It’s been a busy few days here in Las Vegas at CES 2026, but I managed to find time to spend an hour or so trying out Lego’s biggest change to its iconic brick since 1958.
This change takes a very familiar form. At first glance, it’s a classic 2×4 brick – complete with the familiar studs – topped with a clear cap and housed in a black shell. But under the hood, it’s packed with technology.
You might notice what I didn’t mention: there’s no app. And this is a key element of this change. Unlike previous Lego rollouts that relied heavily on screens, Smart Play is designed as an additive experience. It adds to the traditional Lego build-and-play formula, and if that doesn’t interest you, participation is not required. After using Smart Play, I think most builders will want to explore what it can do.
It’s all about the game
Lego Smart Play quickly makes one thing clear: it’s for children or for anyone who actually plays with their Lego. You can absolutely build the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, or Emperor’s Throne and display them, but Smart Play doesn’t maximize shelf presence – it’s designed to be picked up, moved, and actively used.
This intention is particularly clear with the X-Wing and TIE Fighter, which seem purpose-built for aerial combat. Nothing I handled felt fragile or valuable, and the way the Smart Bricks are integrated reinforces that these sets are intended for real play. Lego’s designers clearly took into account the reality of kids piloting ships and smashing imaginary lasers together.
During my hands-on time, I didn’t experience any misfires. The Smart Brick consistently detected nearby figures and Smart Beacons, and everything worked as expected as long as the Master Brick was charged. There was no time when I felt I had to “teach” the system what I was doing – it simply responded, with lights or sounds.
One of the smartest design choices is how the physical Lego game directly enables the technological experience. On the TIE Fighter, for example, a blaster sound is triggered by locking and unlocking a sensor next to the Smart Brick using a real Lego element – essentially pulling a trigger. There are no hidden buttons or switches; it’s a classic touch interaction.
I didn’t build the Star Wars sets from scratch during the demo, but I spent a lot of time playing with them, including the X-Wing, TIE Fighter, and Throne. I removed a Smart Brick from its wireless charger, placed R2-D2 – with a Smart Tag on its back – in front of it, and immediately heard its familiar droid tones.
From there, I placed R2-D2 in the back of the X-Wing, Luke in the cockpit, and positioned a Smart Brick in the middle of the build – and that’s when the technology stopped being important.
Without really thinking about it, I started flying the X-Wing through the air. The sounds of the engine rose and fell as I moved it, and when I flipped the ship, R2-D2 let out a cry of surprise. There was no setup or instruction – just cause and effect. It was instinctive, the kind of game that invites you to tell the story yourself.
Imagination rather than instruction
Currently, Lego is not open source technology behind smart bricks, smart figures, or smart beacons. What was shown behind the scenes during demos hints at a larger system, but the experience at launch is intentionally loose.
There is no set story or scripted sequence. Sounds, lights and reactions depend on proximity, movement and placement. In demonstrations, Lego also showed how Smart Bricks can detect color using an ambient light sensor and reflect it with integrated LEDs – even transmitting those colors to nearby Smart Bricks via Smart Tags – all in real time, with no setup required.
Smart Bricks can also react to where a smart figurine is in space, whether it’s near, above, below, or even across the room, emphasizing that while the game seems simple, this system is clearly built on a serious technical foundation.
Put Darth Vader in an X-Wing and you might unleash something unexpected. Leave R2-D2 on the ground while lifting the X-Wing with Luke inside, and you can hear a panicked droid scream from below.
The system silently manages sounds and lights in the background, leaving you free to tell new stories with familiar characters.
Battery life, charging and price
Battery life is inevitably part of the Smart Play conversation. Lego claims that each Smart Brick can provide around 40 minutes of continuous play, which may seem modest on paper. In practice, the system is not designed for constant activation: it is built around bursts of play, pauses and rebuilds.
Charging is refreshingly simple. The Smart Bricks charge wirelessly via a bright yellow rectangular charger with a USB-C port, included in the box. There’s a subtle divot in the center, and you can place the Smart Bricks on it in any orientation – without lining things up or messing with the contacts.
Lego also told me that it isn’t concerned about Smart Bricks sitting idle for long periods of time. When not in use, they enter a low-power sleep state and waking them up is as easy as a shake.
The new Lego Smart Play sets start at $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.99. It’s not cheap, but it’s broadly in line with Lego prices – especially for licensed Star Wars sets, now with built-in electronics. The added interactivity feels meaningful rather than gimmicky, especially for children who will actively play with these sets.
Let’s actually break down the three sets, which will be available for pre-order on January 9, 2026:
- Lego Star Wars SMART Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter: This set contains 473 pieces to build the TIE Fighter, an outpost and a gas station. It includes a smart brick, a smart Darth Vader figure, a TIE Fighter smart tag and a standard Rebel pilot figure. It’s priced at $69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.99.
- LEGO Star Wars SMART Play: Luke’s X-Wing Red Five: Contains 584 pieces to build the X-Wing, a command center, a transporter and an Imperial turret. Includes smart brick, two smart figures (Luke Skywalker and General Leia Organa), five smart tags, R2-D2 and standard figures. It’s priced at $99.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.99.
- LEGO Star Wars SMART Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing: The largest set of 962 pieces, featuring the Death Star throne room with a swivel chair and A-Wing fighter. Includes three smart figures (Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine and Luke Skywalker), two smart bricks and five smart beacons.
The next step in Smart Play
What stood out to me most during my time with Smart Play was how low the system demands on you. Within minutes, technology takes a back seat and play takes over – this is where Lego has always excelled, especially with children.
My first impressions are that Smart Play looks really promising. It’s fun, intuitive, and intentionally additive. It’s not trying to redefine Lego or bring technology to the forefront; it quietly gives more work to the imagination.
It also looks a lot like a foundation. Star Wars is an obvious topic for Smart Play’s launch, but it’s easy to imagine how this system could expand – whether it’s more Star Wars sets or Lego’s own worlds like City, Speed Champions, Construction or Space.
For now, Smart Play does exactly what a first look should do: it makes me want to spend more time with it and see where Lego leads next. It’s also something you really need to experience firsthand.
It won’t be for everyone, but then again, it’s designed for play – and that’s arguably Lego’s roots. I also like the display pieces, but I can easily see myself grabbing these sets and using the smart bricks and beacons with other versions.
TechRadar will cover this year’s events extensively THESEand will bring you all the big announcements as they happen. Visit our CES 2026 News for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets and the latest in AI.
And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok And WhatsApp for the latest news from the CES show!
