LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets go on sale in the UK today
Thirteen interactive, screen-free Pokémon sets hit shelves on 1 August 2026, bringing light, sound and motion to LEGO bricks for the first time in the franchise.
What you need to know
- Thirteen LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets are available in UK shops and on LEGO.com from today, 1 August 2026
- Only two sets include the SMART Brick itself; the remaining ten Compatible sets require one of those All-in-One sets to unlock interactive features
- UK prices run from £12.99 (Jigglypuff Concert) to £109.99 (Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle)
Thirteen LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets went on sale in the UK this morning — in LEGO Stores, on LEGO.com, and at select retailers — marking the most ambitious step yet in the brand's partnership with The Pokémon Company International. The range, which was announced on 2 June 2026 and opened for pre-order the same day, puts interactive technology inside familiar LEGO bricks for the first time in the Pokémon theme, with UK prices running from £12.99 to £109.99.
What is LEGO SMART Play?
The technology at the centre of today's launch is the LEGO SMART Brick — a component that keeps the classic 2×4 shape but houses a compact computer inside. It includes LED lights, a speaker, motion and light sensors, proximity detection, and a microphone, all powered by a wirelessly rechargeable battery. Each All-in-One set ships with a charging pad capable of charging multiple bricks simultaneously.
Alongside the SMART Brick, LEGO has introduced NFC-enabled SMART Tags — pieces that detect one another's position and orientation. When connected, the elements respond in real time with coordinated light and sound effects. The system is designed to work entirely without screens, which LEGO is positioning as a deliberate return to hands-on, physical play.
The LEGO Group has described the technology as "one of the most significant evolutions of the LEGO brand since the introduction of the LEGO Minifigure in 1978," and says it incorporates more than twenty patented innovations. The SMART Brick first appeared commercially on 1 March 2026, in select LEGO Star Wars sets including a TIE Fighter, X-wing Fighter, and Millennium Falcon.
The full range: what's on shelves today
The wave of thirteen sets splits into two categories, and understanding the difference matters before you buy.
All-in-One sets include at least one SMART Brick, a SMART Charger, and SMART Tags — everything required for interactive play straight out of the box:
- 72164 Training House with Pikachu — £59.99. A 400-piece treehouse training environment with 1 SMART Brick, 1 SMART Charger, 4 SMART Tags and 1 figure. Players can train Pikachu with a training dummy, aim a Poké Ball at tall grass to reveal a Pokémon, or feed Pikachu a brick-built sandwich to trigger responsive sounds and lights.
- 72167 Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle — £109.99. The flagship set of the wave, including a SMART Brick and designed around battle-inspired play. Interactions include tickling LEGO Charizard to trigger a joyful laugh response.
Compatible sets include SMART Tags but not a SMART Brick — meaning interactive features only activate if you already own, or separately purchase, an All-in-One set. The ten Compatible sets are:
- 72155 Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof — £17.99
- 72156 Trainer's Buggy Adventure with Squirtle — £24.99
- 72157 Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash — £17.99
- 72158 Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly Battle — £29.99
- 72159 Jigglypuff Concert — £12.99
- 72161 Drone Search for Mythical Mew — £44.99
- 72162 Eevee and Lapras's Treasure Hunt — £54.99 (ages 8+; features a mast mechanism that lifts a rock to reveal a treasure chest)
- 72163 Mewtwo's Lab Break — £59.99 (ages 10+; includes a rare Master Ball and an adjustable lab tank from which Mewtwo breaks free)
- 72165 Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle — £69.99 (ages 10+; includes a giant Poké Ball trophy)
- 72166 Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown — £79.99 (ages 8+; Cubone attempts to defeat Gengar to claim hidden treasure)
A thirteenth set, 40887 Ditto as Squirtle: Movie Night, is a gift-with-purchase Compatible set and cannot be bought separately. In the US it is triggered by spending $130 or more on qualifying Pokémon sets; the equivalent UK spend threshold has not been confirmed by LEGO at the time of writing.
Notably, none of the thirteen sets in this wave includes a minifigure.
Pokémon GO tie-in at LEGO Stores
To mark the launch, select LEGO Stores in both the UK and US are being transformed into Pokémon GO PokéStops and Gyms. From August through to September 2026, fans visiting participating stores can unlock exclusive in-game and in-store rewards, including a physical LEGO SMART Tag, unique LEGO Pokémon digital backgrounds, Pokémon stickers, and exclusive branded apparel within the Pokémon GO app — while supplies last.
How we got here
LEGO Pokémon launched officially on 27 February 2026 with three sets aimed squarely at adult collectors: Venusaur, Charizard & Blastoise; Pikachu & Poké Ball; and Eevee. Today's wave marks a deliberate pivot towards a younger audience, with the SMART Play technology and child-focused play patterns front and centre. The partnership between LEGO and The Pokémon Company International is confirmed as multi-year, and the LEGO Group has indicated that further SMART Play sets and technology updates are planned, though no specific future releases have been announced.
A LEGO SMART Assist App supports the system, helping children get started, adjust sound levels, troubleshoot and download updates for enhanced play.
Why it matters
For UK parents hunting for interactive physical toys that don't involve yet another screen, LEGO SMART Play makes a credible pitch — lights, sounds, motion sensing and proximity detection all tucked inside a standard-looking 2×4 brick. The catch is the ecosystem logic: eight of the thirteen sets on shelves today are Compatible sets, meaning buyers who grab a lower-priced set without reading the small print may find themselves needing to spend a further £59.99 or £109.99 on an All-in-One set before the interactive features come to life. That's an important distinction retailers won't always flag clearly.