Help with running PvZ Fusion (Android game) data in Python?

[Barber532]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been experimenting with some game android data recently and ran into an odd issue.
Specifically, I’m trying to read a save file and parse the JSON-like structure inside it.

The problem: when I load the file into Python, some of the text fields look fine, but the Unicode characters (especially non-English symbols inside the game data) get messed up.
For example:

`python
with open("pvz_fusion_save.dat", "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
data = f.read()
print(data[:200])

buran write Aug-23-2025, 06:00 PM:
Spam link removed

[stevejoones]

Ah, I see what’s happening. The issue is most likely encoding mismatch — the save file isn’t actually stored in plain UTF-8 text, even though it looks kind of JSON-like. Many Android games serialize their save data in a binary or custom-encoded format, so when you open it with encoding="utf-8" you’ll see garbled characters where non-ASCII symbols appear.

Here’s what you can try:

Open in binary mode first so you’re not forcing Python to treat it as text:

with open("pvz_fusion_save.dat", "rb") as f:
    raw = f.read()
print(raw[:200])  # shows the raw bytes

From there, you can try different decodings if you know the game’s format (sometimes utf-16, latin-1, or utf-8-sig works).

text = raw.decode("utf-8", errors="replace")  
print(text[:200])

If it’s truly JSON inside, you can then try parsing:

import json
data = json.loads(text)
print(data.keys())

But if the game encrypts or compresses the save file (very common), you’ll need to figure out the game’s serialization method before you can read it properly.

Quick test: can you paste a short snippet of the garbled output you’re seeing? That’ll help me guess whether it’s just encoding or if it’s compressed/encrypted.

[SledgeNE]

PvZ Fusion in particular usually compresses or obfuscates its save files. Sometimes it's UTF-16, sometimes UTF-8 with BOM, and sometimes the game mixes raw bytes that aren't valid text at all. So when you open it as plain UTF-8, Python just spits out garbage characters.

Try a couple of these:

# Try UTF-16
with open("pvz_fusion_save.dat", "r", encoding="utf-16") as f:
    print(f.read()[:200])

# Or read as raw bytes and inspect them
with open("pvz_fusion_save.dat", "rb") as f:
    raw = f.read()
print(raw[:100])

If the raw bytes don't resemble normal JSON at all, the save is probably compressed (common ones are zlib, gzip, or base64 wrapped). You can test zlib like this:

import zlib
decompressed = zlib.decompress(raw)
print(decompressed[:200])

If that fails, try checking for base64:

import base64
decoded = base64.b64decode(raw)

Basically don't trust the file to be UTF-8. Figure out the actual encoding or compression, decode after that, and the unicode weirdness should go away.

[Chicken_Roads]

Help with Running PvZ Fusion (Android Game) Data in Python

You cannot directly run PvZ Fusion (an Android game) inside Python because Android games are built to run on the Android operating system using Java/Kotlin and native libraries, not Python.

However, depending on your goal, you can work with the game data in Python in the following ways:

1️⃣ Extract and Analyze Game Data

If you want to read or analyze game files (such as plant stats, levels, or configuration data):

Extract the APK file (rename .apk to .zip and unzip it).

Look for readable files like .json, .xml, or .csv.

Use Python libraries like json or pandas to load and analyze the data.

Example:

import json

with open("data.json", "r") as file:
    data = json.load(file)

print(data)

2️⃣ Automate the Game Using Python

If you want to control or automate the game:

Run the game in an Android emulator.

Use Python with ADB (Android Debug Bridge) or automation tools to simulate taps and actions.

3️⃣ Recreate Game Logic in Python

If your goal is to recreate PvZ Fusion mechanics:

Use Python libraries like pygame to build a similar game.

Implement plant, zombie, and lane logic manually.

[MarkHenry]

This is most likely an encoding issue, not a JSON problem.

Many Android game save files are UTF-16, compressed, or partially binary — not plain UTF-8.

Instead of forcing UTF-8:

with open("pvz_fusion_save.dat", "rb") as f:
raw = f.read()

print(raw[:100])

If you see lots of \x00, try:

with open("pvz_fusion_save.dat", "r", encoding="utf-16") as f:
data = f.read()

If it still looks wrong, the file might be zlib/gzip compressed.

Most common fix: use UTF-16 instead of UTF-8.