While fans have criticized Borderlands 3 for its low raid boss count and certain story moments, the game did a lot of things right. Not only were the visuals much improved over the previous entries in the series, but the gunplay and movement system served as a significant step forward. On top of smoother gameplay, the 2019 game experimented with a lot of new concepts. While the flawed Takedown missions were not a huge hit, there were a lot of standout offerings like Mayhem mode.
As such, Borderlands 3 should influence the modes and mechanics of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. While not every feature was a hit with the community, Gearbox did find plenty of new ideas that satisfied fans. As such, the things that worked should stick around in the fantasy-focused spinoff. With a strong endgame experience being important for Borderlands, ensuring that gamers have a variety of things to do would be wise. If the following modes and features are included, the game would have no problem building up a healthy player base.
Borderlands 3’s Mayhem And Arms Race Modes
One of the most well-rounded features in Borderlands 3 was Mayhem mode. While the system did undergo a revamp, it proved to be a near-endless source of entertainment in its final state. Instead of just making the game more difficult, the modifiers allowed players to make their fights feel fresh. Having positive effects like more loot alongside negative effects like acid pools was neat, too, as players could make the perfect setup for their playstyle. Alongside a difficulty option like Mayhem, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should bring back the Arms Race mode. An interesting, PvE version of a battle royale, the mechanics allowed the game’s weapons to really shine. With Axton and Salvador providing commentary, too, Arms Race is an interesting change of pace.
Borderlands 3’s Seasonal Events and Crew Challenges
While Borderlands 3’s seasonal events were limited, all of them were memorable. The skulls from Bloody Harvest kept players on edge whenever the event was turned on, while the Broken Hearts Day cosmetics stood out from other items. Revenge of the Cartels was widely regarded as the best event of the bunch, as its special location, enemies, and loot drops were all great additions. With the first shot at seasonal events going so well, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should bring them back. The Crew Challenges should also return, as these collectibles added a lot to each area. Collecting or completing all the missions often led to special rewards or dialogue, too, something that made them worth hunting down.
Borderlands 3’s Diamond Armory, Vault Cards, And Mailbox
While having some extra game modes would help keep Borderlands fans playing, and seasonal events could get lapsed players to log back in, there are some minor features that should be brought back as well. Two of these were introduced via the Director’s Cut DLC, with both the Diamond Armory and Vault Cards being excellent reasons to keep playing. With the timed loot of the former and the themed loot of the latter both being fun to collect, the only downside to these additions is that they came to the game so late. As such, it would be great to see Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands incorporate them from the get-go. Finally, the small-but-meaningful mailbox feature should return. Being able to send loot to offline or online friends at any time was excellent, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands should include the quality-of-life mechanic.
Borderlands 3 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.