Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has given the a brand new take on the Borderlands series, deriving from one of Borderlands 2‘s most iconic DLCs, Assault on Dragon Keep. Being a major spin-off of the Borderlands franchise, it can be confusing to figure out when in the timeline Wonderlands takes place. While Borderlands 3 portrayed a much older Tiny Tina, the D&D-inspired Wonderlands features a much younger version of the bomb-obsessed hero, similar to how she appeared in Borderlands 2.
The Borderlands series has been around since 2009, with each game expanding on the last with brand new story, lore, and loot. Borderlands 3 was the most recent main installment of the series, bringing in characters from Telltale’s spin-off Tales from the Borderlands game into the main storyline. Borderlands 2 has also gotten updates, even after its 2012 release. For the release of Borderlands 3, an expansion called Commander Lilith and the Fight for Sanctuary was released to bridge the events between the Borderlands 2 and 3. Assault on Dragon Keep was recently rereleased as its own standalone game, giving some context for players who wish to play Wonderlands without getting into Borderlands 2.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has proven to be a great spin-off for fans of both the Borderlands series and Dungeons & Dragons. A fantasy version of the chaotic looter-shooter, Wonderlands throws players into the game as they create their own character and play a tabletop RPG with the iconic character, Tiny Tina, and her new friends, Valentine and Frette. Valentine and Frette are brand new characters introduced to Borderlands and are respectively voiced by Andy Samberg and Wanda Sykes.
Borderlands 1 Kicks Off The Story Of The Vault Hunters
The game that started it all, Borderlands introduced characters like Lilith, Roland, and Claptrap to players around the world. It redefined the looter-shooter genre, sporting literally millions of different guns and loot players could use to their heart’s content. Choosing from Lilith, Roland, Brick or Mordecai, players could dominate the battlefield of Pandora with each characters respective skills and abilities. Borderlands also got a Game of the Year upgrade, bringing it back to life with higher definition.
Story-wise, Borderlands is arguably the weakest, as it had a fairly weak villain. It was a fairly basic story of treasure hunting and survival. The game introduced players to Pandora and the lovable band of misfits known as the Vault Hunters. From annoying robot companion, Claptrap to the alluring host of the Underdome, Mad Moxxi, Borderlands featured some amazing character design and world building that set the basis for future games.
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel Tells The Rise Of Handsome Jack
Handsome Jack is an iconic Borderlands character, widely considered one of the best video game villains of all time. His sarcastic and egotistical personality stole the hearts of many fans in Borderlands 2, which led to the creation of Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel. While this prequel game does feature some cutscenes set after the events of Borderlands 2, it is primarily set between the events of first two games, depicting Handsome Jack’s rise in the Hyperion corporate ladder and his fall from hero to maniacal supervillain.
There are six playable characters in this game. Athena, the Shield Maiden, is basically the main character narrating the story. Wilhelm, Nisha, and Claptrap are three other Borderlands 2 characters that are playable in The Pre-Sequel. Two DLC characters were added after the game’s initial launch in 2014, which were Timothy, Handsome Jack’s doppelganger, and Aurelia, the Baroness, who is Sir Hammerlock’s sister. Both Timothy and Aurelia were featured in Borderlands 3, with Timothy and Moxxi being prominent characters in the game’s first story expansion.
Borderlands 2 Tells The Fall Of Handsome Jack
Considered by many fans as the best in the series, Borderlands 2 is arguably what put the franchise on the map. Featuring the return of Borderlands characters like Lilith, Claptrap, and Moxxi, the game introduced many new ones, including the iconic Handsome Jack. This was Handsome Jack’s first appearance in the Borderlands series and features the maniacal corporate dictator in his prime. The sequel features the main cast of the first game as the leaders of a rebel group on Pandora fighting back against Jack known as the Crimson Raiders. The game also introduced Tiny Tina, a fan favorite by many and the titular character of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Borderlands 2 is still actively played to this day and is considered a classic.
Borderlands 2 features a new cast of six playable characters: Axton, Maya, Salvador, Zer0, Gaige, and Krieg. Each of these character have their own respective abilities and dialogue, making each experience unique to the player. Borderlands held the world record for most guns in a video game: 17.75 million. Borderlands 2 doubled that, making it even more spectacular than its predecessor. If players new to Borderlands intend to play through the series, this is not one they should miss out on. With so many moments that range from hilarious to heartbreaking, players will likely find Borderlands 2 to be one of the best looter shooters of all time.
Tales From The Borderlands Is A Side Story Players Don’t Want To Miss Out On
Recently added back to digital stores last year, Tales from the Borderlands is a great spin-off game players won’t want to miss out on. Tales from the Borderlands is not the usual looter-shooter the games are known for, but it is a narrative driven story game made by the developers at Telltale. The game features a wide cast of brand new characters, with some returning ones, most notably Handsome Jack. Following the adventures of Vault Hunters Rhys and Fiona, Tales from the Borderlands delivers a heartfelt and amazing story driven by the player’s choice.
Tales from the Borderlands fleshes out Handsome Jack’s character even further, establishing him as a more complex character than how he was in Borderlands 2. Set after the events of Borderlands 2, Tales from the Borderlands features other returning characters such as Zer0 and Claptrap. If players would like to better understand the story of Borderlands 3, they should play Tales from the Borderlands as characters like Rhys and his best friend, Vaughn.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Is The Series’ Most Recent Spin-Off
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is the Borderlands series’ most recent installment and is a spin-off following the titular pyromaniac and her obsession with tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons. The spin-off features a cast of brand new characters including the player’s character who is involved in both the Borderlands-set story and the “B&B” campaign. Two new characters named Valentine and Frette are introduced to the series as well, respectively voiced by Andy Samberg and Wanda Sykes. The main antagonist of the game is also voiced by the talented Will Arnett.
Rather than multiple different playable characters to choose from, Wonderlands allows the player to choose classes for their character, making the game more RPG-like and delving heavy into its D&D roots. Each class contains its own abilities and stats and even allows players to multiclass mid-game. There are six classes to choose from: the Brr-Zerker, Spellshot, Clawbringer, Spore Warden, Graveborn, and Stabbomancer. A looter-shooter like its predecessors, Wonderlands features some recurring characters besides Tiny Tina that are sure to give excite fans.
Commander Lilith & The Fight For Sanctuary Bridges The Gap Between Borderlands 2 & Borderlands 3
While this is not exactly a game in itself, Commander Lilith & the Fight for Sanctuary is a Borderlands 2 expansion that was released to bridge the gap between Borderlands 2 and Borderlands 3. Released seven years after Borderlands 2 initial launch, the expansion is set after the events of Borderlands 2 and the Pre-Sequel. The expansion tells the tale of the Crimson Raiders after the fall of Handsome Jack and Hyperion. A new foe appears named Colonel Hector, who wishes to reinstate a “New Pandora” with his militia of ex-Dahl soldiers.
The expansion also continues from the Borderlands 2 storyline, which allows the player to play as the character they had originally chosen in the main story. Alternatively, players can play this DLC separately with a brand new character to know the story leading up to Borderlands 3. The story introduces Vaugh from Tales from the Borderlands character into the story as well. This DLC is good to play for players who would like to know what happens between the events of the two main installments.
Borderlands 3 Culminates Everything The Series Has Built Into One Great Game
Last and most certainly not least, is Borderlands 3, which got its final DLC last year, with crossplay being added to the game as well. Borderlands 3 is basically a culmination of everything Borderlands, with characters from every game and spin-off appearing in the main storyline, along with some new faces. Rhys, a prominent character from Tales from the Borderlands, is featured as a main character in the story as well as recurring characters like Zer0, Claptrap and Tiny Tina.
The main villains of Borderlands 3 are the Calypso Twins who created a cult of psychos known as the Children of the Vault. Choosing from one of four characters (Amara, Zane, Fl4k, or Moze) players must defeat the Children of the Vault and traverse the galaxy. This is the first game in the series to be set in other planets besides Pandora. The game also boast some of the series’ best DLCs, with one featuring the return of Timothy, Handsome Jack’s doppelganger.
With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands released, the Borderlands series has grown and it can be hard to figure out the franchise timeline. Boasting a wide roster of lovable characters and literally billions of unique weapons, the Borderlands series has proven to be an iconic looter-shooter worldwide. With six main games and tons of DLC to explore, players will find hundreds of hours invested in the chaotic great universe of Borderlands. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands just adds more fantasy fun in a world full of psychos, explosions and mayhem.
