Go behind the scenes of the new LEGO SMART Brick and learn just how the little 2×4 packs in all its techy features for a new type of LEGO play.
LEGO SMART Bricks are here (or soon to be, they’re releasing on March 1, 2026), promising to revolutionise LEGO play by combining the physical and digital — all without the need for screens. And they’ll be debuting in three LEGO Star Wars sets based around iconic original trilogy scenery, like Vader’s TIE Advanced and X-wings. But what exactly is the SMART Brick, let alone SMART Minifigures and SMART Tags?
The LEGO SMART Play system, boasting 20 patented world-firsts, is built around all three of the aforementioned SMART elements, plus a wireless charger for the SMART Brick, which is itself entirely wireless. Once charged up, the SMART Brick becomes the centrepiece of it all.
The SMART Brick
Fitting into the footprint of a standard 2×4 brick (though it looks to be a little taller), the SMART Brick is designed to easily slot into the existing LEGO System. It has the usual eight studs on top plus tubes on the bottom, so it can be used just like any other LEGO brick. Though on the inside, it’s anything but.
Within the LEGO SMART Brick is an electronic system designed around a custom-made, mixed-signal ASIC chip, which measures at just 4.1mm in diameter, making it smaller than a LEGO stud. The chip runs a “Play Engine” that is able to interpret motion, orientation and even magnetic fields. There’s also a “Neighbour Position Measurement” (NPM) system that can detect distance, direction and orientation between other SMART Bricks. A series of copper coils are doing a lot of the heavy lifting with the ASIC chip and NPM system, allowing them to carry out their functions as they do.
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The main feature of the SMART Brick is sound, and that’s handled via modular synthesizers that produce real-time audio and a miniature speaker that’s acoustically tuned through internal air spacing to amplify sound within the SMART Brick. All the audio is generated through live actions — nothing is prerecorded.
Additional components include an accelerometer to detect movement, tilt and gesture in order to trigger context-driven reactions, as well as an LED array for lighting. Because lights are always cool.
SMART Minifigures and SMART Tags
SMART Minifigures and SMART Tags are most of what the SMART Brick is reacting to, both carrying digital IDs unique to each element, which is then detected by the brick via near-field magnetic communication. It’s the same idea as other contactless tech, just here made to fit with toy-grade safety standards.
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It’s the digital IDs that enable the SMART brick to make use of its speakers, lights and other features. Detecting different tags across a set like 75427 Throne Room Duel & A-wing will trigger the SMART Brick to make lightsaber swooshes, laser blast sounds and even play the Imperial March. It’s a detect-and-react system, no matter if the SMART Brick is working with a Tag, Minifigure or other Brick.
The SMART Tags are just 2×2 tiles, so they’re easy to slip into a build pretty much wherever you so desire. They do have unique designs on them, so they won’t be the most accurate addition to your starfighters, but the design will make them easy to pick out of a crowd.
Similarly, the SMART Minifigures, while touted as looking identical to standard LEGO minifigures, have the same type of markings on the backs of their torsos. Again, this is handy for quickly spotting a SMART figure in a pile, but it is something fans may not be happy about. It isn’t a huge deal for caped characters like Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, but Pilot Luke and Princess Leia will be clearly marked by the SMART Minifigure branding. While this will be annoying for collectors who prefer the utmost accuracy, it is important to remember these are toys first, and for a toy, clarity will always win over pure authenticity.
BRICKNET, Longevity, and an App
BRICKNET is what will allow SMART Bricks to react to one another, utilising a Bluetooth-based protocol that shares data between bricks with low latency. The NPM data from earlier is at play as well, allowing the bricks to communicate without the need for an app, hub or controller. There’s also enhanced encryption active, so there’s no threat of anything going wrong from a privacy standpoint.
In terms of longevity, the SMART Play system was designed with goals to be power efficient and maintenance friendly. The batteries are made to withstand years of inactivity, so you’ll be able to use the SMART Brick on launch day, then years down the road, even if it isn’t touched in between. Charging is handled via custom coils that are capable of charging multiple bricks at once.
While an app isn’t necessary to play with the SMART Play system, any firmware updates and diagnostics can only be run via the LEGO SMART Assist app. So the system isn’t entirely screen-free, but at least the play experience is.
What are the SMART Play sets?
Three LEGO Star Wars sets will serve as the introduction to LEGO SMART Play when they release on March 1, 2026. They are:
- 75421 Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter, with 473 pieces and 1 SMART Minifigure for £59.99 / $69.99 / €69.99
- 75423 Luke’s Red Five X-wing, with 584 pieces and 2 SMART Minifigures for £79.99 / $99.99 / €89.99
- 75427 Throne Room Duel & A-wing, with 962 pieces and 3 SMART Minifigures for £139.99 / $159.99 / €159.99
If you’d like to learn more about all three sets, you can check out Blocks’ in-depth look at the initial images.
The SMART Play system was also announced during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and you can view info about the announcement by heading here.
If you’re interested in preordering any of the new SMART Play sets, consider doing so via our affiliate links to help support the work we do here at Blocks, online and in print. No worries if you’re on the fence after the initial announcement; Blocks will review each set in an upcoming issue once our review team gets them in-hand so you know exactly what to expect with LEGO SMART Play.
And if you want to find out when new LEGO sets are announced, sign up to our free newsletter. Of course, if you really want to upgrade your LEGO hobby for the true insider experience, take out a subscription to Blocks, the monthly LEGO magazine for fans.