I've reviewed a lot of Lego, but I still think this the greatest gaming set ever made

The Great Deku Tree Lego set on a wooden table, in front of a shelf of board games — (Image credit: Future/Benjamin Abbott)

I'm pretty sure that the Great Deku Tree is the best gaming Lego set ever made.

OK, I know it's a bold claim - especially with a brand-new Pokemon range on the horizon. But we've made a lot of gaming-related models here at GamesRadar+ HQ, and honestly? Few of the others have ever come close to the Legend of Zelda kit. It made enough of an impression to go straight onto our list of the best Lego sets, anyway.

Lego Great Deku Tree | $299.99 at Amazon
Although it's a good chunk of change, I'd say this 2-in-1 kit is more than worth the rupees. For starters, it's a massive display piece at 2,500 pieces that draws all eyes - a true showstopper. It can also be made as either the Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom Deku Tree or the version from Ocarina of Time... and neither feels like a lazy reskin. Both are equally intricate with unique scenes and models not seen in the alternative.

UK price: £259.99 at Amazon

I put this model together last year, and in terms of attention to detail, it's up there with the Lego Rivendell model for me. This is the kind of kit where every single nook and cranny holds a secret reference, so even after you've built the thing, you'll keep rediscovering Easter eggs each time you pass by.

As an example, the Breath of the Wild version is littered with plants and mushrooms (like the Hylian or Stamella Shroom) from the game that Link cooks into hearty meals, not to mention Silent Princess flowers. Tiny Koroks are also squirrelled away across the model, with their camp in the bowels of the Deku Tree itself and Walton in the boughs.

Lego Great Deku Tree Master Sword shrine with Link and Zelda stood in front of it on a wooded pedestal — (Image credit: Future/Benjamin Abbott)

That's just the Breath of the Wild version, though. If you make the Ocarina of Time equivalent, you aren't just getting a reskinned "eh, close enough" alternative. The whole base becomes boggier and crewed by piranha plant foes. Spin the tree around and you'll then see a Golden Skulltula lurking inside. Even the tree itself looks drastically different.

While it's a bummer that you can't build both at once (they use the same skeleton), it's neat that both you and I could have very different display pieces based on the same set too. Plus, you don't have to completely do without Ocarina or Breath of the Wild references. You can build both Link's treehouse from the N64 game and the Breath of the Wild Master Sword plinth separately, allowing you to display them to one side regardless of the tree you choose. The minifigures don't reuse pieces either; they're all completely separate models, which I hadn't expected when this thing was announced.

Basically, the upcoming Pokemon sets have a high bar to overcome...

See all Lego at Amazon

If you're after something a little different, check out our new guide to the best toys on the market right now, as well as the best Nerf blasters cash can buy.

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.

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