Though Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has come under criticism for balancing choices and the Coiled Captors DLC, the spin-off does plenty right. Fans have shown plenty of love for the narration from Tina and the newcomers Frette and Valentine, with Dragon Lord also being praised as a strong villain. Alongside the solid story, many appreciate the gameplay of the spin-off, with spells being far more impactful than grenades and the Overworld being an excellent change of pace.
With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, Gearbox is able to lean into the absurdity of the concept, delivering unforgettable moments that could not be possible in the grounded world of Borderlands. From a cheese curl blocking the path forward to Torgue nuking the sea, there are plenty of hilarious sequences that are only achievable in something like Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. As such, doubling down on the spin-off and turning it into its own franchise is something Gearbox may want to prioritize before Borderlands 4 rolls around and steals the spotlight.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Deserves To Continue
With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands attracting so many players upon release that the Shift servers crashed, it can be assumed that the game was a successful endeavor for Gearbox. For that reason alone, it makes sense to continue releasing fantasy-focused Borderlands games, but there are some other reasons that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should inspire a proper series.
Not only did the Dungeons and Dragons inspirations allow for a game that was full of over-the-top moments, but the premise meant that more unique enemies were included as well. Players could never expect to fight sentient mushrooms or giant sharks in a Borderlands game, for instance, but that became a possibility in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Likewise, environments proved to be far more unique. A giant beanstalk like Tangledrift or a medieval city like Brighthoof would be out of place in Borderlands, but in Tina’s spin-off, they fit right in.
Alongside Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ vehicle-free maps and the spell system, which both work well, the concept of Tina playing with her friends is something that could make another game feel fresh. While it would be nice to see Frette and Valentine again, it could be just as fun to see Tina sit down with Zer0 and Moxxi for a campaign. Zer0’s love for cool swords and skill at killing could make his choices very different from Moxxi’s seductive approach, and allowing these characters to help shape the narrative could create an experience with a very different tone from the first game’s campaign. This could continue with each game, with Tina playing with a different pair of characters every time.
While Gearbox could always return to Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands years down the road after Borderlands 4 releases, similar to what is being done with Tales from the Borderlands 2, it makes sense to strike while the iron is hot. Gamers have been talking all about interesting features like Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ character creator and the multi-class system, both of which are unlikely to come to a mainline Borderlands game. Ensuring that fans of these systems have new content should be just as important as pleasing those that love the main series, and a sequel seems like the best way to do that.
With some simply enjoying the fantasy setting and lighthearted tone more, and younger gamers able to play Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands thanks to its T rating, the spin-off could have its own audience if a sequel was ever released. Borderlands is a known entity that will always bring in players whenever a new game drops, so holding off on Borderlands 4 for a while to ensure that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands becomes a household name would not be a bad idea. With gamers now knowing just how good Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is, a sequel could prove even more successful than the first game. Further, releasing more spin-offs and developing Borderlands 4 for longer could lead to a bigger, more polished game when it finally does arrive, making the approach a win-win scenario for fans.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
