Pokemon battles with sound effects? Yes please. After LEGO introduced its high-tech Smart Play bricks at CES this year, long-awaited Pokemon sets using the sensor-enabled bricks are now finally available for purchase. That means buildable Pikachu, Charizard, Mewtwo, Eevee and other Pokemon favorites that respond when you train, feed, move or battle them.
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Smart Play bricks have hidden motion, orientation and color sensors inside that detect turns, twists and taps, then produce lights and sounds based on nearby SMART Tags that can be embedded in LEGO builds — from Pokemon to vehicles, food, treasure and anything else the imagination can dream up. The result is more interactive play than ever before, but without screens involved.
In this article: LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle, LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu and LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Mewtwo's Lab Break
Note that only some of the Pokemon sets are all-in-one starter kits that contain Smart Play bricks. Others are compatible sets with Smart Tags, but have to be combined with a starter kit or a Smart Play brick from another set (LEGO doesn't sell them separately just yet). You use a connected app to set up and connect the bricks and tags, but play itself is screen-free.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle
This 751-piece all-in-one set comes with two rechargeable Smart Bricks, four Smart Tags and a charger, so Charizard and Jolteon can react to one another with lights and sounds right out of the box. You can trigger responses with training targets, battle movements and healing spray.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu
This complete starter set is only 400 pieces and made for ages 6 and up. It comes with one rechargeable Smart Brick, four Smart Tags and a charger. Pikachu can interact while training, eating, hiding and more.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Mewtwo's Lab Break
Turn the dial and Mewtwo breaks free from its tank, knocking apart the chamber in this 605-piece set. Once built, the figure has movable limbs, head and tail. The set comes with one Smart Tag, but requires a Smart Brick from another set.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash
Treasure hunting becomes a rocky battle in this 198-piece scene. Both posable Pokemon contain Smart Tags, but the Smart Brick is not included. The fighters can swivel and fire at one another as they interact during battle.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Trainer's Buggy Adventure with Squirtle
This 320-piece set comes with a Poke Ball, pretend controller, and two Smart Tags — one in Squirtle and one in his remote-controlled buggy — but the Smart Brick has to come from another set. Squirtle rides in his buggy and shoots from on-board water cannons.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof
In this 240-piece set, there's no battle happening — Bulbasaur and Bidoof can pick fruit, eat and rest for their next fight. Each Pokemon contains a Smart Tag that unlocks responsive lights and sounds, but the Smart Brick is sold separately.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown
Build abandoned ruins with this fun set, where you can hit targets with the Ultra Ball or wiggle Gengar's tongue. This larger set comes with four Smart Tags that give the included Pokemon fun reactions, but you need an All-In-One set to get a Smart Brick to go with it.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle
In this 831-piece set, you build two highly posable Pokemon who face off for a brick-built trophy. Both Umbreon and Garchomp contain a Smart Tag to give them lights, sounds and other reactions to the battle, but you'll need a compatible All-In-One set to get a Smart Brick to activate them.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Eevee and Lapras' Treasure Hunt
In this cute set, a map leads Eevee and Lapras toward a shipwreck, where lowering the mast lifts a rock and uncovers coins and gems. The 623-piece adventure includes a raft and three Smart Tags, but you'll need another set to add a Smart Brick to get the interactive sounds and motion.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Drone Search for Mythical Mew
Build a tilting, rotor-powered drone that drops berries onto ancient ruins, collapsing a wall to reveal Mew (and other secrets). This set comes with three Smart Tags, but doesn't include a Smart Brick.
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