LEGO SMART Play is packed with more tech than you might think
All kinds of surprising miniaturised technology has been packed inside the LEGO Group’s upcoming SMART Play System.
The LEGO Group officially pulled back the curtain on its new SMART Play System this week, one that will consist of SMART Bricks, Tags and Minifigures. The upcoming interactive platform is being billed as a way to enhance existing play and hopefully draw kids away from screen-based activities, and it’s also a product that manages to cram plenty of tech into a small space.
A closer look at the LEGO SMART Play System reveals just what’s lurking beneath the surface of its core trio of elements, with product development having been started all the way back in 2017.
LEGO SMART Bricks
The heart of the new platform, the LEGO Smart Brick is a 2×4 element that’s slightly taller than a standard LEGO brick and can apparently be shaken to awaken it from its energy-saving slumber. Inside is a bespoke, custom-made 4.1-millimeter mixed-signal ASIC chip that’s smaller than a standard LEGO stud, as well as responsive LED lights, a colour-recognition sensor, plus a built-in accelerometer and speaker, the latter powered by a tiny analogue synthesizer.
According to WIRED, the LEGO SMART Play System was developed in-house by the company’s Creative Play Lab alongside Capgemini’s Cambridge Consultants and is confirmed to feature more than 25 new technology patents.
The LEGO SMART Brick runs a bespoke Play Engine, one that reacts to movement, lights, orientation and magnetic fields, with a proprietary Brick-to-Brick position system allowing multiple SMART Bricks to sense each other.
The LEGO SMART Brick’s internal battery is said to work even after years of inactivity and can be charged via a yellow wireless charging pad (as can several other SMART Bricks at the same time), although it’s yet to be revealed if the peripheral will be sold separately at some point.
LEGO Smart Bricks don’t require any sort of app, hub or set-up, instead they utilise a Bluetooth-based BrickNet protocol that shares data between elements.
LEGO SMART Tags
The list of impressive tech doesn’t stop there though. In fact, the LEGO SMART Play System really comes alive when it’s used in conjunction with SMART Tags and SMART Minifigures. The former are small 2×2 tiles that include their own tiny copper coils, which tell SMART Bricks what they should become during play sessions.
SMART Tags communicate with other SMART Play elements using NFC (Near-Field Communication) and each has its own unique ID. The LEGO Group has confirmed that when placed near a SMART Brick, Tags will unlock reactions, sounds, secret mini-games and missions, plot twists and surprise Easter eggs.
LEGO SMART Minifigures
Further enhancing the LEGO SMART Play System are SMART Minifigures that are also activated when placed near a SMART Brick. Doing so reveals a SMART Minifigure’s individual personality, with each one reacting differently to the world around them. They do so through their own sounds, moods and reactions, which are played back through the SMART Brick’s speaker.
That means you’ll be able to tell which SMART Minifigures enjoy certain activities or prefer riding in specific vehicles and when they’re not so keen either. Combining multiple SMART Minifigures will also have its own advantages, such as recreating an epic lightsaber battle in the upcoming 75427 Throne Room Duel & A-Wing, one of three LEGO Star Wars sets launching on March 1, 2026.
To find out more about the LEGO SMART Play System, SMART Bricks, SMART Tags and SMART Minifigures, check out our in-depth feature right here.
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