Borderlands 4can have a side story in the same vein asTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, and there would be a perfect narrative device to do so. Heading into its fifth installment, theBorderlandsgames need to keep coming up with ways to keep its fast-paced shooter gameplay fresh. Thankfully, 2022’sTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsoffers the perfect twist. Even though both games hail from the same series, their stark differences may make the idea of combining the two seem odd. However,Borderlands 4can incorporate the style ofWonderlandsseamlessly alongside a more typicalBorderlandsadventure.
Even in the absurd world ofBorderlands,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’D&D-inspired adventurewas a departure from the norm. An adventure full of guns, magic, and several fantasy tropes mashed together,Wonderlandsis even more lighthearted than usual for the series. A lot of this has to do with both its setting taking place in aDungeons & Dragons-styled tabletop RPG, as well as the presence of the bombastic Tiny Tina as the story’s narrator. It’s a less explicit experience thanBorderlands' usual fare, as noted by its T rating, but that doesn’t keep it from replicatingBorderlands' usual high-energy fun.
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Borderlands 4 Could Benefit From a Bit of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands' Brand of Over-the-Top Fun
The primary difference betweenBorderlandsandWonderlandsis obvious. As silly asBorderlandsand its goofy characterslet themselves get, the worlds of Pandora and Bunkers & Badasses are incredibly different. This is especially the case followingBorderlands 3, which featured a story that included the heartwrenching death of a previous vault hunter as well as a sacrifice that changed the series' status quo. In contrast toTiny Tina’s Wonderlands, even with the Dragon Lord acting of his own accord, the stakes remain low and the mood is still light throughout. Of course, there is also the fact that even inBorderlandscanon,Wonderlandstakes place in a fictional world.
This distinction makes Bunkers and Badasses a perfect side game forBorderlands 4. Aside fromBorderlands 4’s new storyfor its campaign, there could be a side mode where players can venture through a game similar toTiny Tina’s Wonderlands. The setup for such a scenario would be simple. The player character, either a vault hunter from the game or an unseen character like inWonderlands, is playing a Bunkers & Badasses game with Tina as the game master. It could be a full side campaign to accompany the main story, and the player could switch between them at will depending on which story they’d rather advance.
Bringing aWonderlands-style campaign intoBorderlands 4could be a good call. In addition to any othernew ideasBorderlands 4may have, the biggest perk would beBorderlands 4essentially having two games in one, depending on the length of the Tiny Tina campaign. There could even be a reward for beating theWonderlandscampaign, like a LARPing themed gun or other piece of gear. IfBorderlands 4is set to have another dramatic story, then the ability to take a break with the unrelenting silliness of a campaign inspired byTiny Tina’s Wonderlandscould be exactly whatBorderlands 4needs.
A successor toTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsmay be the best accompaniment toBorderlands 4, as unexpected as it may seem. AlthoughBorderlands 4shouldn’t mimicTiny Tina’s Wonderlandstoo much, that’s no reason to ignore the spin-off’s influence entirely. SinceBorderlandsalmost always manages to keep a tongue-in-cheek attitude, including a side game influenced byWonderlands' fantastical brand of chaos is perfectly in line with the series' mission statement. After all, Bunkers & Badasses began as the setting for aBorderlands 2DLC adventure.Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsmay not have a sequel yet, butBorderlands 4could provide the next best thing.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsis available now for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
