LEGO's smart brick system brings sound, light, motion to iconic toy: When is it available?

ORLANDO, Fla. - The LEGO Group says it will introduce a new "SMART Play" system in 2026 designed to make brick-built creations respond to how children move, hold and imagine with their toys. 

At the center is the SMART Brick, a standard-sized 2x4 LEGO brick.

The SMART Brick is packed with sensors, lights and sound that react in real time during play, without the use of screens.

LEGO describes SMART Play as its most significant innovation since the minifigure debuted in 1978. 

What is LEGO's SMART Play system?

Dig deeper:

The system is built around three components that work together: the SMART Brick, SMART Tags and SMART Minifigures. 

SMART Tags are small tiles that tell the brick what it should represent, such as a vehicle, creature or object, while SMART Minifigures trigger character-specific sounds and reactions. When combined, the pieces allow a single brick to behave like a helicopter one moment and a car or spaceship the next.

According to LEGO, the SMART Brick includes a built-in sensor that measures the object's acceleration and motion, color recognition, lights and a sound synthesizer. These features allow it to detect twists, taps and motion through the air, then respond with dynamic audio and visual feedback. The company says the goal is to make the technology feel invisible, so children remain focused on physical play and storytelling.

LEGO says that development of SMART Play technology began nearly a decade ago after research showed children wanted toys that responded to their actions, supported social play and evolved over time. Engineers and designers from gaming, electronics and sound design collaborated to create a system that could fit inside a traditional LEGO brick.

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The SMART Play system is designed to be fully compatible with existing LEGO bricks, allowing it to integrate into sets children already own. LEGO says the system is endlessly replayable, unlocking different reactions, mini-games and hidden features depending on how pieces are combined.

LEGO plans to launch the SMART Play experience with LEGO Star Wars sets, citing the familiarity of the franchise as an accessible entry point. The company says the broader aim is to create a foundation for future play experiences, positioning SMART Play as a long-term evolution of the LEGO system rather than a single product line.

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Below is LEGO's descriptions of the three Star Wars-themed SMART Play toys, including Luke’s Red Five X-Wing building set, Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter building set, and Throne Room Duel & A-Wing building set.

Luke’s Red Five X-Wing building set

The 584-piece set, includes two SMART Minifigures (Luke Skywalker, in his iconic pilot suit, and Princess Leia), as well as Luke’s trusty companion, R2-D2, and Rebel Crew and Stormtrooper Minifigures.

This set includes an Imperial turret, transporter and command center, all of which unlock interactive features, such as laser-shooting sounds, engine sounds and lights plus refueling and repair sounds, through the use of the included LEGO SMART Brick, two LEGO SMART Minifigures and five LEGO SMART Tags.

Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter building set

Darth Vader's fighter ship arrives as part of LEGO SMART Play, allowing fans to replay and re-define the most epic battles on behalf of the Galactic Empire.

This 473-piece set features a brick-built Rebel Outpost and an Imperial Fueling Station, as well as a SMART Minifigure featuring Darth Vader and a Rebel Fleet Trooper Minifigure. The roar of the twin ion engines comes to life, among other interactive features, with the LEGO SMART Brick.

Throne Room Duel & A-Wing building set

Fans will be able to re-enact and re-imagine one of the most memorable moments from the original Star Wars trilogy, the final lightsaber duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader at the end of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi™. 

The 962-piece set comes with three SMART Minifigures featuring the characters Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and Luke Skywalker (Jedi).

The set will also include a brick-built A-Wing Fighter and Pilot Minifigure, two Royal Guard Minifigures, and a SMART Tag-enabled cannon turret to defend the Emperor’s Throne Room.

When will LEGO SMART Play Star Wars sets be available?

What's next:

LEGO Group says the product will launch on March 1, 2026, in select markets. FOX 35 has reached out to LEGO for additional information about availability or early previews at both LEGOLAND Florida and the LEGO Store Disney Springs. Check back for updates.

 

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