Lego announced Smart Bricks at CES 2026 — and the first sets are already on sale
Consumer Electronics Show It’s taken over Las Vegas this week, which means a flood of flashy and often expensive tech show announcements from its peers NvidiaSony, Anker and more. One brand that isn’t on my bingo card is one you’ve definitely heard of: Lego. The Danish company has announced Lego Smart Play, featuring the first Smart Brick featuring a tiny chip, smaller than a Lego nail, that allows the brick (and its built-in micro speaker, accelerometer, and LED array) to respond as you play with it.
Thanks to all this injected technology, it can tell when it’s moving, which direction it’s facing, and even how close it is to other Smart Bricks as you build. The speaker and LEDs then play sounds and light up depending on how you actually use the set; This is much more than your standard stock sound effects. Smart Brick is just one part of the Smart Play system. It also includes Smart Minifigures and Smart Tags (the latter is basically a tiled piece) that can recognize and respond.
The price of some of these sets is a pleasant surprise. Current non-smart 625-piece Lego Star Wars The MSRP for the TIE Bomber Model Building Kit is $65 (currently on sale for $52), this 473-piece Smart Play version is only $5 more.
You’ll be able to order Smart Play on Friday, January 9th.
It’s 2026, so there’s bound to be an app for any of this to work, right? No. Lego has built a wireless system called BrickNet that allows Smart Bricks to communicate directly with each other using Bluetooth-based technology. There’s no app to download, no Wi-Fi to set up, and no phone required; you just open the box and start building the way Lego has always worked. To power these bricks, all you have to do is charge them with the included wireless charging pad.
Remember when you used to have to make those shooting sound effects while playing with your Lego? Now, these Smart Play sets will do that for you… and then some. (Lego) (Lego)
The first of the Smart Play offerings is three all-in-one Star Wars not the 10,000-piece variety aimed at adults, but smaller sets that kids can enjoy. And while they’re certainly pricier than standard, non-smart sets, the price increase isn’t crazy, thankfully. Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter costs $70, Luke’s Red Five X-Wing Set costs $90, and the larger Throne Room Duel and A-Wing combo costs more than $160.
Pre-orders for all three sets open on Friday, January 9, while the full Smart Play launch is planned for March 1.
Lego
This 584-piece set includes two Smart Minifigures (Luke and Leia, of course), plus a Smart Brick and five Smart Tags.
Lego
This is the largest (and most expensive) of the three sets available for pre-order this week. He gives an iconic performance with 962 pieces return of the jedi Sound effects including lightsaber hums and the included A-wing’s engine. Even the “Imperial Anthem” will be played while Emperor Palpatine sits on his throne.
