Borderland series is one of the biggest RPG shooter sagas of recent times. All their titles always include a well-developed villain, brilliant characters, excellent looting, missions, environments, and gameplay. This is true for both Tiny Tina Wonderlands, the acclaimed spin-off, and Borderlands 3, the last iteration of the franchise. 

But more seasoned gamers and fans of the shooter may be wondering, which title is better? This is the final objective of this Tiny Tina's Wonderlands vs Borderlands 3 article: to unravel this mystery and ensure you get the title that satisfies your needs.

• Release Date: March 25, 2022

• Developer: Gearbox Software

• Publisher: 2K

• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S

• Metascore: 78

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is a role-playing first-person shooter game, a spin-off in the Borderlands saga, and a sequel to Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep, the DLC of Borderlands 2. Wonderlands is set within the world of a fantasy-themed tabletop role-playing game. 

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, contrary to its Borderlands predecessors, has a magical background. It means it includes several aspects related to magic, bizarre creatures, strange powers, and things of this type.

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Xbox Live CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys. 

• Release Date: September 18, 2019

• Developer: Gearbox Software

• Publisher: 2K Games

• Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia

• Metascore: 81

Borderlands saga already has several games on this list; Borderlands 3 is the last installment of the franchise – not including Borderlands Legendary Collections. It’s also a role-playing first-person shooter video game and a good ending point for the franchise. 

Borderlands 3 is a solid FPS with hack-and-slash mechanics. So, it provides a dizzy and frantic action with extremely good gameplay-wise interactions with enemies and surroundings. Borderlands 3 maintains the classic visual style of its predecessors: guns, procedurally generated weapons, the plot, and more. 

Borderlands 3 Ultimate Edition Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

We focus on seven relevant aspects of both games. Although our judgment is not absolute, you can use the verdict we provide to select your next role-playing adventure in the Borderlands universe.

1. Graphics and Visual Section

Since both titles were developed by the same studio and released by the same company, they share multiple similarities in terms of graphics or visual style. Both titles have built-in cell shading technology with a characteristic cartoonish style, like that you can find in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. In this scenario, we have to focus on details and the art section to determine what is the best game in this regard.

I prefer the style and visual ending of Tiny Tina since its graphic section resonates better with the argument behind the game. Colorful environments, light and shadow work, and aesthetics resonate better for me since they give a trusting context to gameplay. Moreover, since Wonderland is a newer title than Borderlands games, including the third installment of the franchise, it’s logical that it brings improved graphics.

Verdict. Wonderlands features better visuals and graphic assets than the Borderlands title.

2. Setting and Environments

Although the third Borderlands game boasts a well-achieved techno-punk-apocalyptic world, it tends to be very homogeneous during the entire duration of the game. Please do not misunderstand me! Borderlands 3 still has a good variety of environments but with a similar "inspiration."

However, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands switches this Gearbox Software condition up thanks to its full fantasy world. Despite you not being able to find any exclusive environment in Wonderlands, they are still varied, which is appreciated.

This fantasy action RPG features mystical forests, snowy mountains, passing through rivers made of rainbows, giant bean plants, and much more. This condition really enriches Wonderlands and provides more places where the action can be unleashed.

Verdict. The Borderlands experience contains rich environments, but the variety of biomes and landscapes make Wonderland a clear winner in this regard. 

3. RPG Elements

Since Wonderlands is a direct “sequel” or “successor” to previous Borderlands games, both titles do not differ significantly from each other regarding role-playing features. For example, both have the same procedurally generated loot system through which you can obtain unique weapons thanks to possible combinations of perks and skills. However, there are some differences worth mentioning. 

Regarding character customization, you can create your own character with a series of characteristics available. This way, you can create your own class and not be restricted to those that the game offers you, which happens in the case of Borderlands 3.

Wonderlands features six different classes, and you can mix and match their skills for your character. Sadly, since you do not use a specific vault hunter, your character won't have a specific voice actor who depicts them, but you’ll be able to improve abilities thanks to “hero points.”

Verdict. Regardless of the improvements in terms of character customization, Borderlands 3 sets the foundations for the role-playing elements you find in the subsequent Wonderlands. 

4. Combat Features and Gunplay

Both Tiny Tina and Borderlands 3 boast extremely good gameplay based on role-playing elements and shooter combat style. From this point of view, they are pretty similar, and the general sensation is equal.

Both games present a good arsenal and a wide range of weapons, which means you can unfold different playstyles according to the weapons you pick. Weapons vary in range, damage, ammo capacity, and special perks. Still, all the vault hunters in Borderlands 3 have unique skills that operate on a cooldown, with the possibility of unlocking three other skills for each character.

However, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has a special feature that differentiates it from its Borderlands counterpart. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands boasts melee weapons, which is a novelty in comparison to other Borderlands games. This way, in Wonderlands, you have a specific 5th slot for melee weapons. Wonderlands has also replaced grenades with special spells. This new way to attack enemies basically expands the possibilities and improves combat visuals like never before.

Magical spells have short cooldowns, and you do not have to worry about resource management. Spells will be a vital part of your arsenal. In this sense, Wonderlands feels fresher, although, in essence, both combats are mostly similar.

Wonderlands also features random encounters during the experience in the overworld, which is one of the key differences between both combat entrances.

Verdict. Since Wonderlands entails more possibilities and new elements, we have to give this point to it.

5. Plot and Story

As we mentioned before, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is a Borderlands 2 spin-off based on an NPC present in the saga, Tiny Tina. The thirteen-year-old girl plays a crucial role as narrator and dungeon master. In this scenario, you, as The Newbie, together with the other two characters, Frette and Valentina, must stop Dragon Lord, a powerful sorcerer with the capability of raising the undead. This way, the context is covered by a fantasy theme.

Borderlands 3, on the other hand, boasts a stronger story that is based on the general plot of the franchise. It takes place on the planet Pandora, with rumors that the vaults are full of treasures and technologies. Many corporations from different parts of the galaxy have arrived to claim them.

In Borderlands 3, several characters from past entries return by uniting the entire saga and creating a more complete title with several edges. This way, you get a full Borderlands experience.

Verdict. Borderlands 3 depicts a more robust plot and story based on excellent world-building.

6. Endgame Content

As we mentioned in the above section, Bl3's story is so-so at best and really drags in parts. However,  it features a ton of awesome endgame content. Most of the Borderlands 3 endgame content is based on farming legendary items you find revolving around Pandora. Besides, there are still multiple things to do after beating BL3. For instance, you can do side missions, start the True Value Hunter Mode, take on the Circle of Slaughter, and more.

Wonderlands also has a great story but suffers from a lack of endgame content and replayability. Its limited endgame does not provide any crucial aspect to the plot or the general experience. However, you can solve some shrine puzzles to collect shrine pieces, hunt for legendary weapons, increase your Myth rank, and run the Chaos Chamber. Although the game offers some things to do upon finishing, it does not feel like a deepening in its universe.

Verdict. Definitely, Borderlands 3 entails more interesting endgame content that keeps you in front of the screen for more time. 

7. Quests and Dungeons

Like in any good RPG, the latest entry in the Borderlands franchise, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, and Borderlands 3 integrate good quest flows with multiple missions of a different nature. Wonderlands boasts over sixty missions, while Borderlands 3 has more than one hundred quests in its mission flow.

Regardless of the number of quests in Borderlands 3, I have to say that you get more fun from Wonderland's quests, either main or side ones since you'll carry them out in different environments and with particular goals. In any form, we mean that Borderlands quests lack depth or interest, but I believe that they can be more variable and include different objectives.

However, the quality of quests can be a controversial topic since some players prefer the quest’s style that is more related to the Borderlands series. Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands goes beyond and poses quests full of satiric humor and weird situations, which is reason enough to explore the entire game.

Verdict. Wonderlands has some of the best events of the Borderlands series, and many of them are totally hilarious.  

Despite Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands being a great and funny game that focuses especially on customization and lets players create their own characters, we have to choose Borderlands 3 on this pass. It’s because the third iteration of the series has stronger foundations and mechanics that resonate better in the unconscious of gamers. In other words, Borderlands 3 is the culmination of several mechanics established in previous installments, and everything it does, it does incredibly well.

Last but not least, remember that Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands and Borderlands 3 are available on RoyalCDKeys, and you can get them right now with just one click!