How on earth is LEGO ‘smart’ now? A parent’s guide to Pokémon SMART Play™

Buying LEGO used to involve checking the age on the box and hoping you wouldn’t end up doing the fiddly bits. Now there are SMART Bricks, SMART Tags and chargers to consider. Before you commit a chunk of your child's birthday budget, here’s how LEGO Pokémon SMART Play™ works.

What makes it smart?

The SMART Brick responds to movement and nearby SMART Tags with lights and sounds. So, once the building’s done, the Pokémon can react as your child plays.

Take Training House with Pikachu (RRP £60): children can train Pikachu for battle or feed it a sandwich and get a response. They’re still moving the pieces and making up the adventure themselves, with no screen needed for play. The LEGO SMART Assist app helps with setup, updates and adjusting the sound. Useful if Pikachu’s had rather a lot to say.

What do we need to buy?

If you’re starting from scratch, look for an “All-in-One” set. Training House with Pikachu is for ages six and over and includes the SMART Brick, charger and four SMART Tags.

The detail to watch is the word “Compatible”. Sets such as Jigglypuff Concert work as building toys on their own, but need a SMART Brick from an All-in-One set to activate the lights and sounds. Sadly, you can’t buy the brick separately.

So to summarise: check their age, pick a favourite Pokémon and make sure the box includes what you need. Enjoy!