Pokémon is one of the biggest brands in history, and LEGO doesn’t want to waste the opportunity of having it in its hands. That’s why the company has prepared new technology for its Pokémon sets that aims to take the fun to another level, adding interactive elements that allow the sets to respond to players’ actions.

But what exactly does this mean? Some of the LEGO Pokémon sets feature SMART Play technology, which uses special bricks to activate interactive elements and turn the sets into toys that respond to what players do. The first lineup includes Pokémon such as Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, Gengar, and Mewtwo.

At PokémonXP, we had the opportunity to attend a panel where LEGO showed off SMART Play’s different features, giving us a closer look at how these sets aim to bring Pokémon’s gameplay into a completely different format.

LEGO Pokémon

What is LEGO SMART Play?

The result is a collection of sets that young fans can use to play in different ways. For example, LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu includes a bush where the LEGO Pikachu can hide while the Trainer grabs a Poké Ball and tries to catch it.

If the player hits the target, the bushes open to reveal Pikachu, who celebrates with a voice reaction. If the player misses, Pikachu gets disappointed and lets out a complaint.

But that’s not all. Players can also train their Pokémon and try to make them stronger. This is done by moving and shaking the figure, which produces different sounds to indicate its progress. Once you’re happy with your Pokémon’s training, you can put it up against another Pokémon in battle.

So, what is a Pokémon battle like with LEGO? In reality, it’s not that different from the way kids already play with action figures. Each figure equipped with SMART Play bricks has three moves:

  • Light attack: Move your Pokémon toward your opponent.
  • Defense: Move your Pokémon away from the opponent.
  • Charged attack: Shake your figure before attacking.

This creates a simple combat system, but one that can become surprisingly entertaining when you start playing against someone else.

It’s worth mentioning that this is only the beginning for Pokémon and LEGO. In fact, both companies are already working on new sets. So it wouldn’t be surprising if they find even more creative ways to expand what SMART Play bricks can do in the world of Pokémon.

What do you think about the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets? Which one would you like to own and play with? Tell us in the comments!