Kids toys are changing, and not just with a push for more motorised parts or app connections. If anything, companies are proving that if they think out of the box, they can come up with ways to make toy experiences more interactive without losing the heart and soul of what makes playing with toys fun.
That was the idea Lego unleashed at CES this year, offering a new style of “smart” brick that could interact with regular Lego experiences by way of tags.
The bricks were just like regular bricks, and compatible with the Lego studs found on every other brick (except for Duplo), but the inside had lights, sensors, and a small speaker that could modulate the sound based on a tag it might have been near.
Available with select Lego Smart Play kits, and compatible with a whole bunch more, it meant Lego creations could suddenly talk, make engine noises, and even the “pew pew” that goes with it in a blast of imagination-based laser battles.
It’s no wonder that Star Wars was the first place Lego chose to play with its Smart Play smart bricks, but it wasn’t the last.
A whole bunch of new sets are on the way in August, as Lego teams up with Pokémon for the second round of Smart Play.
This time, it’s a little different. While the wirelessly charged smart brick still plays sounds and triggers lights, now the brick and the sensors can connect with the creations by turning the Lego creations into pocket monsters they can train and battle.
No screens form a part of it, but the bricks will trigger feeding a digital food item to their Pokémon, while battles can be played against other brick-based creatures.
“We are thrilled to bring together two beloved brands that are known worldwide,” said Julia Goldin, Chief Marketing and Product Officer for Lego.
“For the first time ever, Lego Pokémon creatures respond to children’s actions, meaning fans can build, train and interact with their Lego Pokémon creatures through hands-on, imaginative play that encourages creativity, confidence and storytelling,” she said.
Officially, twelve sets will be made available, covering an assortment of Pokémon including Pikachu, Charizard, Charmander, Squirtle, Jigglypuff, and more, though only two will come with the Lego Smart Brick that’s needed for Smart Play.
Parents looking for their next gift will want to make sure that brick is there, and is only found in the $129.99 Training House with Pikachu and the $199.99 Charizard vs Joleton Battle Set, the latter of which comes with two bricks for the obvious “battle” in the name.
Other Lego Pokémon sets on the way will include the tags needed to trigger the smart bricks, not to mention the characters you’re building and the instructions, but you’ll need those bricks to play. The good news is if you already have smart bricks from a Star Wars kit, they are compatible, too.
Australia can expect the Lego Pokémon range to launch from August, joining only a handful of places to get the Smart Play kits, including the US, UK, Germany, France, and Poland.
