Gearbox Software really broke the mold with its latest release,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Although on the surface the newest addition to theBorderlandsuniverse shares a lot of similarities with its predecessors, and was even directly inspired by someBorderlands 2DLC,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsreally forges its own path. Alongside the classicBorderlandssense of humor, irreverent violence, and cartoonish art style,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsfeatures vastly different gameplay with role-playing tabletop themes at its core.
Another area whereTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsbuilds on what the previousBorderlandsgames offered is its class system. Adapting what players would come to expect from aBorderlandstitle and presenting a very much new and improved version is one of the reasonsTiny Tina’s Wonderlandshas had such a successful launch, even compared to other entries in the franchise. Its fantasy focus, fun overworld, and tabletop features have been well received by fans, and many think there are elements – such as the class system – that would transition perfectly intoBorderlands 4.
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Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Class System
Players have the chance to completely customize their Fatemaker, picking not only how they look but also their background and voice as well. Once this is done, gamers have the chance to choose one of six distinct classes, fromthe necromancer Gravebornto the mage-like Spellshot. Each ofTiny Tina’s Wonderlands’six classes has two action skills, one skill tree, and one class feat, with a variety of moves that can cause elemental damage or hurl weaponry to cause a great deal of destruction.
Things get even more interesting when players choose a secondary class during the course of their playthrough, opening up the options when it comes to action skills and skill trees. Some classes also come with their own companions that can be summoned to help in combat, which adds to the colorful carnage. In comparison toBorderlands' fairly restrictive four-class structure,Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsreally opens things upand gives players a lot more agency when it comes to choosing how they want to approach combat.
How Borderlands 4 Could Utilize It
While the nextBorderlandsgame hasn’t technically been announced yet, many have speculated that it’s already in development. Comments on Twitter from Randy Pitchford, co-founder and CEO of Gearbox Software, seemed to confirm that the nextBorderlandsis in the works - or at least that is what fans are interpreting from his assurance that “we’re working on the big one.” It makes sense that the franchise would continue to capitalize on its success, especially with the positive receptionTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsreceived.
That said, there are a few tweaks fans would like to see to the typicalBorderlandsformula. The traditional setup – where players can pick one of the four classes of the preset characters – needs to bere-evaluated in the wake ofTiny Tina’s Wonderlands. The freedom it gave players to not only create their own character but to also pick from six different classes and then select a subclass to further customize their playstyle was a really positive step in the right direction. It was also one of the elements ofTiny Tina’s Wonderlandsin particular that received a lot of praise. Vault Hunters with set personalities and backstories could still be integral toBorderlands 4,but there needs to be a way to customize the classes.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsreally expanded the class systemand showed how creative players could get with their characters. With a variety of spells and even companions to help liven up the combat experience, the game rejuvenated theBorderlandsformat. While spells wouldn’t really translate into the nextBorderlands, classes need a more setting-appropriate version of it to replace or enhance the standard grenade. The inclusion of melee weapons is also a must for the next game, even if the main focus still centers on the FPS action that has categorized theBorderlandsfranchise.
Whatever the nextBorderlandsgame shapes up to be, it might be hard for players to go back to the classic four-class system where they’re expected to stay in their lanes. Bringing more classes to the table, as well as the opportunity to somehow mix and match abilities, would definitely bea positive addition toBorderlands 4.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlandsis available for PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
