Lego is dropping 12 new Pokemon sets on August 1, 2026, and every single one of them runs on Smart Play technology, the same interactive system previously exclusive to the Lego Star Wars range. This is the first time Smart Play has expanded to a non-Star Wars license, and the Pokemon lineup is genuinely substantial.
Lego Smart Play Training House
The core idea behind Smart Play is that the sets respond to how you actually play with them. Through a combination of light, sound, motion, and sensing technology built into Smart Bricks, the figures react when you bring them into contact with each other or with specific environment pieces. Lego describes it as "screen-free play" that brings Pokemon adventures to life, which puts these firmly in the same category as the Super Mario interactive figure range rather than the collector-focused display sets the brand has released before.
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How Smart Bricks and Smart Tags work together
Here's the thing: not every set in the lineup includes a Smart Brick. Only 2 of the 12 sets come with the actual Smart Brick hardware and charger needed to power the interactive features. Everything else uses Smart Tags, which are passive elements that trigger responses when brought near a Smart Brick.
The two all-in-one sets that include Smart Bricks are:
- Training House with Pikachu (72164) at $69.99, a 400-piece set for ages 6 and up with 1 Smart Brick, a charger, and 4 Smart Tags
- Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle (72167) at $119.99, a 751-piece set for ages 8 and up with 2 Smart Bricks, a charger, and 4 Smart Tags
If you want the other 10 sets to actually do anything interactive, you need one of those two first. The Smart Tags in the expansion sets are essentially useless without a Smart Brick nearby.
You need either the Training House with Pikachu or the Charizard vs. Jolteon set to use the Smart Tag features in the other 10 Pokemon Smart Play sets. Budget accordingly before buying expansion packs.
Every set in the August launch
The full lineup covers a wide spread of Pokemon, from Gen 1 classics to more recent Scarlet and Violet starters. Here's the complete breakdown:
The Jigglypuff Concert (72159) is the cheapest entry point at $14.99 with just 88 pieces, making it a low-stakes add-on once you have a Smart Brick. At the other end, the Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle packs in 831 pieces for $79.99 and is pitched at ages 10 and up, which is the oldest age recommendation in the range.
One genuinely surprising inclusion is the Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly Battle (72158), featuring the Generation IX starters from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Most of this wave leans heavily on Gen 1 nostalgia, so seeing newer Pokemon in the mix signals that Lego is thinking beyond just Pikachu and Charizard.
Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown
The fan reception question
The Smart Play range's debut with Lego Star Wars drew mixed reactions. Criticisms focused on the cost of entry, some accuracy issues with figure designs, and the fact that the sets use generated sound effects rather than audio pulled directly from source material. Those same concerns will almost certainly follow this Pokemon wave.
What most players miss in that debate is who these sets are actually for. The age ratings start at 6 and cap at 10 for the most advanced sets. Lego's own position on the Smart Play range is that children's response to it has been positive, and that tracks: the interactive feedback loop of building something and then having it react to touch and motion is exactly what makes physical play compelling for that age group.
For Pokemon fans who grew up with the franchise and are now buying for younger relatives, these are a solid middle ground between a static display model and a video game. The $14.99 Jigglypuff Concert makes a reasonable gift without requiring a big investment. The $119.99 Charizard vs. Jolteon set is the kind of thing you buy when you want the full experience out of the box.
Pre-orders are live now directly through Lego ahead of the August 1 launch. Spending $130 or more on Pokemon sets through the Pokemon Center also unlocks a free Ditto as Squirtle Movie Night figure as a gift with purchase, while stock lasts.
For more on what's hitting shelves this year, check out our gaming guides and latest reviews to stay across the biggest releases in gaming and beyond.
