Given the largely positive reception to the release of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a fantasy spinoff game of the chaotic looter-shooter franchise and has introduced some great new mechanics as well, including RPG elements like character customization. Borderlands 3 has been the most recent main installment of the franchise, introducing a selection of new characters and much-needed quality of life updates. With the successful release of the chaotic but great Dungeons & Dragons-inspired spin-off, here are some features that Borderlands 4 can learn from Wonderlands.
[Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Tiny Tina's Wonderlands.]
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a brand new spin-off set in the Borderlands universe, featuring a new cast of characters and a Dungeons & Dragons-inspired twist. Featuring a more fantastical setting, Wonderlands combines D&D with the chaos and loot of Borderlands. The game is essentially a much larger and better version of Borderlands 2's Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep DLC, which got a re-release just in time for Wonderlands' launch. Focused on the fan-favorite Tiny Tina, the story puts the player in the shoes of their own character, who plays Bunkers & Badasses with her and two new characters: Valentine and Frette. The game features an impressive cast, with Andy Samberg, Wanda Sykes, and Will Arnett all lending their voices.
The Borderlands franchise has run for more than a decade, adding more and more characters, lore, and guns with each installment. The first game, which released in 2010, originally had a more realistic look during development but later switched to the now iconic cel-shaded aesthetic which has stayed since. Set primarily on the wasteland planet of Pandora, the story of Borderlands tells the tale of Vault Hunters - groups of bounty hunters and mercenaries who wish to hunt ancient alien treasure found in massive gateways to loot called Vaults. Each game typically features a group of four characters, each with their own unique classes and abilities. Being a looter-shooter, the game focuses on players getting as much loot as possible as they slay badass villains and bosses.
Borderlands 4 Should Have Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' Character Focus
One of the many things Tiny Tina's Wonderlands did well was its focus on Tiny Tina's development as a character. Set between the events of Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3, the Tiny Tina seen in Wonderlands is one that is haunted by the loss of Roland, who is revealed to be the person who initially showed her Bunkers & Badasses. The Borderlands 2 DLC, Assault on Dragon Keep had a similar theme, focused on Tiny Tina's grief of losing one of her closest friends. This has made the D&D-obsessed Tiny Tina an extremely well-developed and fan-favorite character.
Borderlands 3 arguably had a narrative issue, not focusing on any specific character which made its main story a bit lackluster compared to other installments like Borderlands 2. Games like Borderlands 2 and Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel focused on characters like Handsome Jack and how his actions affected the characters around him. Tales from the Borderlands, while not a typical Borderlands game, had a great narrative that expanded upon the lore and the series' best villain yet, Handsome Jack. Even the Borderlands 3 expansions had better stories than the game's main one. Tiny Tina's Wonderlands did the same thing with Tiny Tina, and Borderlands 4 would do well to focus on a more character-driven story.
Borderlands 4 Needs Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' Customization
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands' Fatemaker respeccing and customization was one of the best features introduced into the series. The Borderlands franchise has always been known to have set characters players must choose for the rest of the playthrough. With the Fatemaker however, Wonderlands has given players the chance to create their own character, from their appearance to their classes to even their stats in true D&D fashion. The customization is extremely detailed, allowing players to customize aspects like voices and tattoos for their characters. The player character is also included in the main story both in and out of the Bunkers & Badasses board, which helps the player develop a deeper connection with the events being told.
RPG-style character customization has become much more common recently, and Borderlands 4 would benefit from adopting that trend. This would allow the player to feel more immersed in the story and also stop the Borderlands series from being bloated with characters. The series already has so many unique and interesting figures as is, to the point that even some of them did not appear in the franchise's last major installment, Borderlands 3. Having a player character running around with their own voice lines similar to how Tiny Tina's Wonderlands did would be a great addition to the main franchise as a whole.
Tiny Tina's Valentine & Frette Should Appear In Borderlands 4
Two new characters named Valentine and Frette were introduced as new characters in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, voiced by Andy Samberg and Wanda Sykes respectively. Valentine is a space-faring pirate captain whose ship crash-landed on Pandora, where he found Tiny Tina. Frette is Valentine's robot co-pilot and assistant powered by an A.I. that craves violence. The two characters prove to be extremely lovable characters and are connected with the player character, the Newbie, who is a part of their crew. They also have a deep love for Bunkers & Badasses, making them immediately dear friends to Tina.
While Valentine and Frette have already had their time in the sun with Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, it would be nice to see them return in Borderlands 4. Valentine is referred to as a "washed up low-rent space pirate." Borderlands 4, which would likely be set years after the events of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands in the wider chronology of the Borderlands games, could perhaps show Valentine thriving in his space-pirate career with Frette and the Newbie. Their connection to Tina would allow them to have an easy re-introduction in the series as well.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands has been a great new spinoff fans of both the Borderlands series and Dungeons & Dragons can sink their teeth into. With a season on the way, there is still a lot to come for players and lots of new quests to embark on. Wonderlands introduced a lot of great mechanics and characters to the series. From character customization to Valentine and Frette, it would serve Borderlands 4 well to adopt more of what made Tiny Tina's Wonderlands so chaotic and great.
