The LEGO Group has revealed LEGO SMART Play, a new interactive platform designed to bring LEGO builds to life without the use of screens.
LEGO describes SMART Play as a system that allows sets to respond to physical play with sounds, lights, and behaviors that change in real time based on how a build is moved, tilted, or interacted with.
At the center of the platform is the LEGO SMART Brick, a standard-sized 2×4 brick that houses a custom ASIC chip and multiple built-in technologies.
The SMART Brick includes sensors, accelerometers, light sensing, a sound sensor, LED lighting, a miniature speaker with an onboard synthesizer, and wireless charging.
How LEGO SMART Play works
According to LEGO, the SMART Brick can interpret motion, distance, orientation, and magnetic fields in real time.
Audio effects are generated live during play rather than being pre-recorded or triggered on a timer. Movement, tilt, and gesture can all prompt context-specific reactions, while LEDs provide ambient lighting and color responses. The chip inside the brick measures 4.1mm, smaller than a standard LEGO stud.
The SMART Brick works alongside LEGO SMART Tags and LEGO SMART Minifigures. SMART Tags are 2×2 studless tiles that carry a unique digital ID, allowing the brick to understand context within a build. SMART Minifigures visually match traditional Minifigures but include embedded digital IDs that trigger character-specific responses during play.
All SMART elements are compatible with the existing LEGO System-in-Play, allowing them to integrate with standard bricks and builds.
Connected builds and BrickNet technology
Multiple LEGO SMART Bricks can operate together using a Bluetooth-based system called BrickNet. This allows SMART Bricks to share data and communicate during play.
LEGO says the bricks are able to recognize each other’s position and orientation in 3D space using a magnetic positioning system. Bricks can determine distance, direction, and relative placement, enabling sets to interact with one another without setup or configuration.
The system is designed to support a wide range of builds, with LEGO stating that a single SMART Brick and tag can be used across hundreds of different interactive creations.
LEGO SMART Play launch details
LEGO SMART Play will debut with three LEGO Star Wars sets:
- LEGO Star Wars SMART Play Luke’s Red Five X-Wing building set
- LEGO Star Wars SMART Play Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter building set
- LEGO Star Wars SMART Play Throne Room Duel & A-Wing building set
These initial releases are All-in-One sets, each including a LEGO SMART Brick with charger, at least one LEGO SMART Minifigure, and a LEGO SMART Tag.
LEGO SMART Play will officially launch on March 1, 2026. Pre-orders for the LEGO Star Wars SMART Play sets open on January 9, with full availability beginning March 1.
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