NOTE: I purchased the LEGO® Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree (77092) set myself, and this review is not sponsored in any way. I strive to always provide my honest opinion on LEGO® products. If you are curious about how I generate scores in this review, I invite you to read about the True North Bricks rating system.

INTRODUCTION

On my way home from Bricks in the Six 2024, I stopped at the Yorkdale shopping mall in Toronto. As luck would have it, they had a damaged box table tucked in the back corner on the day I was there. To make things even better, the Great Deku Tree (77092) was on the table. While the set was still full price, I got 5000 Insiders points on top of the usual points you get for buying the set. Since that equates to an extra $50 I can spend on Pick-A-Brick later, I jumped at the chance.

The Great Deku Tree made my wish list the day it was announced. I played the Legend of Zelda on the original Nintendo Entertainment System and on Super Nintendo when I was a kid. So, I don’t know the Deku Tree. It wasn’t around in the early ’90s. I wanted this set mostly for the tree design. I have plans for it in my Norse mythology inspired builds. The Zelda and Link minifigs are nostalgic as well. I can already say that I love this set even more after building than when I first saw the images. However, it doesn’t fare that well in my usual review format. Let’s see why!

SET SPECIFICS

THE GREAT DEKU TREE (77092) QUICK REVIEW

THE GREAT DEKU TREE (77092) FULL REVIEW

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Value Score Breakdown:

The Great Deku Tree is currently a LEGO® Store exclusive set. Additionally, it is one of the pricier ones that is unlikely to go on sale very often. As such, if you want one, your best bet to get the most bang for your buck is through a double points event, great GWP offer, or finding a damaged box in store (like I did). At the full price of $389.99 CAD, you are looking at $0.156/brick. While that is not horrible when considering LEGO® in general, it is also not very good.

This set is technically part of a LEGO® Legend of Zelda theme, but it is also currently the only one. As such I will compare it to other 18+ sets for this review. In my experience, $0.156/brick is really expensive for an adult oriented set. However, when compared to all the LEGO® sets I’ve reviewed in general, it fares a little better. Still, considering both comparisons, the Great Deku Tree fails in the cost/brick category. I rate it at 53%.

This set costs way more than I think it should.

The Deku Tree does not fare much better in terms of build time. The set took me five hours and 32 minutes to assemble. At full price, that equates to $1.18 CAD/minute. That is the most expensive build time I have ever experienced for an 18+ set. Even compared to LEGO® in general, it is not a good value in my books. Sadly, the Deku Tree fails in this category too, earning 39%.

Averaging the cost/brick and cost/minute scores gives an overall value grade of 46%. The Great Deku Tree is a really expensive set for what you get. Unfortunately, there is no way around that since it is a LEGO® Store exclusive and the LEGO® Store doesn’t do great sales often. I’m happy I got it with loads of extra points. I do not suggest buying this set on a whim. Wait for a GWP you really want or double points.

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Build Score Breakdown:

The Great Deku Tree is a 2-in-1 set. You can build two different versions of the tree. I was unsure which version I wanted to build, so I conducted an Instagram survey of the community. About 70% of readers wanted me to build the pink-leafed version. As such, that is the route I went. In fairness to the poor value of the set, I could get more build time if I disassembled the kit and rebuilt the second variant… But I don’t want to. I really like the pink-leafed tree. With that said, there are a couple of unopened bags of bricks leftover after the build which go towards the alternate design. I imagine the same would be true if I built the green-leafed tree.

Despite really liking this set overall, there are a few aspects of the build I am less fond of. Let’s get those out of the way first. To begin with, there are a couple of pointless (in my opinion) side builds. While I assume Zelda fans might get a kick out of them, I do not. I could have done without Link’s house and the Hestu creature build. They are small compared to the overall set, but still take bricks away from other areas that need them.

The LEGO® Group needs to stop with the side builds.

The back of the Great Deku Tree also bothers me. It is flat and boring, meaning you can only display this set from one side. In order to use this in a custom, 360-degree scene, you need to build up the back of the tree. This is part of the reason I don’t like the smaller side builds. The set is called “the Great Deku Tree”, not “the Great Deku Tree and Link’s Humble Abode”. While I don’t think the side builds detract from the main build as much as in some other LEGO® sets, I still think they take away detail from the main build. I would rather have a more detailed main build in most cases than get side builds.

Finally, I don’t love the prop roots on the pink version of the tree. The central root is fine, but the side roots lack a touch of finesse. I don’t want to see the hinge joints on display. These roots don’t need to move and would look better with solid attachments and if they actually touched the base.

The Great Deku Tree (77092) is a beautiful display piece.

With those out of the way, I love the look of the Great Deku Tree. Let’s face it, most people will only display this set from one side. The casual collector is unlikely to be into custom world building. On a shelf, this set looks stunning. Both versions of the tree also include play features. On the pink version, the switch on the back causes the mouth and eyebrows to move on the front. According to the instructions, a secret door on the front of the trunk rises up on the green version.

The Great Deku Tree is also a phenomenal parts pack if you are building up a forest. From shell elements, to foliage, to rare pieces and new colour variations, the set includes a lot of neat parts in earthy colours. We’ll talk about the Minifigure accessories in the next section, but you get some exclusive stuff there too.

An educational experience for builders of all skill levels.

My favourite aspect of the Great Deku Tree is all the texturing on the trunk. The build uses many different techniques to achieve its multi-angled, bark-like look. Some techniques I had seen before, but enjoyed the refresher. Others were new to me. So, the Great Deku Tree is also an educational experience for builders of all skill levels.

While I have complaints about this set, I feel they are far outweighed by my pleasure with the finished build. I am not ready to adapt this set into my Norse-themed display yet, but I will keep it on display until I am. I rate the build at 90%.

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Minifigure Score Breakdown:

For the most part, the Minifigures included with the Great Deku Tree are nice. I don’t like little Link with the stumpy, unmoving legs. I never like the child legs, but they are especially inappropriate for an adventuring character like Link. Little Link and larger, green-garbed Link are practically the same character as well. Their prints are ever-so-slightly different… but still very close. I don’t know much about the Legend of Zelda, but there must be other characters besides just Link and Zelda in Hyrule.

Otherwise, each of the minifigs comes with front and rear torso printing, printed arms, dual-tone legs, and double-sided faces. The printing is nicely detailed and all of the hairpieces are exclusive to the set (presently). If you are trying to create more elves for your custom scenes or Rivendell set, these lend themselves well. You do not get a ton of accessories in this set, but those you get are amazing. I especially love the skeletal snake shield (a.k.a. Traveler’s Shield) and the Master Sword. The set includes some printed tiles that could potentially qualify as “accessories” as well. However, I wish there were more weapons or unique Legend of Zelda moulds. I rate the character designs at 90%.

Nice characters, but not enough of them.

It is really unfortunate that the Great Deku Tree only comes with four Minifigures. They are great and unique… but four characters for set this large and pricey is not very good compared to other LEGO® sets. If I compare it to all the LEGO® sets I’ve reviewed over the years, the brick-to-fig comparison doesn’t even chart it is so bad. Compared to other 18+ sets, the count fails, but only just. Given the uniqueness of these characters, I will ignore the below zero score when compared to LEGO® in general. I rate the character count at 56%. Averaging this with the design score gives an overall Minifigure score of 73%.

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Entertainment Score Breakdown:

Despite being a Legend of Zelda set, I think the Great Deku Tree can appeal to broader range of LEGO® collectors. With a little imagination, the tree lends itself well to any fantasy forest scene. Additionally, the Minifigures can bolster elven populations, or the parts can be repurposed for medieval scenes. I will certainly use the minifig elements and accessories in my Viking themed builds.

The Deku Tree is also a beautiful build for shelf display, even if you are not world building. I have no doubt Legend of Zelda fans will enjoy this. I am not really versed in the game, and I love it. I don’t really get a lot of the game references in the set, but Zelda and Link are certainly nostalgic for me. I remember the characters from the original NES and SNES games. I also watched the animated series back in the day. I am entertained by the Great Deku Tree. As such, I will give it a solid 100% in this category.

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The set is really expensive for what you get. I can only guess as to the reason, but I assume it is because of the unique Minifigures, rarer elements, and licensing costs. Fixing my issues with the set would certainly make the Great Deku Tree even more expensive. At the same time, I am sure the LEGO® Group could afford to make a little less money off certain sets… But such is the nature of business, I suppose. You can milk a wallet for the feel-goods.

I am happy to have this set. I do not regret the purchase even though it is not the perfect set for me. I am happier still with all the extra points I got for buying a damaged box. Now, I get to have a set I want, and it afforded me an extra little Pick-A-Brick shopping spree. I doubt the Great Deku Tree will go on sale often… or at all for that matter. I strongly recommend getting it with double points or a great GWP. What do you think of the Great Deku Tree (77092)? Let me know in the comments or reach out on social media.

Until next time,

-Tom

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