LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 – Part 2: ‘Bout time for some ocarina! [Review]

Yesterday, Part 1 of our TBB review of LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 covered the Breath of the Wild version of this arboreal guardian. But now we need to run through a couple measures of the notes A, D, and F to play the Song of Time on our ocarina and roll the review back to the beginning again. This time, we’ll be diving deep into the Great Deku Tree version from Ocarina of Time. LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 comes in at 2,500 pieces with release on September 1st. The set is already available for pre-order, retailing for US $299.99 | CAN $389.99 | UK £259.99 on the LEGO website. It may also be available from third-party sellers such as Amazon and eBay.

But what about part 1?

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend you give LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 – Part 1: Breath of the Wild edition [Review] a read before continuing on. There, I cover the usual unboxing and set contents, in our typical TBB-style. Part 2 will be jumping right into the build process for the OoT construction path.

The build

Unlike in Part 1 of this review, we’re actually going to start with bag 1 this time. This begins the construction of Young Link’s abode in the Kokiri Forest. We get the ever annoying Navi sitting on a trans-clear bar. This is a second version of this print, distinct from the pink fairy we saw in the BotW version. There’s also a great printed 2×3 tile with some of the Hylian language spelling out a message.

The opposite side is open to allow for play potential. We’ll be using it for storage in the next step. Notable in this first step is the re-use of some great LEGO tech to get the beveled sides of the hut, utilizing 1×1 tiles with a bar to hold the bricks at a 45-degree angle.

Bag 2 completes the house with a second story that includes a porch, ladder, and Link’s bed. While the top looks a little awkward, this also feels right at home with those “ancient” N64 graphics from my childhood.

Spinning the build around, there’s also a box full of fun trinkets sitting in the lower level. We’ll break down the contents of it later on. Unlike the Master Sword platform from Part 1, this hut remains a distinct part of the final display, sitting off on its own.

With Link’s house all done and dusted, we finally begin building the Deku Tree-proper. We’ll cut into the process after bag 9 of the build, as outlined previously. To help catch you up, here’s all the steps up until this point from part 1:

From here on out, the bags are going to get a bit crazy, so be prepared to skip around and combine parts. Our next section uses bags 10, 14, and 23 to flesh out the face, roots, and some pretty sweet play features on our Deku Tree. The face is significantly changed, more angular than the previous version. And the tree’s roots are less pronounced, just quickly moving from the trunk into the water. Instead of a talking treefolk, we instead have the opening mouth to allow Link into the “level” in search of Ganondorf’s curse.

The back better shows the mechanics of the mouth-opening mechanism, as well as a spider web indicative of the enemies faced within the tree.

And speaking of spiders, the other play feature at work here allows a Skulltula to drop from the ceiling onto our Hylian hero. While the spider will be added later, the pulley and locking gear system is installed at this stage. And we’ll be sure to show both these play features in action before the end of this review.

We’re working with three whole bags of parts, so of course there’s going to be a lot to make before cracking the next one. And thus we toss together a trio of limbs from the remaining bits, to be used in a later step. I told you the instructions were going to have you bouncing around!

With all that done, we crack on, opening up bag 13. For those of you who read part 1, this bag is built identically to that in the previous tree. It mostly serves to cover up holes and smooth out curves before adding the final bit of trunk. Once again, a duo of cavities are formed on either side of the GDT. We’ll come back and fill them before finishing out the set.

Bag 16 is also quite similar to that from the BotW version, creating a little room atop the Deku Tree. However, in this case, we’re going to fill it with one of the branch pieces we made earlier. The other two smaller branches attach to the exterior of this open dome.

The green crown of leaves comes into place with bags 17, 20, and 21. The branch design is very reminiscent of the BotW Deku Tree, however the leaves mix things up from the previous iteration. When fully assembled, it creates quite the smooth canopy of foliage.

I don’t know why exactly, but this Great Deku Tree feels like it has a much more dense crown. Maybe it’s the green coloration compared to the pink, or maybe it’s the utilization of those large, solid leaf parts. But either way, it’s very impressive.

We conclude the Ocarina of Time Great Deku Tree with bag 22, adding in a bunch of details throughout the build. The cavities on either side of the trunk are filled, one side with the musical bars that play such an important role in the game. And the other with a bow and the three spiritual stones (though I question why one of them is yellow).

The front of the scene gets some more ornamentation with a pair of Deku Babas and a cure Deku Tree Sprout. We’ll look at them up close when we talk about the minifigures.

And over on the right of the build, there’s a spot for a Gossip Stone, sitting on a bright green 2×2 round jumper plate.

Within the Great Deku Tree, more details are also added, including a torch and a chest that holds the essential slingshot. And this is where we also add in the skulltula, but we’ll see that when we test out the play feature.

The minifigures and accessories

On the heels of all those great details in the final step of the build, we should also have a look at the minifigures and other accoutrements. Link and Young Link are both unique to this set. They share the same headpiece and main torso printing. However, their dual-molded arms are different. Each has dual-molded legs, with Young Link’s being shorter and obscured by a skirt piece in bright green. Each torso has front and back printing, as does each unique face. Young Link is armed with a Deku Shield (unique print) and Kokiri Sword, while adult Link has his trusty Ocarina.

We should probably dig into that box from under Link’s house, too. Spilling out its contents we find all kinds of references to in-game items. From left to right, we have the Hylian Shield, a magic jar, a bomb, a compass, a red potion, and the Longshot.

And here’s one more look at the characters from this scene. Navi includes several colors of 1×1 transparent round tiles to change to other guiding fairies from the game, like Tatl. The Deku Tree Sprout is a particularly cute creation.

Finally, we should take a look at the three custom-molded essentials for any Zelda set: the Master Sword, the ocarina, and the Hylian Shield. All three are excellent new parts, and really go a long way to adding value to this kit.

The finished build

Without much to compete with in the scene, the Great Deku Tree from Ocarina of Time stands tall amid the grassy landscape. It’s more angular face an excellent recreation from the game, and gentle eyes signaling worry to the young adventurer about to perform a curse-ectomy on the wizened arboreal. Link’s house, while providing some brilliant props, does feel a little out of place here for me. The disparity of the two locations in the game is likely contributing to that a bit, though.

We’ve also got some play features to take a look at now that everything’s assembled. First up, check out how the Great Deku Tree opens up its mouth. Link’s able to stroll right in to take on Queen Gohma.

The second play feature, and my favorite, lets the Skulltula drop from the ceiling onto Link. It’s a fin little system, and makes me wish that there was more to the interior of the tree, perhaps presented like LEGO Indiana Jones 77015 Temple of the Golden Idol.

Thoughts and recommendations

In LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 – Part 1: Breath of the Wild edition [Review], I used this section to compare the two options of Great Deku Tree construction. However, it’s now time to really talk about the build as a whole. I was talking with a friend about this set last week, as he’s a massive Nintendo fan and is eager to find space for the Great Deku Tree in his display. He said something that really rang true with me regarding Nintendo IP: they’re very protective and want to be sure that recreations and references to their work are done right. Given the recent upswing in Mario-themed movies, theme parks, and other cross-branding opportunities, it feels like there’s more openness to Nintendo opportunities like this set. Perhaps that’s why so many LEGO Ideas submissions were cast aside. In any case, it’s here now, and this does feel like an appropriate homage to a stupendous series of video games, worthy of the Nintendo name. If you’re a fan, I highly recommend the set! You won’t be disappointed.

However, there’s been a looming specter around many of these big single-set IP releases (for instance 21348 Dungeons & Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale, 10323 PAC-MAN Arcade, and more recently 21351 Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas), and we need to start talking about it more openly. LEGO sets are expensive. Shocking, I know! They’re of incredibly-high quality, and usually worth every penny. But keeping up with every massive set from all your favorite IPs in today’s day and age will absolutely drain your wallet, especially as purse strings continue to tighten everywhere in the shadow of COVID-19’s effect on the global economy. So while I do recommend this set and believe it’s worth the high price tag, I also hope that LEGO is planning to step down the size of their excellent adult-targeting sets soon. LEGO builders can’t be expected to shell out $300 again and again for the only representation of their fandom that exists officially as a set.

With 2,500 pieces and a release date of September 1st, LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 is available for preorder on the LEGO website right now, retailing for US $299.99 | CAN $389.99 | UK £259.99. It may also be available from third-party sellers such as Amazon and eBay.

The post LEGO The Legend of Zelda 77092 Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 – Part 2: ‘Bout time for some ocarina! [Review] appeared first on The Brothers Brick.