Prime Highlight
- Lego has launched smart bricks with sound and light effects, adding interactive play to its new Star Wars building sets.
- The new technology is designed to enhance creativity and storytelling without the use of screens.
Key Facts
- The smart bricks can detect movement and in-game hits, triggering sound effects, lights, and short music clips during play.
- The technology has been introduced in select Star Wars sets, including Luke Skywalker’s X-wing and Darth Vader’s TIE fighter.
Background:
Lego has launched new “smart bricks” that add sound and light to its building sets, combining technology with creative play.
The new bricks, which look like standard two-by-four Lego pieces, feature a tiny custom-made chip that enables them to produce sounds, emit light, and communicate with one another during play. The technology is debuting in three new Lego Star Wars sets, launched at the CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas.
When built into Luke Skywalker’s X-wing fighter, the smart brick responds to movement, producing flying and laser sound effects as the model is swooshed through the air. The familiar electronic tones of R2-D2 are also recreated. A second smart brick can be added to Darth Vader’s TIE fighter so the two ships can interact during play. The bricks can detect hits and play sound effects.
Along with sound, the smart bricks also light up and play short music clips. According to Lego executives, players may occasionally hear themes such as “The Imperial March” while handling Darth Vader’s ship, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the experience.
The new technology comes with premium pricing. Luke Skywalker’s X-wing set, which includes a smart-enabled mini-figure, will retail for £79.99, while Darth Vader’s TIE fighter will be priced at £59.99.
While the launch has generated excitement among Star Wars fans, it has also sparked debate among parents and play experts. Some have questioned whether adding electronics could detract from Lego’s long-standing appeal as a toy that relies on a child’s imagination rather than built-in effects. Others see the development as a natural evolution that keeps Lego relevant at a time when children increasingly gravitate toward digital games.
Tom Donaldson, senior vice president at the Lego Group, said the smart brick system is designed to bring creativity, storytelling and technology together “without the need for a screen.” He added that the goal is to enrich physical play, not replace it.
Founded more than 70 years ago, Lego continues to experiment with new ways to engage younger audiences while preserving the core principles that have made its bricks a global favorite.
