Plants vs Zombies 2 Keys Guide

One of the features that is new to Plants vs Zombies 2 (or PvZ2 if you're short on time) is the notion of "keys." In this guide to Plants vs Zombies 2 keys, I'll explain what keys are, how to get keys fast, and what you should do with your keys.

Plants vs Zombies 2 Keys: What are keys?

Keys are one of the "premium currencies" in Plants vs Zombies 2. Premium currencies in free-to-play games are simply things you don't get much of through playing, but the game is more than happy to sell you for a small fee.

The only use for Plants vs Zombies 2 keys is unlocking certain locked gates on each map. Behind these locked gates are enhancements to your Plants vs Zombies 2 experience. Some contain rare and powerful plants, while others contain boosts that make the game somewhat easier.

In addition to these items, keys also unlock special levels that you can play to earn additional stars. These levels tend to only have one star each.

Watch out! Keys only unlock doors in one time period. That is to say, you can't earn a bunch of keys in Ancient Egypt and then take them to the Pirate Seas. Your keys are locked to the map you earned them in.

Plants vs Zombies 2 Keys: How do I get more keys?

Generally speaking, there are only two ways to get keys:

Getting a zombie to drop a key is relatively rare, sadly. You're going to have to fight a lot of zombies in order to get more. I've seen perhaps one every solid hour or two of play.

If you need to get more stars, you can use getting stars as a good opportunity to grind zombie kills for keys. Related Guide For more info about stars and how to earn them, visit our stars guide..

Plants vs Zombies 2 Keys: Fastest Keys

The "fastest" way to get keys depends somewhat on how much time you have to play. If you have a lot of time to play, grinding zombies is probably your best bet.

My suggestions for picking levels are:

Again, keys are relatively rare, so plan to spend a good amount of playtime earning each one.

Fastest Keys for Casual Players

However, if you don't play a lot of Plants vs Zombies 2, there is another way to earn a bunch of keys at once. I'm speaking of the Treasure Yeti!

The Treasure Yeti is a rare zombie that spawns occasionally (roughly daily) and can be killed for his Lunch Box, which has a chance of dropping a bunch of keys at once.

Related Guide Since the Treasure Yeti is such a popular topic, I've expanded our coverage of him and given him his own article, click here to check it out!

Plants vs Zombies 2 Keys: Spending Keys

Once you've got a load of Plants vs Zombies 2 keys, now you've got to prioritize what doors to unlock. Here are the things I think are really helpful to use your keys on:

However, I'd suggest you hold off on:

Plants vs Zombies 2 Keys: Conclusion

Hopefully through this guide you've worked out what keys are, why you should want them, how to earn keys fast, and what you should spend your keys on.

Got a strategy or a tip that I'm missing out on? Drop a line in the comments! I love to hear from fellow PvZ2 enthusiasts.