Weeks after building them, I’m still playing with Lego’s Smart Play Pokémon sets — they’re easily the best of 2026

Lego's new Smart Play Pokémon sets are proving to be the best of 2026, despite the initial skepticism about their Smart Brick feature. When Lego first introduced these sets, they showcased display-focused builds primarily for older audiences, which led to higher prices due to complex building techniques and large brick counts. However, the new "Smart Play" sets are designed for play, with two of the latest sets featuring a Smart Brick and generally being cheaper.

These sets are built to be intuitive, with hidden tiles in each Pokémon's belly that allow the Smart Brick to recognize the creature and produce distinctive sounds during various activities like feeding, training, sleeping, or even battling other Pokémon. The Smart Brick can also determine if two Pokémon are near each other and engage in an engaging battle based on factors like recent training, type compatibility, innate power, and health status.

While some play features require a Smart Brick, such as sound effects, many actions can still be played with physically, like Pikachu lying down in his fold-down bed or battling against a spinning target. For those who prefer not to use the Smart Brick, there are compatible sets available at a more affordable price, making these sets accessible to a wider range of Pokémon fans.