Where to Buy Online, Release Date, How It Works

One of the biggest announcements at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) wasn’t a new TV or a robot — it was LEGO Smart Play. The futuristic technology allows LEGO builds to emit lights and sound effects as you play, all thanks to chips embedded in bricks and minifigures.

In practice, that means you can hear the screech of a TIE Fighter when you move it through the air, or the crackling of lightsabers when they clash. It’s a clever innovation from the iconic Danish toymaker, upgrading the imagination-forward, screen-free experience kids (and parents) expect from LEGO sets.

Smart Play will be available in three LEGO Star Wars sets to start: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing, Throne Room Duel & A-Wing, and Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter. These sets are available to pre-order on the LEGO website now, and they’ll start shipping and arrive in stores on March 1.

How Does LEGO Smart Play Work?

LEGO Smart Play is built around Smart Bricks, Tags, and Minifigures. The Bricks look like normal LEGO bricks but have a chip inside that can sense movement, touch, light, and sound. Pair them with Smart Tags and Minifigures, which activate different sound effects and lights from the Smart Brick, and you’ll get a range of sounds depending on how you play with the whole build. The pieces can be swapped between different sets, permitting more of the creativity that makes LEGO great.

“The launch of Lego SMART Play brings creativity, technology, and storytelling together to make building worlds and stories even more engaging, and all without a screen,” said Tom Donaldson, SVP and head of the Creative Play Lab at the Lego Group, in a release. “We truly believe we are setting a new standard for interactive, imaginative experiences and can’t wait to see this innovation in the hands of kids when we launch this year.”

Where to Buy LEGO Smart Brick Sets

LEGO is launching three Smart Play sets to start, all from a galaxy far, far away: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing, Throne Room Duel & A-Wing, and Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter. All three sets are available for pre-order on LEGO’s site now, ranging from $69.99 to $159.99. They’ll start shipping in the spring and will be available to purchase in stores on March 1.