Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands contains a slew of Easter eggs that elevate the series’ humor to new heights, with a few of them destined to become classics.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands expertly blends the best elements of the Borderlands games with the tried-and-true dynamic of Tina acting as Bunker Master for a Dungeons & Dragons-style tabletop RPG, complete with characteristic Borderlands comedy. This makes Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands one of the wackiest games in the series, as evidenced by the gameplay loop of casting spells and wielding guns in a fantastical scenario. The game’s humor is possibly the finest in the series’ history, thanks to spot-on RPG puns and a plethora of references to other brands.
Borderlands games aren’t afraid to make references to other franchises through jokes, missions, items, and other odd ways, as evidenced by all of the Super Mario Bros. allusions scattered throughout the series. Of course, this strategy isn’t unique to video games, as Gearbox sprinkled references to The Lord of the Rings and Terminator 2 throughout Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, with the former being mentioned by Claptrap in a side mission and the latter appearing in a boss death sequence. Many of these minor elements will be noticed by fans of other series, and they help to make the whole experience more intimate and comfortable.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ Red Text Hides Some of the Game’s Best Jokes RELATED: Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands’ Red Text Hides Some of the Game’s Best Jokes
Because Borderlands games have a history of hiding Easter eggs from Super Mario Bros., such as hidden levels and Legendary weaponry, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands might be no different. Players in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands can stomp mushroom foes that resemble Goombas, the well-known fungi-like monsters from the Super Mario games. Another example of Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands references is the fact that the game’s overworld part allows players to search through thick grass for random encounters, which many Pokemon fans would recognize as a reference to the series’ long-running gimmick.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands also features two side missions that accomplish similar things, one dubbed “The Ditcher” as a nod to The Witcher series, and the other called “Little Boys Blue” as a nod to the Smurfs. In The Ditcher, the primary character is Gerrit of Trivia, a demon hunter, whereas, in Little Boys Blue, forest goblins are turned rabid by the wicked Garglesnot using a spell that turns them blue with white attire. These are immediately obvious references that not only serve as Easter eggs but also add to the series’ humor.
Star Wars enthusiasts will also notice a homage to the Jedi Master Mace Windu in the Maced Wardu Legendary Ward, which is a nod to George Lucas’ prequel trilogy films. The Extra-Caliber sword, as well as the Holey Spell-Nade – which is a homage to the legendary Holy Hand Grenade bit in Monty Python and the Holy Grail – reference both the myths of Excalibur and King Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table in Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands.
While Borderlands games have done something similar to Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands for years, all of the references in this game combine beautifully with the tale and the game’s particular wittiness. As a result, they are more than just citations of other popular video games, literary works, or films; they are integral to what sets Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands apart from its predecessors.
