PopCap Games keeps providing amazing levels of post-launch support for Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare. A free update was delivered for the PC, Playstation and Xbox that adds the new Taco Bandits game mode, new playable characters and balances out a number of existing characters too. It also comes with a resolution increase for the Xbox One and a higher level cap for all characters.

The Legends of the Lawn patch is the largest yet, according to PopCap Lead Gameplay Designer Chris Fox. He delivered a lengthy list of patch notes in a Facebook post that is nearly as massive as today’s Battlefield 4 update.

The new Taco Bandit mode is a twist on classic Capture the Flag with a taco instead of a flag. The Zombies have to push through Plant defenses to reach Crazy Dave’s taco stand, nab a taco, and return it to Dr. Zomboss’s spaceship. If they do it three times within the time limit, they win.

Seven new playable characters were added in all, including the Plasma Pea Shooter that a fan created as part of a design contest held by PopCap. There are also 200 new customization items that include new customization groups that can be selected for characters or altered.

Some of the tweaks to Garden Warfare are also interesting, starting with the level cap being raised to level 40 for all characters. Additionally, the Xbox One resolution has been increased from 900p to an unknown number. It’s apparently not 1080p like the PlayStation 4, but it’s been increased by a mysterious amount.

This is noteworthy though because this is the first Xbox One title to have its resolution bumped up well after its release. Diablo III received a day one patch that increased its resolution.

Are you still playing Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare? What have you thought of the free updates to the game? Let us know in the comments below.

Here are the full patch notes provided by PopCap Games.

Legends Of The Lawn, New Features:

NewGame Mode – Taco Bandits

Crazy Dave has set up his taco stand in Zombie territory. Naturally, Dr. Zomboss is trying to each lunch and skip out on the bill. As a Zombie, it’s your job to push through reinforced Plant defenses, grab the taco, and make it back to Dr. Zomboss’ spaceship in one piece. If the Zombies can manage this feat three times in a round, it’s game over for the Plants. Who says capture the flag has to be boring?

New Playable Characters

Centurion – Featuring a stylish new crossbow, the Centurion is quick, accurate and inflicts fire damage that burns over time.

– Featuring a stylish new crossbow, the Centurion is quick, accurate and inflicts fire damage that burns over time. Sanitation Expert – His trash compactor launches explosive garbage bags that inflict toxic damage. Just don’t call him a Garbage Man.

– His trash compactor launches explosive garbage bags that inflict toxic damage. Just don’t call him a Garbage Man. Paleontologist – In addition to his seriously stylish dinosaur suit, the Paleontologist comes equipped with a molten magma blaster that inflicts fire damage at both shortand long-ranges.

– In addition to his seriously stylish dinosaur suit, the Paleontologist comes equipped with a molten magma blaster that inflicts fire damage at both shortand long-ranges. Golf Star – With his increased zoom and super-accurate aiming, the Golf Star is as close to a sniper as an All-Star can get.

– With his increased zoom and super-accurate aiming, the Golf Star is as close to a sniper as an All-Star can get. Alien Flower – Her projectiles explode on impact, creating a defensive spore mist that’s out of this world.

– Her projectiles explode on impact, creating a defensive spore mist that’s out of this world. Chomp Thing – With an accelerated healing rate, and a swamp spray that could gross out even a Zombie, the Chomp Thing means business.

– With an accelerated healing rate, and a swamp spray that could gross out even a Zombie, the Chomp Thing means business. Jade Cactus – Heavily armored, extra health, and explosive needles. This Cactus has it all.

New Consumable Characters

Laser Bean – Making a special appearance from the Far Future, the Laser Bean shoots lasers out of his eyes, and has never lost a staring contest.

– Making a special appearance from the Far Future, the Laser Bean shoots lasers out of his eyes, and has never lost a staring contest. Heal Zombie – The Heal Zombie seeks out injured Zombies and replenishes their health. The cool hat is just a bonus.

– The Heal Zombie seeks out injured Zombies and replenishes their health. The cool hat is just a bonus. Yeti Imp – He’s so excited about ice, he can barely contain himself.

– He’s so excited about ice, he can barely contain himself. Backup Dancer – Does melee damage with style. We think he got lost on the way to a dance-off.

– Does melee damage with style. We think he got lost on the way to a dance-off. Vampire Zombie – He’ll munch Zombies at close range, as long as it doesn’t mess up his hair.

New Customization Items

Themed customization sets comprised of over 200 new items, designed to work together to create cool, unique looks.

Awesome new gestures!

New to PlayStation:

New Team Vanquish/Garden Ops Maps –Crash Course Day, and Crash Course Night

Zombies have crash-landed onto the prestigious Bogey Hills Golf Course. Equal parts idyllic greens and flaming Zomboss wreck, Crash Course provides new opportunities for players to work on their swing, improve their putting skills, and take down the Zombie horde.

New Game Mode – Suburbination

The Plant and Zombie teams are locked in an epic tug-of-war as they fight for tactical control over three hotly contested gardens. In this take on the classic domination-style game mode, it’s Suburbinate or be Suburbinated!

New Character – Plasma Pea Shooter

Winner of our Pea Shooter design contest on Facebook: You voted for Lefran Estera’s design, and now it’s in the game! Equipped with a three-stage charge weapon, the Plasma Pea Shooter can shoot rapid-fire plasma balls, super-explosive galaxies, and more!

New Garden Ops Boss – Baron von Bats

Battle the elusive Baron von Bats and his vampire minions! The Baron has been taking a dirt nap, waiting for the right opportunity to ruin Crazy Dave’s day. Team up with some friends, and you might have a chance at victory. If you can catch him, that is.

New Garden Ops Missions:

TreasureYeti – Can you take down the crafty Treasure Yeti and steal his bag of diamonds? Can you avoid the Yeti Imp’s icy blast? So many questions!

– Can you take down the crafty Treasure Yeti and steal his bag of diamonds? Can you avoid the Yeti Imp’s icy blast? So many questions! Vasebreaker – Break the vases and collect loot before time runs out. But watch out, something else may be lurking inside those vases…

– Break the vases and collect loot before time runs out. But watch out, something else may be lurking inside those vases… Minigardens – Protect the wee gardens from hungry Zombies!

New Customization – Bling Packs

Purchase new sticker packs and collect nearly 400 silver-dipped, gold-plated, diamond-encrusted, and royal versions of your favorite hats, glasses, and more!

Bonus Gardens

Keep on the lookout for Bonus Gardens to defend in Garden Ops, they now drop treasure after every wave!

Global Improvements:

Match making and Queueing

Party matchmaking support has been added on PS4. Create your own party, or join your friend’s!

A queue system has been added on PS3, PS4, and Xbox One. Now it’s easier than ever to join a friend’s session, or invite them to your own, even if the game is full.

HigherLevel Cap

You asked, we listened: Each character can now hit a maximum of Level 40.

GardenOps

The Goop Shroom’s rate of fire has been slightly decreased. This should prevent any infinite goop loop shenanigans. Try saying that three times fast!

Fixed issue where Baron von Bats wasn’t able to fire while gooped.

New Special Waves featuring elite Legends of the Lawn characters.

Triangulation Challenge!

Gave a few AI Zombies a touch more intelligence. Only a touch.

Fixed Mini Garden bad reset.

Extra sauce on taco.

Bling Pack Price Reduction

Bling Packs are now available for just 20,000 coins each.

VOIP Improvements for Xbox One

Players should now be able to communicate with one another with increased reliability.

Resolution Increase

The resolution on Xbox One has been slightly increased.

Bug Fixes:

Online connectivity optimizations have been made for peer connected modes. (PS4, PC)

The mute functionality will no longer be interrupted when teammates join or disconnect. (PC)

Various reliability fixes with disabling VOIP.(PC)

Fixed an issue where audio could loop if a player is Vanquished while reviving. (Global)

Cheesy Goop now correctly displays on the Treasure Yeti. (Global)

Balance and Tuning:

Pea Shooter:

The Agent Pea’s health has been reduced by 25, to 100 overall. This was done to retain the power and feel of his weapon, while addressing overall balance concerns for the character.

The Law Pea also stood out as a character who was just too dominating in competitive play. As such, his projectile damage has been slightly reduced.

Sunflower:

The default Sunflower’s projectile damage has been slightly increased. Though previous improvements have been made to this character, they’ve ultimately proven insufficient. The distance at which her projectiles inflict full damage has also been increased.

The Mystic Sunflower’s base projectile damage has been increased. Though her charge shots are powerful, this boost should make her more viable in a variety of situations.

The Electric Sunflower’s projectile damage has been increased. We’ve also increased the distance at which her projectiles inflict full damage.

Chomper:

The Electric Chomper’s spray damage has been significantly increased. This should make him a valid alternative to the other spray-based Chompers.

Cactus:

When spreading from one Zombie to the next, the Electric Cactus’ electricity now does significantly more damage.

The Fire Cactus’ rate of fire has been slightly reduced. Despite previous changes of this nature, the Fire Cactus has remained noticeably stronger than intended.

Soldier:

General Supremo’s projectile damage has been slightly increased. His damage output should now be much more competitive with other Soldiers.

Engineer:

The Mechanic’s rate of fire has been slightly increased. His damage output should now sufficiently make up for his lack of splash damage.

We’ve slightly increased the Painter’s splash damage. Despite his increased zoom levels, he just hasn’t been as competitive with other Engineer variants as he should be.

Scientist:

The Marine Biologist’s rate of fire has been slightly reduced. He’s still extremely effective at close-range, but his damage-dealing capabilities have been toned down a bit.

We’ve given the Archaeologist’s projectile a slight damage boost at the end of its trajectory. This should give him a fighting chance in mid-range battles.

To further compensate for his lack of splashdamage, the Astronaut’s projectile damage has been slightly increased.

Dr. Toxic’s projectile damage has been slightly increased across the board. This should make him more competitive with other Scientist variants.

Despite his dangerously cheesy attitude, Dr.Chester wasn’t performing as well as intended. To remedy this, his close-range damage has been increased, and his clip size has increased by 2.

All-Star:

The Rugby Star’s projectile damage and explosion damage have both been slightly increased. This should better compensate for his relatively slow rate of fire.

The Hockey Star’s projectiles now do more damage at a distance.

The Goalie Star’s projectiles also do additional damage at range. These changes should make the Hockey and Goalie Stars more effective at more than just super close range.

General:

We’ve reduced the effectiveness of toxic characters, game-wide. The range at which you take damage from toxic characters has been reduced. Additionally, the overall damage inflicted from standing next to toxic characters has been reduced. This change affects the Toxic Pea, Toxic Chomper, and Dr. Toxic.

[Images via Plants vs Zombies Facebook page]