It is based on a rocket, a missile, spacecraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that obtains thrust from a rocket engine.
Its name and description are a play on the phrase and common idiom, "It's not rocket science," meaning that something is not as hard as rocket science, the primary field of aircraft and spacecraft more properly called aerospace engineering, which is generally considered to be very complicated.
Statistics
Class: Brainy
Tribes: Science Barrel Trick
Ability: Destroy a Plant that has 4 or more.
Set - Rarity: Premium - Super-Rare
Card description
Turns out, it IS rocket science.
Update history
Update 1.2.11
Set - Rarity change: Basic - Common → Premium - Uncommon
Update 1.10.22
New sound effects when Rocket Science is played.
Update 1.10.23
New animation when Rocket Science is played.
Update 1.14.13
Rarity change: Uncommon → Rare
Update 1.16.10
Rarity change: Rare → Super-Rare
Update 1.30.4
▲ Tribe added: Barrel
Strategies
With
Arguably one of the handiest tricks in the entire game, Rocket Science can easily turn the tables and save you from defeat by destroying a plant that has the potential to wreak serious havoc on your zombies and defeat you in one or two attacks. It also bypasses shielding cards like Force Field.
While any plant with high stats is a good target for Rocket Science, a plant that can grow by itself like Pea Pod, or has a trait or ability like Poison Oak or Three-Headed Chomper should be prioritized. On the other hand, glass cannons are better off handled by your own zombies if possible, unless you fear a possible bonus attack or removal card being played to remove the zombie.
However, Rocket Science has a few counters. Anti-trick cards like Sportacus and Dark Matter Dragonfruit may discourage you from playing it, while Untrickable plants are immune to it, Apotatosaurus being the most dangerous example.
Against
Relying on only a few high-strength plants when playing against a Brainy hero is very risky, as they can play Rocket Science to destroy one and put you in a bad situation. The only sure way to combat Rocket Science is to use Untrickable cards like Umbrella Leaf (however, it is vulnerable to tricks and will be likely taken out quickly due to the ability hindering the zombie hero greatly) and Apotatosaurus. If you don't have such cards, try to get the most out of a hard-hitting plant by making it do bonus attacks, use fighters with 3 strength or less, or get many high-strength plants out on the field.
It had the most rarity changes out of all cards in the entire game, from Common to Uncommon, then to Rare, and finally to Super-Rare.
The Chinese translation of the description is entirely different. It reads: "Nobody knows how could this rocket strike its target". Aditionally, the name is translated to "Rocket Launch".