LEGO Zelda: The Great Deku Tree Set Review: Worthy of the Legend

LEGO Zelda: The Great Deku Tree Set Review: Worthy of the Legend

As a lifelong Zelda fan, I must say that the latest collaboration between LEGO and Nintendo has left me absolutely spellbound! The Great Deku Tree set is a masterpiece that seamlessly blends two iconic games from the series – Ocarina of Time and Breath of the Wild.


Over the past few years, the collaboration between LEGO and Nintendo has proven beneficial in various exciting ways. Initially, LEGO primarily developed sets based on Mario and Animal Crossing, but they’ve now begun to explore The Legend of Zelda universe as well. With a rich library of beloved games spanning almost 40 years, LEGO creatively decided to develop one set that could be customized to represent two distinct titles from the series. This innovative approach allows fans of Zelda to pick which game they’d prefer the set to emulate. The Great Deku Tree LEGO set can be assembled to resemble its appearance in either Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild, offering enthusiasts a unique choice and immersive building experience

For undecided buyers, there is plenty of time available to pick the build they prefer. The construction process for the Great Deku Tree set follows a Choose Your Own Adventure format; initially, all builders assemble the same components, but later choices lead them to different pages in the set. This branching point doesn’t occur until the ninth bag, which takes approximately four hours to complete. During this time, you will construct all the Minifigs, the tree base, and certain elements that remain consistent regardless of your choice. If you choose to build the Breath of the Wild set, you’ll also receive a LEGO replica of Link’s Kokiri Forest treehouse from Ocarina of Time. On the other hand, if you decide to construct the Ocarina of Time set, you’ll get a diorama depicting the Master Sword’s location in Breath of the Wild

LEGO Zelda: The Great Deku Tree Set Review: Worthy of the Legend

These miniature game items are wonderful because they could stand independently as impressive sets. For instance, Link’s treehouse is a charming recreation of the N64 location, filled with intricate details like a Hookshot for Link and a diminutive Navi, his fairy companion. It might be small and uncomplicated, but it’s a delightful representation nonetheless. Similarly, the Master Sword area looks splendid by itself, boasting verdant scenery and a Triforce-like stand that holds the Master Sword. Notably, if you intend to construct the Breath of the Wild set, this piece connects with the Great Deku Tree

The LEGO Great Deku Tree set showcases an impressive level of detail, mirroring the intricacy found in their other sets. It cleverly references various elements from both ‘Ocarina of Time’ and ‘Breath of the Wild’, such as a Gossip Stone replica and a mini Sheikah Slate. However, it comes with just four Minifigs, which seems somewhat sparse given its high price point. Nevertheless, the set allows for the construction of characters from both games, ranging from Skulltulas and Koroks to Deku Babas. This collection of familiar faces stirred up a wave of nostalgia within me, making me yearn to replay both games once more

LEGO Zelda: The Great Deku Tree Set Review: Worthy of the Legend

Given the cost of the set, it should come as no surprise that either build will take a good chunk of time to complete. I’m a relatively experienced LEGO builder and it took me just under eight and a half hours to complete one version of the Great Deku Tree (I went with the Ocarina of Time build). For the most part, the build is pretty painless, and the instructions do a nice job laying things out. That said, I do wish that the instructions made it a bit easier to deconstruct one build and swap to another. There doesn’t seem to be an easy path to do so without painstakingly taking each piece off until you get back to the initial decision point.

See the Zelda Deku Tree Set at the LEGO Shop

Apart from one design issue I find, my main concern about this collection is its high price tag may deter numerous fans. Although the Great Deku Tree set is definitely value for money for those who can afford it, I worry that LEGO might use sales figures to determine whether to produce more Zelda sets. As I assembled this set, I couldn’t help but imagine other fantastic sets we could have from the series, such as a Loftwing from Skyward Sword, or the King of Red Lions from The Wind Waker. The Zelda series boasts numerous incredible titles, and it would be unfortunate if we didn’t see more creativity with it

LEGO Zelda: The Great Deku Tree Set Review: Worthy of the Legend

Still, if The Great Deku Tree is the only Zelda LEGO set we ever get, it’s an incredible option. So much care went into building something that feels faithful to the brand, and the fact that they were able to channel two very different games for one set is really impressive. It doesn’t feel like any compromises were made to honor both of these games, and that’s a great feat of engineering. If you started as a Zelda fan with Breath of the Wild, you’re not going to feel short changed with the final build, and that can also be said for Ocarina of Time fans that might not be as fond of Link’s more recent adventures. Personally, as a Zelda fan of more than two decades, I really enjoyed my time with this build, and it’s hard to imagine any Zelda fan not getting the same satisfaction. If you can afford it, the Great Deku Tree LEGO set should be a must-own part of your collection.

In a fun twist, the Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree building set made its debut on September 1st and is currently available for purchase through the LEGO store at a price point of $299.99. Kindly note that this set was generously provided by LEGO for the purpose of this review

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2024-09-05 19:10