Home NewsLEGO Smart Brick Announced

LEGO Smart Brick Announced

by Sophie Laurent

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

  • LEGO Smart Play is a new system that transforms traditional LEGO play by incorporating Smart Bricks, Smart Labels, and Smart Minifigures with sounds, lights, and interactive elements.
  • The technology uses sensors, accelerometers, sound and light sensors, and miniature synthesizers to produce sounds and react to movement, color differences, direction, and distance.
  • The initial LEGO Smart Play sets will be Star Wars-themed, featuring sets like Lukes Red Five X-Wing, Darth Vaders TIE Fighter, and Throne Room Duel & A-Wing.
  • These new interactive sets will retail for $69.99 (69 euros) for the Lukes Red Five X-Wing set and $159.99 (159 euros) for the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing set, with preorders beginning before their March release at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas. The Smart Play items are also compatible with all previously released LEGO sets.

Recommended products

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Introducing LEGO Smart Play: Interactive Star Wars Sets with Sound, Lights, and More

The LEGO Group has introduced LEGO Smart Play, a system of Smart Bricks, Smart Labels, and Smart Minifigures designed to transform LEGO play. LEGO Super Mario sets offer a glimpse into this technology, but Smart Play expands the concept with new functionalities and elements. The Smart Play system enables actions and builds to trigger sounds and lights. Each Smart Brick and Minifigure incorporates a tiny speaker, an onboard synthesizer, wireless charging technology, and sensors that detect color differences, direction, and distance. As Tom Donaldson, Senior Vice President and Head of the Creative Play Lab at the LEGO Group, explains, LEGO Smart Play combines creativity, technology, and storytelling for engaging, screen-free building experiences. The system uses nearfield magnetic positioning to recognize tags, along with an accelerometer and LED array, bringing LEGO creations to life. In one demonstration, children raced LEGO cars, and the Smart Brick identified the winner. The initial LEGO Smart Play sets will be Star Wars-themed and include: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing: Features two Smart Minifigures (Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia), a Smart Brick, and five Smart Tags.

LEGO Smart Play – Star Wars Sets with Interactive Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter and Throne Room Duel

Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter: Includes a brick-built Rebel Outpost, an Imperial Fueling Station, a Smart Minifigure of Darth Vader, a Rebel Fleet Trooper Minifigure, and engine sounds. Throne Room Duel & A-Wing: Includes three Smart Minifigures (Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and Jedi Luke Skywalker) and a Smart Tag-enabled cannon turret. This technology uses sensors, accelerometers, sound and light sensors, and miniature synthesizers to produce sounds. Smart Bricks and Minifigures recognize nearby Smart Tags via unique digital IDs. For example, a helicopter Smart Tag will cause the Smart Brick to light up and generate propeller sounds, while the brick’s built-in accelerometer modulates the lights and sounds based on movement. The Smart Bricks are powered by a patented ASIC chip smaller than a LEGO stud. LEGO has also developed a Bluetooth-based protocol called BrickNet, allowing multiple Smart Bricks to function in coordination. The LEGO Group debuted their Smart Play bricks, tags, and Minifigures at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas. A demonstration video showcased the creation of sounds like helicopter noises.

LEGO will release these Star Wars sets in March, with preorders beginning the week prior. The Luke’s Red Five X-Wing building set will retail for $69.99 (69 euros), and the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing set for $159.99 (159 euros). The LEGO Group has confirmed that LEGO Smart Play items are compatible with all previously released sets.

In Case You Missed It

Midway through our exploration of gaming trends in 2025, we’ve stumbled upon a trio of fascinating stories that we just have to share. First up, Marcus Thompson’s recent analysis, “Xbox Endures Historic Collapse in UK with Worst Annual Sales Ever” (published January 4th, 2026), shines a spotlight on the steep 39% drop in Xbox sales in the UK last year, placing it at an all-time low for the brand. Dive into this insightful piece to understand how Xbox fared compared to its competitors and what Microsoft’s plans are moving forward – check it out here Xbox Endures Historic Collapse in UK with Worst Annual Sales Ever. But that’s not all, folks! In a surprising turn of events, Matt Firor, the lead developer behind The Elder Scrolls Online for nearly two decades, has parted ways with ZeniMax Online Studios. Jonathan Dubinski sheds light on this unexpected departure in his recent article “Elder Scrolls Online Leader Departs Due to Microsoft” (published January 2nd, 2026), revealing that Firor’s exit was prompted by his disagreement with Microsoft’s mass layoffs and studio closures, including the cancellation of Project Blackbird, a game close to Firor’s heart. Check out Dubinski’s insightful piece here Elder Scrolls Online Leader Departs Due to Microsoft. And finally, while we’re talking about gaming surprises, did you know that Sandfall Interactive had their expectations shattered by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33? In Marcus Thompson’s latest piece from January 2nd, “Before Release, Sandfall Believed Clair Obscur Would Score Just 80 on Metacritic,” we learn how the studio predicted a more modest score of around 80 but ended up with an astonishing 92. Check out this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of one of last year’s biggest hits here Before Release, Sandfall Believed Clair Obscur Would Score Just 80 on Metacritic.

They also talk about it

Links to external sources for further reading

Have any thoughts?

Share your reaction or leave a quick response — we’d love to hear what you think!

You may also like