Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands will be making some exciting additions to the core gameplay loop. The multi-class system and character creation will give players more control of who they are playing as than ever before, while proper melee weapons will make melee-focused builds more exciting than ever. The Overworld map adds some exploration opportunities that are fitting of the game’s fantasy setting, too.
However, the most exciting gameplay mechanic of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands might just be its spells. Several examples of these abilities were shown off in the gameplay trailer for Tina’s spin-off game, and all of them look like they could be powerful. However, Gearbox needs to make sure that these spells are as strong as they look, as guns being significantly better will instantly make this new mechanics irrelevant.
Why Gearbox Needs To Be Careful With Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ Magic
A big reason that some fans are concerned about balancing issues in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands stems from the grenades in Borderlands 3. When the game launched, there were some grenades that were ridiculously overpowered, with the items able to one-shot even the strongest bosses. Then, when Mayhem Mode was reworked, grenades did not scale properly - making them completely useless to players in the higher tiers of Mayhem Mode.
As such, a power balancing issue in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a legitimate concern. While spells could end up being too powerful, it would certainly be better than the alternative where they are not used at all. Part of the fantasy that players live out within something like Dungeons and Dragons is making their characters incredibly powerful, and with Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands trying to replicate that tone, this that should be possible in-game. If guns are the only thing that can kill enemies effectively, though, part of what makes this Tina-focused game so unique could quickly fade away.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ Currently Revealed Spells Are A Good Sign
Fortunately, it seems like Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ guns will not overshadow spells - at least based on what can be seen in the gameplay trailer. Though there is plenty of shooting to be seen, there is also plenty of spell casting. Not only are these spells interesting, but some of them look just as devastating as the action skills wielded by iconic Vault Hunters like FL4K and Moze.
In the trailer, players can see a shark-like enemy instantly turned into a ghost that flies into the sky. Paths of fire are made, dark magic orbs rain down from portals in the sky, and a player even wields an ethereal bow. With these spells looking so diverse and fun to use, and seemingly dealing a lot of damage to everything in their path, they could end up overshadowing guns. For this specific game, that would be a good thing. While guns are crucial to Borderlands’ success, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is doing something different as opposed to being another traditional entry, and prioritizing magic over everything else can make that clear.
Looks can be deceiving, though, so hopefully Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ lineup of spells is as useful as it is flashy. Seeing magic introduced only for it to be an afterthought would be a shame, as it could easily help Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands attract some new players to Borderlands if it is handled correctly. For now, fans should be optimistic, as spells do look powerful based on the limited gameplay that has been shown. Still, it will be something to keep an eye on once the full game releases.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands launches March 25, 2022 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
