The Great Deku Tree in Lego form (Lego) GameCentral gets its hands on Lego’s tribute to The Legend Of Zelda, with a set that recreates the Great Deku Tree from both Ocarina Of Time and Breath Of The Wild. As Sony and Microsoft struggle with the question of how to embrace multiformat gaming, and what that means for a console manufacturer, the current turmoil in the games industry doesn’t seem to be affecting Nintendo at all. But that’s not entirely true, as they’ve already spoken about their worries at the increasing amount of time it takes to make new games and the possibility of having to make new acquisitions to help with the next generation.
There’s still no chance they’ll release their games on any other format, as instead their policy for the last few years has been to expand the use of their IP, starting with the Nintendo World theme parks and continuing with the hugely successful Super Mario Bros. movie. They’re now much more proactive about teaming up with other companies, which has led to a lucrative partnership with Lego. One that has already resulted in a wide range of Super Mario sets aimed at kids and larger ones, such as a brick-built NES and a Super Mario 64 tribute, aimed at adult fans.
The success of the Lego Nintendo collaboration has been a major factor in driving the popularity of both brands. This collaboration has also led to a new wave of creativity and innovation within the gaming industry. The Lego Nintendo collaboration has been a resounding success, with the sets being highly sought after and selling out quickly.
These are not just any minifigures, but highly detailed and articulated figures with a range of accessories. The set is designed to appeal to a more mature audience, with a focus on intricate details and complex building techniques. The set’s design is inspired by the iconic Hyrule Castle, a symbol of the series’ enduring legacy.
The Ocarina of Time version is more of a modular design, allowing for different sections to be built and assembled in various ways. This modularity allows for greater flexibility and customization, enabling builders to create unique and diverse builds. This modularity is further enhanced by the use of Technic elements, which provide a more robust and intricate construction.
Which model you choose is no doubt going to depend on which game you have the most fondness for but it’s fairly clear the set itself considers the Breath Of The Wild (and Tears Of The Kingdom) version to be the primary one. It’s obvious why, as it’s a huge model that’s dense with Easter eggs and references. We’re used to not including spoilers in video game reviews, but we’d feel just as guilty at spoiling some of the surprises here. Some of the more obvious ones though include the main base of the tree being filled with mushroom and flowers based directly on Breath Of The Wild, with the instruction book pointing out what they are and what effect they have in-game. There’s tiny little Korok models in there too, and two secrets hidden in the roots of the tree, that we’re definitely not going to spoil.
It’s just like the game! (Lego) Inside the tree, at the back, there’s the bed, mushroom shop, and cooking pot that you see in the game, all of which are charmingly detailed and take a surprising amount of time to build. Even the top of the tree, at the back, is filled with unexpected amounts of detail, including a fairy, and Walton the Korok and the answer to the riddle he poses in the game. The main gimmick of the Breath Of The Wild model is that the eyebrows and mouth animate if you push a lever at the back, which is wonderfully clever in terms of the Lego engineering and looks great if you’re showing it off to someone else.
The set is a celebration of the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, celebrating the game’s iconic elements and characters. The set features a detailed and accurate recreation of the Master Sword, the iconic weapon of Link. The set includes a base with a detailed design that reflects the game’s world, including the iconic floating islands and the sky islands.
The game features a variety of weapons and armor, including swords, shields, and bows. Players can customize their Link’s appearance and abilities. The game’s world is vast and diverse, with a variety of environments, from lush forests to treacherous mountains. The game’s story is a classic adventure tale, with a focus on exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving.
You’re going to need a big shelf for the Breath Of The Wild model (Lego) The manual doesn’t tell you how to take apart one tree to make the other – we guess they just expect you to reverse the instructions – but the Ocarina Of Time Deku Tree is slightly taller and doesn’t have the Master Sword plinth in front of it. You can add it if you want, or display it separately, but since it doesn’t stick out the front, the Ocarina Of Tree version is a lot easier to fit on a shelf than the other model.
It’s a generally less dense design, as befits its N64 origins, but there’s still some great detail, with a couple of Deku Baba (Zelda’s cousin of the Piranha Plant), a gossip stone, and a Deku Tree Sprout. The canopy of the tree is completely different to the Breath Of The Wild version, as is the face – with the mouth opening up to let Link in, just like the game. An old school Zelda minifigure would’ve been nice too (Lego) Inside is a chest with a slingshot for Link to discover, while a brick-built Skulltula descends from the ceiling if you turn a dial. The Breath Of The Wild version is the bigger and more impressive Lego model but the Ocarina Of Time version provides arguably the most Zelda nostalgia.
It’s a fantastic set, with the Ocarina Of Time tree standing over 33cm tall and the Breath Of The Wild one just over 31cm (it’s hard to be specific because of the leaf pieces). There are 2,500 pieces in the set but, as we said, you don’t use all of them at any one point – there’s always some left over. That may rankle some, who perhaps wish the Ocarina Of Time version was available separately as a cheaper set, but as it is you can only get them as a 2-in-1 package for the princely sum of £259.99 (only from Lego stores or the official website).
This is a set that’s going to be highly sought after, and for good reason. It’s a collaboration between two iconic brands, Lego and Nintendo, and it’s a testament to the enduring power of nostalgia. The set is a faithful recreation of the iconic Hyrule Castle from the Legend of Zelda series.
Zelda doesn’t have much in the way of iconic architecture or vehicles, since Hyrule Castle and the Temple of Time change every game, just like the Deku Tree, but even if this ends up being the one and only Lego Zelda set it’s a worthy homage to the legendary series. Shoot it in the belly! (Lego) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
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