LEGO's new Pokémon sets are exactly what SMART Play needs
Pikachu, Charizard, Mewtwo and more join LEGO's SMART Play range
The LEGO Group and The Pokémon Company International have unveiled 12 new LEGO Pokémon sets, and they feel like the clearest sign yet of where LEGO wants its SMART Play technology to go.
Launching later this year, the range introduces fan favourites including Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, Eevee, Gengar and Mewtwo into LEGO's growing SMART Play ecosystem. Using the new LEGO SMART Brick, the sets respond to movement, touch and play with lights, sounds and interactive reactions, allowing children to train, nurture and battle their Pokémon without needing a screen.
It's a particularly clean fit for the technology. Pokémon has always revolved around collecting creatures, caring for them, training them and sending them into battle, all concepts that translate naturally into LEGO's new interactive play system. Children can feed Pikachu a sandwich, tickle Charizard to hear it laugh and build up relationships with their Pokémon through repeated play sessions.
More importantly, this feels like the kind of licence that could put SMART Bricks into far more homes than before. While themes such as Star Wars remain hugely popular, much of their audience now skews towards older builders and collectors. Pokémon continues to dominate with younger audiences, making it arguably the perfect vehicle for introducing LEGO's latest technology to a new generation of fans.
It also marks a shift from LEGO Pokémon's earlier releases. The first wave largely consisted of display-focused builds aimed at collectors and older fans. These new releases feel much closer to what LEGO is supposed to be: toys designed to be played with, rebuilt, experimented with and enjoyed by kids.
The full LEGO Pokémon SMART Play line-up
All-in-One sets
- Training House with Pikachu
- Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle
Compatible expansion sets
- Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof
- Trainer's Buggy Adventure with Squirtle
- Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash
- Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly Battle
- Jigglypuff Concert
- Drone Search for Mythical Mew
- Eevee and Lapras's Treasure Hunt
- Mewtwo's Lab Break
- Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle
- Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown
If you purchase selected sets, you'll also be able to get a special Ditto as Squirtle: Movie Night gift-with-purchase while stocks last. The sets are available to pre-order now ahead of an August release.
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