- LEGO is launching a SMART Play system that introduces three new interactive pieces: Bricks, Tags, and Minifigures.
- The technology allows users to add sounds and flashing lights to their LEGO sets.
- The first eight SMART Play sets are available now at Lego.com.
LEGO just announced a new SMART Play System, which includes interactive tags, bricks, and minifigures that add sound and lights. Its intent is to elevate the interactive experience for fans of the building brick brand and "bring imagination to life, for real," according to LEGO. These tech-enhanced bricks just launched on March 1, and eight new Star Wars sets are exclusively available at Lego.com. I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the sets, so I'll share my honest thoughts below!
What exactly is LEGO SMART Play?
It's a system of three interactive pieces—SMART Bricks, SMART Tags, and SMART Minifigures—that connect with LEGO bricks and work together to trigger reactions. You'll build your LEGO set like normal, but once you add these SMART pieces, the magic happens.
- The SMART Brick has a chip inside, that includes a sensor, accelerometers (to sense distance and motion), light and sound sensing, and a speaker.
- When the Brick is placed on top of a SMART Tag, it can emit lights and sounds. (If you've ever pretended to have battle with missiles and you've made "pew pew" noises, this will do that for you).
- The Brick can also sense a SMART Minifigure, and prompt it to talk or play songs accordingly (some can even burp). It's the first real major change to the iconic minifigure since they were introduced in 1978.
Playing with the SMART Play Star Wars sets firsthand
The LEGO SMART Play System requires a little research before you buy. There are three starter sets that come with the required SMART pieces, and five additional compatible sets that require the SMART pieces from one of the three starter sets in order to function. They're all Star Wars-themed, since that is LEGO's longest-running and most expansive collaboration.
I was initially skeptical if this was necessary, especially since I'm a LEGO collector with shelves full of static sets. But after I got some substantial hands-on time to play with them, I found them really enjoyable, and would have loved having them as a kid. Hearing R2D2 scream when he flips upside down, or the clash of the lightsabers, just really enhances the fun of playing with LEGOs beyond building and displaying them.
Star Wars collectors can now have an X-Wing with Luke and Leia minifigures that reacts based on who's in the pilot seat. Pair this set with the Tie Fighter, and you can create your own battle sequences. The Brick can tell when the triggers on the ships are in play, and lights will signal which ship has taken damage. This 473-piece battle ship will roar to life with it's loud engine, and includes a SMART Darth Vader Minifigure.
I'm personally most excited about the Throne Room Duel & A-Wing set. It's a diorama-like snapshot of the final battle between Luke and Darth Vader, and the Bricks make the distinctive lightsaber hum.
There are 962 pieces in this set, along with Luke, Vader, and Emperor Palpatine minifigures. The best part? This one plays the "Imperial March" when Palpatine sits on the throne.
I appreciate that you don't need to know how to code to work them, and that they are for ages as young as six. I particularly love the Mos Eisley Cantina, complete with a karaoke stage where SMART minifigures from any of the sets can "perform." The Millennium Falcon is also well done, as it opens up so kids can see inside and engage with the details. The Yoda Hut has some balancing elements to make a game of using the force.
What our toy experts think about LEGO SMART Play so far
“The system can change colors, make noises, and it has different sensors that can tell if you're ‘flying’ a ship around, for instance,” said Alec Scherma, who saw the LEGO SMART Play system at CES 2026 (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas. “You can swap out the tag for whatever sound or noise you want the brick to make, so it allows for more creative and even sillier freedom,” he said.
For example, one of the demo models on display at CES showed a police car that had a SMART Brick and SMART Tag inside. An alarm triggered when a robber SMART Minifigure approached, but when a cop walked close to the door, the alarm turned off.
These SMART Play elements are rolling out slowly, and they can't make your existing LEGO sets talk and light up (for now). The sets are small and kind of pricey, but they include multiple pieces of the SMART technology, along with a wireless charging pad for the SMART Bricks, which can reportedly handle about 45 minutes of playtime before they need a boost.
I spoke to LEGO Smart Play designer Marvin Völger last month who said that LEGO has been working on these sets for nearly a decade. While there have been some quibbles online that this stifles creativity, Völger said they saw the opposite during testing. "It's very intuitive and completely integrated with our system of play," he says.
Shop LEGO Star Wars SMART Play Compatible Sets
