At CES 2026 this week, Lego unveiled its all-new Smart Play system, a series of high-tech Lego bricks, tiles and minifigures equipped with sensors, accelerometers, light and sound sensors, a miniature speaker with a built-in synthesizer, and more. The company says these parts can exchange information, increasing interactivity. The system will launch in March with three Star Wars packs available for pre-order starting January 9th.
While this isn't the first time Lego has experimented with electronic components, the Smart Play pieces have key differences. First, they can detect nearby NFC-equipped smart tags. They also charge wirelessly. This is a big improvement over the Lego Super Mario toys, which required AAA batteries to operate.
All parts are made from standard Lego bricks. Each piece contains a custom-made chip that is smaller than a standard Lego pin. So what exactly do they do? Lego says the Smart Bricks will respond to actions with appropriate sounds and behavior. Here's a closer look at what you can expect, starting with the new Lego Star Wars sets that will use this technology.
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Lego Star Wars: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter (473 pieces) –USD 70
Darth Vader's iconic spaceship playset includes a clever Star Wars villain minifigure and a clever Lego brick. Lego says the roar of the twin ion engines can be heard from the spaceship, and the set also includes a Rebel Navy soldier minifigure, a brick-built Rebel outpost and an Imperial gas station.
Lego Star Wars: Duel in the Throne Room and A-Wing (962 pieces) –USD 160
With this set, fans can relive the climactic battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader from Return of the Jedi. The set includes lightsaber humming sound effects and A-Wing engine sounds, but the coolest effect is for the Emperor Palpatine minifigure. Place a despot on the throne and you'll hear the Imperial March theme play. The set also includes a buildable A-Wing fighter and pilot minifigure, 2 Royal Guard minifigures and a Smart Tag-enabled gun turret to protect the Emperor's throne room.
Lego Star Wars: Luke's Red Five X-wing (584 pieces) — 100 US dollars
This set includes all the parts needed to build Luke Skywalker's iconic X-Wing fighter, Luke and Leia minifigures, plus special effects such as laser firing sounds, engine sounds and lights, plus refueling and repair sounds using Lego Smart pieces. You can also build an Imperial Turret, Transporter, Command Center and R2-D2.
It will be a while before these new Lego sets with Smart Bricks go on sale, but right now you can check out all the new Lego sets releasing in early 2026. Fans can purchase Lego sets to celebrate 25th Anniversary of the Harry Potter Franchise, new replica of a three-in-one retro game consoleand Amazon still has some in-demand inventory Ninjago Legacy 15th Anniversary Construction Sets.
