Zelda LEGO Designers Discuss the Creation of the Great Deku Tree 2-In-1 Set
Posted on July 23 2024 by Heather Beard
Earlier this summer, fans of The Legend of Zelda and LEGO were treated to the long-awaited news that a Zelda-themed LEGO set was finally hitting store shelves on September 1st. The “Great Deku Tree 2-in-1″ set is still over a month away, so to ease the wait, LEGO recently sat down with designers and fellow Zelda fans Wes Talbott and Austin William Carlson to talk about the set’s creation.
Research for the set was “decades in the making,” according to LEGO, as the designers have been Zelda fans for several years. “I was introduced to Zelda through The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time and fell in love immediately!’ says Talbott. “Now, I’ve played and completed every main game.”
Carlson meanwhile called the Zelda series “timeless.” “It’s a world that felt so familiar, yet could be retold in so many ways. This makes each story and game experience unique, yet familiar and warming. And it is why I keep returning to the land of Hyrule.”
When it came time to choose which game would be the star of LEGO’s first Zelda set, there were a lot of contenders to choose from, as the series boasts over 20 games. LEGO, in collaboration with Nintendo, ultimately chose a two-in-one Great Deku Tree as the perfect subject for The Legend of Zelda’s first LEGO. The set allows iconic characters from both Ocarina of Time, one of the most beloved games in the entire series, and Breath of the Wild, a modern classic, to be immortalized in Brick form.
Emphasizing the importance of the character, Talbott stated that “the Great Deku Tree is big and beautiful, and it’s also a recurring character.” He’s absolutely right; we’ve seen The Great Deku Tree appear in many Zelda games, including Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom.
Promotional images reveal so many awesome details hidden within this set. We can see Koroks, the Master Sword, the Hylian Shield, and all sorts of flora and fauna too. According to LEGO, Talbott “attempted to squeeze every single detail he could into the set.”
Carlson’s job, meanwhile, was to design the set’s Minifigures. According to LEGO, he was set on providing something special to future builders. We all know the many outfits we’ve seen our legendary hero and wise princess don, but how does one even choose which to include in a LEGO set? Well, Carlson and Talbott worked with Nintendo’s team to find the “perfect blend of The Legend of Zelda and LEGO bricks.”
Even Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma offered a few words about the upcoming LEGO set:
“I’m really thrilled that The Legend of Zelda is joining the world of LEGO® bricks, which has spurred the creative impulses of so many people of all ages. The Deku Tree was the first element from The Legend of Zelda we wanted to represent using LEGO® bricks. This set allows you to build two different versions of the Deku Tree from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild with unique features that are a great fit for the nature of the series. I can’t wait for everyone to get the chance to build this part of The Legend of Zelda world with their own hands.”
You can pre-order the “Great Deku Tree 2-in-1″ LEGO set right here. The set is priced at $299.99 USD (£259.99).
We all know it’s been a long time coming, so there are no doubt many fans out there excited for the first Zelda and LEGO collaboration. From the pictures we’ve seen so far, one can see all of the loving detail that Talbott, Carlson, and the rest of the teams at LEGO and Nintendo have put into this set. It’s a set that pays homage to Zelda fans old and new, and we hope it’ll be well worth the wait.
We want to hear your thoughts though? What do you think of The Great Deku Tree’s two-in-one design? What questions would you love to ask the designers? Have you pre-ordered your set? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: LEGO
Hi I’m Heather! I’m Senior Editor and Art Director at Zelda Dungeon and I’ve been a member of the ZD team since 2019. I am a graphic designer, artist, and nerdy mom to an awesome little boy. When my nose isn’t in a book, working on my novel or watching anime you can find me curled up with my cats Mandy-Lynn and Daisy Mae.
