LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets deliver an engaging, screen-free building and play experience, according to a hands-on review by Gaming Editor Nathan Bliss. After testing two sets over several weeks, he found the interactive features to be a 'fantastic, child-friendly evolution' of traditional LEGO.
How SMART Play Works
The system relies on the SMART Brick, a standard-sized LEGO brick casing that contains a custom ASIC chip, accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, and microphone. This gives the connected model spatial awareness, allowing it to detect orientation, movement direction, and speed.
Smart Tags identify which Pokémon model the brick is attached to, enabling character-specific reactions. The review covered the SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu (£59.99) and the SMART Play: Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle (£109.99) sets.
Interactive Features and Battling
Pikachu makes unique noises and reactions for walking, feeding, sleeping, tickling, and playing. The larger Charizard figure simulates wing flapping and can get dizzy if flown too fast. Training mode activates when a Pokémon is placed near a Training Tag, with unique music and target practice to build strength.
Battles start by bringing two creatures close together and wiggling them. Players can perform fast attacks, charged attacks, block, dodge, and use healing spray mid-battle. The reviewer noted the sounds are basic by today's standards but accurate and engaging enough to help children form connections with the characters.
Battery Life and Verdict
One drawback is that SMART Bricks last only about 45 minutes of continuous use before needing a charge, so having multiple bricks is recommended for longer sessions. The sets are more expensive than standard LEGO, but the reviewer praised the intuitive, screen-free play, noting that after a brief app-based update, all fun happens without any screen time.
