinds of large herbaceous flowering plants in the genus Musa. More specifically, Banana Launcher is based on a Dessert banana.

Banana Launcher's almanac flavor text references the idiom "Totally bananas", meaning "very crazy".


Almanac entry

Note: The stats shown below only apply to Level 1.

Banana Launcher

Banana Launchers can fire explosive bananas at any tile on the lawn.

It's important to avoid stereotyping as much as possible. Stereotypes are often flat-out wrong. And also hurtful. But honestly ... Banana Launcher is TOTALLY bananas.


Upgrades

Plant Food effect

When given Plant Food, he will launch four explosive bananas at random targets on the lawn. In the Chinese version, he will fire five bananas.

Arma-mint effect

When boosted by Arma-mint, Banana Launcher will do an additional 2000 DPS with its bananas, and its reload time will be decreased to two seconds.

Level upgrade

Level Seed Packets Coins Upgrades
Sun Cost Recharge
(Fast)
Toughness
(Typical)
Damage*
(Massive)
Firing Rate
(Slow)
Area
1 0 0 500 5 seconds 300 damage 1200 damage 20 seconds Tile
2 10 1,000 475 5 seconds 350 damage 1250 damage 19 seconds
3 75 5,000 475 4.5 seconds 400 damage 1300 damage 18 seconds
4 200 10,000 450 4.5 seconds 450 damage 1400 damage 17 seconds
5 400 20,000 450 4 seconds 550 damage 1500 damage 16 seconds
6 750 30,000 425 4 seconds 600 damage 1600 damage 15 seconds
7 1,000 40,000 425 3.5 seconds 650 damage 1700 damage 14 seconds
8 1,250 50,000 400 3.5 seconds 700 damage 1800 damage 13 seconds
9 1,500 60,000 375 3 seconds 800 damage 1900 damage 13 seconds
10 2,000 75,000 350 3 seconds 900 damage 2000 damage 12 seconds

*Applies to both normal and Plant Food states.

Level upgrade (China only)

Level Upgrades Description
LevelIcon2New Banana Launcher Upgrade 1
Autoloading
Reloads 25% faster.
CombatTrainingIcon
Combat Training
战斗训练
Banana Launcher gains 50% more attack power and health (150% of initial).
LevelIcon3New Banana Launcher Upgrade 2
Fast Ramming
Reloads 50% faster.
CellActivationIcon
Cell Activation
细胞活化
Banana Launcher gains another 50% more attack power and health (200% of initial).
LevelIcon4New AbilityAwakendIcon
Ability Awaken
能力觉醒
Banana Launcher may be boosted when planted.
FightingPowerIcon
Fighting Power
战斗能力
Banana Launcher gains another 50% more attack power and health (250% of initial).
LevelIcon5New Banana Launcher Upgrade 3
Timing Missile
Banana Launcher has a chance to regenerate timing missiles that will be inserted into the ground after hitting the zombie and explode after an amount of time.
FightingPowerIcon
Fighting Power
战斗能力
Banana Launcher gains another 50% more attack power and health (300% of initial).


Costumed (China only)

He now launches five normal bananas and a flaming banana which creates an explosion that deals more damage.

Strategies

Compared to other controllable plants, Banana Launcher is special in that the player is given the freedom to launch his payload on any tile on the screen, regardless of any possible obstruction between the plant and the designated position, similar to Missile Toe and Holly Barrier. This makes Banana Launcher excellent for eliminating high threat targets such as Zombie Kings, Fisherman Zombies, and Imp Cannons that would normally be heavily protected. His main weaknesses are his massive 500 sun cost and his cooldown time between firing, which makes him an impractical choice in normal levels.

In Big Wave Beach, Banana Launcher can be used as an improvised countermeasure against Octo Zombies. Not only is it capable of neutralizing them before they can throw their octopi, if the player is fast enough, he can also destroy thrown octopi from anywhere and free the trapped plant. The latter is not recommended, however, as Banana Launcher takes much longer to recharge than the time taken for the Octo Zombie to throw another octopus, even when the zombie is slowed.

Banana Launcher's high damage capability makes him a powerful artillery weapon: Most high health zombies such as Knight Zombies, Blockhead Zombies, Mecha-Football Zombies, and Cavalry Zombies can only survive up to two bananas, while certain Gargantuars can take up to three. His projectile can not be deflected by any means, so Banana Launcher is effective against Jester Zombies and Parasol Zombies.

Another strategy is to use Banana Launcher with plants that can clump zombies together: Sweet Potato, Garlic, Chard Guard, Hurrikale and Thyme Warp are all capable of funneling or clumping the horde together, which allows Banana Launcher to hit more enemies. It's also a good idea to use blocking plants such as Tall-nuts and Primal Wall-nuts to give Banana Launcher time to recharge.

Arma-mint can be used to allow the Banana Launcher to reload every two seconds.

Related achievement

Banana Storm
Banana Storm
Complete a Beach level using only Banana Launchers to destroy zombies

Gallery

Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Banana Launcher.
Banana Launcher2
Visit this page to see it.
Banana Launcher2

Trivia

  • He cannot be planted on minecarts, due to issues associated with a tap either moving the mine cart, or activating the target of Banana Launcher. If the player tries to plant him on a minecart, the game will say "Bananas are too slippery for minecarts." Additionally, since he can target anything at anywhere, a minecart with him is a waste of space.
  • In Big Wave Beach - Day 23, the player can launch a banana from the Banana Launcher while viewing the lawn from the seed selection screen. However, he will still look like he does when he is loaded.
  • Banana Launcher is one of the few plants that talk, saying "Banana" when firing normally and saying "ba-ba-ba Banana" when using Plant Food.
  • The player used to be able to destroy graves using Banana Launcher on any Last Stand level before tapping "Let's Rock". However, it is no longer possible after the 3.1.1 update.
    • The player was also able to fire bananas after the level has ended and the reward has dropped. This was also fixed in the 3.1.1 update.
  • His eyes are red and straight in the bingo card while his in-game appearance has brown eyes and they are crossed. His smile in the bingo card is also different from the one he has in-game.
  • His costume has the same design as the pajamas on the characters in Bananas in Pyjamas, despite being a beach towel.
  • If he launches a banana at the very second that the level is completed, he will continue to smile.
  • In the Chinese version, when fed with Plant Food, he will make firework noises when it launches its bananas.
    • He also dealt damage in a 3x3 area in the Chinese version, but this was fixed in the 1.4.2 update.

See also

View · Edit
Plants (Tower defense)
L · G
Plants vs. Zombies
Day Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater
Night Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom
Pool Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut
Fog Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom
Roof Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult
Upgrades Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon
Others Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Reverse Repeater · Giant Sunflower · Giant Marigold · Sprout · Tree of Wisdom
Plants vs. Zombies: Endless Edition
Heroes Iron Man Nut · Wukong Pea · Pig Squash · Nut Wujing · Monk Flower · Nezha Shooter
The Zombies Are Coming Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater
Nightfall Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom
Backyard Emergency Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut
Fog Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom
Roof Battle Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult
Fight the Sea Demons Oxygen Algae · Sea Starfruit · Bramble Sea Grass
Brave the Dragon's Palace Water Gun Grass
Upgrades Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon
Others Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Electric Anemone · Strong Cauliflower · Machine Gun Pomegranate · Carrotillery · Oak Archer · Ghost Pepper · Laser Bean · Dandelion · Snapdragon · Bonk Choy
Plants vs. Zombies: Social Edition
Normal Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Chomper · Repeater · Puff-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Snow Pea · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Lily Pad · Squash · Spikeweed · Tangle Kelp · Torchwood · Sea-shroom · Jalapeno · Coffee Bean · Tall-nut · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom · Blover · Melon-pult · Cactus
Premium Pickled Pepper · Icy Fume-shroom · Fire-shroom · Flamewood · Vine-nut · Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Winter Melon · Super Chomper · Future Star · Calm Chuck
Plants vs. Zombies Adventures
>Normal Peashooter · Sunflower · Aspearagus · Wall-nut · Cherry Bomb · Popcorn · Beet · Snow Pea · Jalapeño · Magnet Plant · Flaming Pea · Shamrock · Bamboo Shoot · Repeater · Chilly Pepper · Twin Sunflower
VIPs Sweet Pea · Beeshooter · Hard-nut · Acespearagus · Power Flower · Beetboxer · Ice Queen Pea · Shamrockstar · Bamboom
Others Trees
Plants vs. Zombies 2
Player's House Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Cabbage-pult
Ancient Egypt Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower
Pirate Seas Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Threepeater · Spikerock · Cherry Bomb
Wild West Split Pea · Chili Bean · Pea Pod · Lightning Reed · Melon-pult · Tall-nut · Winter Melon
Frostbite Caves Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rotobaga
Lost City Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Endurian · Stallia · Gold Leaf
Far Future Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip
Dark Ages Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Magnet-shroom
Neon Mixtape Tour Phat Beet · Celery Stalker · Thyme Warp · Garlic · Spore-shroom · Intensive Carrot
Jurassic Marsh Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine
Big Wave Beach Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Bowling Bulb · Guacodile · Banana Launcher
Modern Day Moonflower · Nightshade · Shadow-shroom · Dusk Lobber · Grimrose
Premium
Money Snow Pea · Power Lily · Imitater · Chomper · Toadstool · Strawburst · Cactus · Electric Blueberry · Jack O' Lantern · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Escape Root · Gold Bloom · Wasabi Whip · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Caulipower · Electric Peashooter · Holly Barrier
Gems Squash · Jalapeno · Hypno-shroom · Pea-nut · Homing Thistle · Ghost Pepper · Sweet Potato · Sap-fling · Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Lava Guava · Shrinking Violet · Electric Currant · Kiwibeast
Mints Fila-mint · Pepper-mint · Winter-mint · Reinforce-mint · Bombard-mint · Ail-mint · Enchant-mint · Contain-mint · Enforce-mint · Arma-mint · Conceal-mint · Spear-mint · Appease-mint
Seed packets Torchwood · Starfruit · Dandelion · Blooming Heart · Bombegranate · Explode-O-Nut · Aloe · Hot Date · Solar Tomato · Enlighten-mint · Shadow Peashooter · Goo Peashooter · Sling Pea · Snap Pea · Zoybean Pod · Electrici-tea · Dazey Chain · Blastberry Vine · Pokra · Imp Pear · Pyre Vine · Pumpkin · Ice Bloom · Dartichoke · Ultomato · Gumnut · Shine Vine · Tumbleweed · Olive Pit · Puffball · Explode-o-Vine · Murkadamia Nut · Turkey-pult · Headbutter Lettuce · Boingsetta · Stickybomb Rice · Hocus Crocus · Gloom Vine · Draftodil · Boom Balloon Flower · Pea Vine · Inferno · Solar Sage · Power Vine · Noctarine · Heath Seeker · Iceweed · Tiger Grass · Teleportato Mine · Blockoli · Buttercup · Bramble Bush · Rhubarbarian · Mega Gatling Pea · Levitater · Tomb Tangler · Vamporcini · Meteor Flower · Chilly Pepper · Bun Chi · Bzzz Button · BoomBerry · SeaFlora · MayBee · Scaredy-shroom · Bamboo Spartan · Sundew Tangler · Bean Sprout · Nightcap · Cran Jelly · Bud'uh Boom · Ice-shroom · Dragon Bruit · Electric Peel · Sea-shroom · Guard-shroom
Others Marigold
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version)
Ancient Egypt Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Cabbage-pult · Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower · Snow Pea · Cherry Bomb · Torchwood
Pirate Seas Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Power Lily · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Spikerock · Lightning Reed · Tall-nut
Wild West Threepeater · Squash · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Jalapeno · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Winter Melon · Imitater
Kongfu World Resistant Radish · Fire Gourd · Heavenly Peach · Bamboo Shoot
Far Future Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip · Starfruit
Dark Ages Hypno-shroom · Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Pea-nut · Magnet-shroom · Oak Archer · Coffee Bean · Plantern
Big Wave Beach Acid Lemon · Lotus Pod · Lily Pad · Bowling Bulb · Banana Launcher · Guacodile · Tangle Kelp · Homing Thistle
Frostbite Caves Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rafflesia · Whirlwind Acorn
Sky City Rotobaga · Loquat · Asparagus · Saucer · Horsebean · Groundcherry · Anthurium · Pineapple
Lost City Lava Guava · Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Stallia · Gold Leaf · Toadstool · Jackfruit
Neon Mixtape Tour Morning Glory · Phat Beet · Thyme Warp · Celery Stalker · Spore-shroom · Garlic · Intensive Carrot · Cactus
Jurassic Marsh Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine · Primal Rafflesia · Dino-Roar Grass · Timid Thorns · Sugarcane Master
Modern Day Shadow-shroom · Caulipower · Moonflower · Grimrose · Nightshade · Dusk Lobber · Blooming Heart
Steam Age Gold Bloom · Flat-shroom · Maypop Mechanic · Lotus Shooter · Wind-Blowing Vanilla · Lily of Pharmacy · Mulberry Blaster
Renaissance
Age
Aloe · Bearberry Mortar · Wax Gourd Guard · Oily Olive · Jeweler Pomegranate · Dartichoke
Heian Age Dripping Diphylleia · Stephania · Tupistra‎ Stalker · Dendrobium Windbreak · Chef Cypripedium‎‎ · Boophone Geigi‎
Fairytale Forest Ents · Heath Seeker · Hat Mushroom · Hocus Crocus · Princess Spring Grass · Bamboo Trooper
Monthly special Pyro-shroom · Carrotillery · Cryo-shroom · Dandelion · Strong Broccoli · Machine Gun Pomegranate · Chomper · Sweet Potato · Landlord Bamboo · Sap-fling · Ghost Pepper · Chestnut Squad · Bamboo Bro · Rose Swordfighter · Magic-shroom · Electric Blueberry · Mischief Radish · Endurian · Pumpkin Witch · Sunflower Singer · Snow Cotton · Agave · Kiwifruit · Pretty Plum · Dragonfruit · Angel Starfruit · Gatling Pea · Banksia Boxer · Flame Flower Queen · Cattail · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Shrinking Violet · Cob Cannon · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Escape Root · Electric Currant · White Melon Sumo Wrestler · Wasabi Whip · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Tulip Trumpeter · Eggplant Ninja · Banana Dancer · Dual Pistol Pinecone · Narcissus Shooter · Alarm Explosive Arrowhead · Holly Barrier · Shadow Peashooter · Snap Pea · Crystal Orchid · Sling Pea · Thunder Snapdragon · Electrici-tea · Imp Pear · Strawburst · Egret Flower Plane · Goo Peashooter · Elaeocarpus-pult · Water Chestnut Brothers · Pokra · Dollarweed Drummer · Ultomato · Shadow Vanilla · Splendens Blade · Stickybomb Rice · Gumnut · Olive Pit · Earthstar Nuclear Silo · Headbutter Lettuce · Dazey Chain · Boom Balloon Flower · Celebration Soda Palm · Claw Gloriosa · Impatiens Shooter · Turkey-pult · Hammer Flower · Fishhook Grass · Mangosteen · Inferno · Tigerstool · Gardener Grass · Draftodil · Buttercup · Byttneria Meteor Hammer · Laser Crown Flower · Zoybean Pod · Orchid Mage · Jack O' Lantern · Twin Year of the Rabbits · Pea Pharmacist · Pike Hoya · Vamporcini · Burdock Batter · Pumpkin · Capaci-cone · Cranesbill Fencer · Meteor Flower · Gorgon Pitcher · Power Vine · Parkour Mandrake · Abyss Anemone · Abyss Devil's Claw · Hoya Heart · Pea Vine · MayBee · Oilseed-pult · Leaf-Blade Dracaena · Bamboo Spartan · Shine Vine · Sunshine Leek · Nightcap · Pyre Vine · Gluttonous Snapdragon · Bun Chi · Heliconia Gunner
Others Potato Mine · Flower Pot · 8-Bit Peashooter · Tactical Cuke
Hero Plants P-Mech Assembler - Flamestar
Removed Rotten Red
Plants vs. Zombies Online
Player's House Sunflower · Peashooter · Wall-nut · Potato Mine
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Bruce Bamboo · Carrot Rocket · Pomegranate · Dandelion · Venus Flytrap · Wax Gourd · Sod
Ancient Egypt Bloomerang · Bonk Choy · Grave Buster · Iceberg Lettuce · Cabbage-pult
Pirate Seas Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Kernel-pult · Coconut Cannon · Narcissus · Endurian · Spikerock · Pineapple-pult · Threepeater
Far Future Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Tile Turnip · Ganoderma · Banana Tree · Nitro-shroom · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass
East Sea Dragon Palace Oxygen Algae · Garlic · Bubble Flower · Electric Sea Pine
Upgrades Twin Sunflower · Repeater
VIPs Winter Melon
Power Ups Cherry Bomb · Jalapeno
Premium Squash · Snow Pea · Tall-nut
Adventure Mode only Magic Vine · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Lightning Reed · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Starfruit · Chomper · Fire Peashooter · Cattail · Rose Swordfighter · Clivia · Sap-fling · Acid Lemon · Magic-shroom · Ghost Pepper · Guacodile · Hurrikale · Plantern · Oak Archer · Homing Thistle · Pepper-pult · Resistant Radish · Toadstool · Blooming Heart · Red Stinger · Electric Blueberry · A.K.E.E. · Moonflower · Agave · Asparagus · Pumpkin Witch · Mine Fruit · Sea Anemone · Lychee Drill · Sea Starfruit
Plants vs. Zombies 3
Neighborville Sunflower · Wall-Nut · Bamboo Shoots · Peashooter · Bonk Choy
Lost Keys Lake Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Squash
Mt. Quesogrande Chili Bean · Silversword · Cabbage-Pult
Power-Ups Grapes of Wrath · Chilly Pepper · Jalapeño · Cherry Bomb · Blover
Pre-2021 Puff-Shroom · Buttercup · Garlic · Potato Mine · Pushywillow · Chard Guard · Spikeweed · Kernel-Pult · Caramel Popcorn · Lightning Reed · Melon-Pult · Shuffle Truffle · Blockbuster · Butternut Squash · Ragweed · Sawgrass · Fire Peashooter · Pine Needler · Snow Pea · Night Cap · Aloe Vera · Sweet Potato · Hydrangea · Dogwood · Chomper · Flak Seed · Gravitree · Gloom-Shroom · Lemon-Aid · Starfruit · Snapdragon · Fairy Ring Mushroom · Kalestorm · Star Tree · Magic Beans
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