With Super Mario Bros. and now Animal Crossing each having their own tie-ins with the LEGO company, it seems like it’s only a matter of time before The Legend of Zelda gets the same treatment. Browsing through the LEGO Ideas community and seeing the sheer number of Zelda-themed sets seeking community approval serves to underscore the demand that exists for a crossover between everyone’s favorite building toy and one of the most legendary game franchises of all time. With a partnership between Nintendo and LEGO to translate The Legend of Zelda into brick form an increasingly likely possibility, there are some specific iconic moments from throughout the series that would make amazing Zelda LEGO sets.
When considering what aspects of a property would be ideal for the LEGO treatment, thinking about how characters, locations, and important moments would translate into brick format is important. That said, The Legend of Zelda has no shortage of incredible characters, environments, interior spaces, and plot points that could each make their own collector-worthy LEGO sets. Looking at the series as a whole, there are some key standouts from almost each mainline entry that are practically tailor-made for the LEGO treatment. With any luck, fans will see these sets become a reality sooner rather than later.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Descending to the Surface
The most recent game in the series, Tears of the Kingdom, has an incredible open-world sandbox to draw from when using it as a basis for LEGO sets featuring The Legend of Zelda. However, one moment in the game stands out above others as perhaps one of the perfect concepts for a Zelda LEGO set. A larger-scale set that sees players constructing several of the various formations in the Great Sky Isles archipelago and replicates the scene of Link completing the game’s tutorial to dive down to the surface of Hyrule would be a dream come true for LEGO and Zelda fans alike. Few games in the series are capable of instilling the sense of wonder that arises from Link’s first skydive down to the surface, and it’s safe to say a LEGO set using that moment as inspiration could achieve the same effect.
A set like this would essentially take anywhere between 3,000 and 4,000 pieces to make a reality, and it would also require the use of clear LEGO pieces to achieve the floating effect for the Great Sky Isles and Link’s jump down to the surface. Of course, no LEGO set is complete without minifigures, and both Link with his Ultrahand and some Zonai automatons would make excellent inclusions in this Tears of the Kingdom-themed construction.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Visiting the Stables
Unsurprisingly, the stables from Breath of the Wild continue to be a regular fixture on the LEGO Ideas community. These sets almost always achieve a successful 10,000 votes to move to the approval process, only to suffer rejection by the final LEGO Ideas approval board due to licensing issues. If LEGO and Nintendo actually partner up for a line of Legend of Zelda LEGO sets, producing a set replicating one of Breath of the Wild‘s stables is practically a must for all the fans who clearly want to see it become a reality. Not only are these spaces a comforting place of respite within Breath of the Wild‘s often unforgiving world, they also have some of the coolest architecture on display in the game.
The set itself, assuming that it follows similar design guidelines as the successful LEGO Ideas campaign, would likely be anywhere between 1,700 and 2,400 pieces and feature tons of minifigures. Link in his Breath of the Wild garb, Epona, Beedle, and others would be ideal inclusions, as would several different food item bricks to simulate the act of preparing meals at the campfire and cooking pot. As a bonus, it would be excellent to see an official stable set incorporate the surrounding foliage and environment of Hyrule rather than just provide the building itself.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword – Ancient Cistern Entrance
A line of Legend of Zelda LEGO sets would be woefully incomplete without at least one set that replicates an iconic dungeon from the series. In terms of the game with the most appealing dungeon designs that would make for excellent LEGO sets, though, there’s arguably no other entry in the series that even comes close to Skyward Sword. The Sandship, Skyview Temple, and Lanayru Mining Facility would each make incredible sets in their own right, but anyone who has played Skyward Sword knows that there can only be one correct answer for which location from the game would make a perfect LEGO set — the Ancient Cistern. While it would be amazing to imagine a large set presenting the whole dungeon on a micro-scale, a more fitting option might just be to replicate the dungeon’s entrance.
Between its Buddhist temple-inspired architecture and tranquil pond with Lilly pads floating nearby, the entrance to the Ancient Cistern is much more inviting than most other Zelda dungeons. Not only that, the beautiful construction of the edifice and the painted brick lining its surface would translate well into an aesthetically pleasing set that would catch the eye of any onlookers. The Ancient Cistern is practically begging to have at least some part of it made into a LEGO set, and there’s a strong case to be made for the serene entrance to the temple to get that treatment.
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess – Hyrule Castle
Hyrule Castle is a perfect location to serve as its own large LEGO set, but the question then arises of which version to choose for the honor. While this iconic location’s various forms throughout the series each have their strong points in terms of their design, the version of the castle from Twilight Princess stands as one of the best in the series. Between its various ramparts and spires, Twilight Princess’ Hyrule Castle is a showpiece of Gothic architecture while also remaining distinctly from the realm of Hyrule. There’s just as much of an Eastern influence in its design as it is European, and it could potentially make for one of the most incredible and unique castle-building sets of a toy line bursting with excellent ones.
While it would inevitably lead to the set having a massive piece count (and increase its price as a result), including the nearby Castle Town would be a perfect match to go alongside using Twilight Princess‘ version of Hyrule Castle. In terms of minifigures that the set could feature, there are the obvious inclusions of Link, Midna, and the entrepreneurial Malo and Talo. If a Castle Town set doesn’t include Malo Mart, it’s not a real homage to Twilight Princess. Interestingly, no LEGO Ideas campaigns, active or inactive, exist attempting to recreate this unique representation of the series’ trademark castle.
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker – Forsaken Fortress
Wind Waker’s unique art style and bright color palette make it one of the best games in the series for a line of Zelda LEGO sets, but one location in the game arguably deserves the first crack at the brick treatment before any other. The Forsaken Fortress isn’t just an incredible-looking dungeon, it’s also one of the most important locations in the context of the game’s lore. Link’s first trip through the island is a tense, stealthy affair that sees the hero needing to sneak rather than courageously fight enemies to rescue his sister, and he ultimately gets thrown out of the dungeon in disgrace for lacking combat ability. His return trip, though, is a different story, using the Master Sword to finally best the Helmaroc King and rescue his sister.
The massive island fortress is already a format LEGO is familiar with thanks to its classic pirate theme, and it’s easy to imagine Wind Waker‘s Forsaken Fortress being a home run for the company’s designers. And, the dungeon itself is relatively small enough to where it’s not out of the question for the set to include the entire location rather than just one or two rooms, meaning players could display the set to show Link’s triumphant victory rather than his initial shameful defeat.
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Temple of Time
Ocarina of Time has no shortage of iconic locations. In fact, there have been some successful LEGO Ideas campaigns in the past that utilize the Great Deku Tree as inspiration, though there may be other, better locations from the game to serve as a potential LEGO set. In terms of both its architecture and its importance to the story (and the Zelda timeline as a whole), there’s a strong case that exists for an Ocarina of Time LEGO set where fans get to build the Temple of Time. This location essentially has it all — it’s the location of Master Sword, the interior architecture is rife with Zelda iconography and artifacts, and there’s potential for the inclusion of several minifigures. has no shortage of iconic locations. There have been some successful LEGO Ideas campaigns in the past that utilize the Great Deku Tree as inspiration, though there may be other, better locations from the game to serve as a potential LEGO set. In terms of both its architecture and its importance to the story (and the Zelda timeline as a whole), there’s a strong case that exists for an Ocarina of Time LEGO set where fans get to build the Temple of Time. This location essentially has it all — it’s the location of Master Sword, the interior architecture is rife with Zelda iconography and artifacts, and there’s potential for the inclusion of several minifigures.
Considering that ReDead roams the grounds outside the temple, they would be an obvious inclusion, as would Sheik and both the adult and child versions of Link. Taking things a step further, having each of the Sages appear as collectible minifigures with the set would be the kind of bonus that would make such an item a must-buy for Zelda fans, and the intricacy of the location’s architecture along with its beautiful design elements would make it a satisfying build for LEGO fans, whether they like Zelda or not.
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past – Claiming the Master Sword
There are few moments in the Zelda series more iconic and capable of stirring up emotion as Link’s first time claiming the Master Sword in A Link to the Past. Entering the Sacred Grove with the three Pendants of Virtue, the wildlife all clear a path as the sky parts and Link successfully draws the sword from its resting place, identifying himself as the true hero of legend. In terms of series moments that highlight Link’s importance as a character to the continuing safety of Hyrule and protection of the Triforce, perhaps no other single scene comes close, making this poignant moment from A Link to the Past a must-have for a Zelda/LEGO crossover.
A set replicating this moment would ideally do its best to maintain the overhead perspective in which players experience this scene in the game, all while adding in some subtle Easter Eggs and interactive touches that bring it to the next level. Being able to have Link actually draw the sword from the stone and then have clouds part would be an excellent touch, and newer sets (such as the newer Raiders of the Lost Ark LEGO set for Indiana Jones) have similar mechanical elements that prove the idea could work.
The Legend of Zelda – Overworld Map
The last few years have seen LEGO venture into the art space, with several new sets that allow users to build customizable artwork intent for display. The themes for these sets are wide-ranging, with everything from recreations of fine art (such as Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”) to eye-grabbing 3D artwork featuring Marvel’s Spider-Man bursting out of the frame. If LEGO does indeed partner with Nintendo for a line of LEGO sets based on the property, there’s a perfect fit for the AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) out there in an art set that sees them building the overworld map from The Legend of Zelda.
Few other video game maps are as iconic and recognizable as the overworld map of the original Hyrule, and its 8-bit pixel art style is a perfect fit for LEGO bricks. The set itself would likely need to be about twice the size of the current LEGO art sets, but the payoff is being able to display one of the most important pieces of video game history in a living room, office, or game room. As a bonus, being able to remove certain pieces of the map to reveal secrets underneath would be an incredible Easter Egg and interactive element.
The Legend of Zelda – Obtaining the Wooden Sword
In terms of iconic Zelda moments, right alongside Link’s claiming of the Master Sword in A Link to the Past is the opening of the original game in the series. Nearly everyone who is a longtime Zelda fan knows the phrase “It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this.” as the all-important cryptic first lines of dialogue players encounter after entering Hyrule for the first time, right before grabbing the hero’s only means of defense in the Wooden Sword. This moment deserves to be its own LEGO set, and the possibilities for how it might take shape are fairly varied.
In addition to presenting this scene from the traditional top-down perspective, there’s also the option for LEGO’s designers to envision it as a full-3D scene complete with buildable pixel-art character models. Additionally, there’s the option for a set that grabs the first few screens of Hyrule in which The Legend of Zelda starts, with a removable section over that initial cave to show the old hermit and his iconic dialogue on display within. Whatever the case, it’s practically a given that a set incorporating this moment in the series’ history would be a slam-dunk for LEGO and Nintendo.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Zelda item model.