Four LEGO Pokémon sets with Smart Play technology have leaked online, giving fans their first real look at how the interactive brick system will extend beyond Star Wars. The sets are expected to begin rolling out from August 1, and for anyone who grew up playing Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen and still has a soft spot for the original roster, the lineup is going to hit differently.
Charizard vs Jolteon battle set
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What Smart Play actually does
Smart Play is LEGO's interactive system built around the Smart Brick, a technology-packed piece that responds to Smart Tags, small NFC tiles embedded in specific sets. When a Smart Brick detects a tag, it triggers sound and light effects tied to that interaction. LEGO first rolled the system out in a small number of Star Wars playsets earlier this year, and the Pokémon wave marks its first major expansion into a new franchise.
Here's the thing: the Smart Brick is not included in every set. You need one to activate any Smart Play features, which means either buying a set that includes one or using a Smart Brick carried over from the Star Wars range. The cheapest current entry point is the TIE Fighter set at $69.99, which bundles one in. LEGO is expected to eventually sell Smart Bricks separately, but that has not happened yet.
The four leaked sets
The leaked lineup covers four sets, each built around familiar Pokémon matchups:
- Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown features blocky builds of both Pokémon, four Smart Tags (one per creature, two for environmental targets), and reactive feedback when the pair attack a set of targets.
- Jigglypuff Concert is the smallest of the bunch, with a single Smart Tag for Jigglypuff and a stage setup complete with speakers and a microphone. Simple, but likely the most affordable entry point.
- Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash mirrors the Spooky Showdown format: two blocky creature builds, two Smart Tags, one per Pokémon.
- Charizard vs Jolteon Ultimate Battle is the flagship. Two Smart Bricks, four Smart Tags, and what looks like the most interactive build of the four. The full scope of its interactivity is still unclear from the leaked images alone.
Jigglypuff Concert Smart Tag
Pricing and what to expect at launch
The key here is that sets without a bundled Smart Brick should cost noticeably less. LEGO has clearly structured the Pokémon wave so that only select sets carry the hardware overhead, keeping the rest of the lineup accessible. That is smart product design, even if it means some buyers will need to plan their first purchase carefully.
Leakers have had this summer Pokémon wave on their radar for a while, and the Smart Play sets are just a slice of a broader August lineup. The full list of sets has not been officially confirmed, but the volume of leaked images suggests a substantial drop across multiple price points.
For players who want to revisit the classic Pokémon roster while waiting for the sets to drop, the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen strategy guides cover everything from Eeveelution paths to Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon evolution requirements worth brushing up on before Jolteon shows up in brick form on your shelf.
You need a Smart Brick to activate Smart Play features. If none of your target sets include one, budget for the $69.99 TIE Fighter or wait for LEGO to release standalone Smart Bricks.
An official announcement from LEGO or The Pokémon Company has not arrived yet, but with August 1 as the expected start date and this many sets already surfacing in leak form, a formal reveal cannot be far off.
