A couple of weeks ago, I took a break from my Nintendo Switch 2 and started building five of the ten LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets, each of these not bundling in the LEGO SMART Brick technology itself, but all fully compatible with it. Unlike the larger 18+ sets that were released earlier this year, these feel more aimed at a younger audience, so I enlisted the help of my son, someone who has started to get into the world of Pokémon for himself. For those wondering, he picked Squirtle as his starter.
The first five sets (and the initial two SMART Brick bundled ones before) have left me impressed with the technology, watching my boys get involved and battling one another as their chosen Pokémon yelps and lights up with their actions. It’s a clever method of upping the immersion further and adding to their creativity of playtime sessions. As an adult, while I might not pick up every set for myself, I’d be lying if I said some haven’t looked nice on my shelf for display. Even though these are aimed at kids, fans of the series may find a couple to add to their collection too.
So with five down and five more to go, let’s kick things off with…
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Jigglypuff Concert
The smallest of all the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play sets, this compact 88-piece package makes the most of its limited piece count with a Jigglypuff that looks suitably adorable (complete with tuft of hair poking out the top of its head) and a diddy audio set complete with speakers and microphone. It’s a rather fitting theme given Jigglypuff’s iconic singing ability, but while the set itself looks the part at a budget price, it was rather disappointing not to hear the Pokémon actually sing when inserting the SMART Brick. Sure, it makes short, cute squeals, but those expecting the iconic sleep-inducing lullaby may wind up disappointed. That aside though, if you’re looking for a cheap addition to go along with your more expensive starter sets, you can’t go wrong.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof
Moving up the complexity to 240 pieces in total, the Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof set is pretty similar in scope to the Charmander and Geodude set I reviewed a couple of weeks back. With it, you’re getting two smaller Pokémon and an interactive piece of scenery – in this case, a smoothie machine. Both Bulbasaur and Bidoof look great, the Seed Pokémon in particular with his iconic bulb sitting nicely atop his back.
A common compliment I have given these sets is that despite their focus on the obvious SMART Play features, they still offer a level of interactivity without them. Though simple, being able to physically pluck berries from the included plant, place them in the smoothie maker and then spin them inside is a neat touch and one that had the kids take a small break from battling to play the role of café owner.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Trainer’s Buggy Adventure with Squirtle
Probably my kids’ favourite of all the sets, and it’s not hard to see why. Though this 320-piece set may only include the one Pokémon, it more than makes up for that with a fully moving buggy vehicle. Before we get to that though, what else do you get? Alongside a small Poké Ball, you’ll also get a grill and burger, along with some small fire pieces. You’ll also get a handheld controller, this (in your imagination, of course) controlling the buggy.
Squirtle looks great in this miniaturised form, the blocky build actually suiting his body type nicely, including his twisty tail. It’s the buggy, though, that drew most attention, fully functional with a joint in the middle that gave it an almost wiggling ability as it steered and was even compatible with the SMART Brick. By placing a Pokémon onto its back, not only will you hear their yelps of glee, but also the sounds of the wheels spinning as you rolled the vehicle around. As much as I’ve been impressed by the use of SMART Bricks in the Pokémon, I do like seeing the unique interactions of the technology when used with the accompanying items and objects.
I asked my son after we’d finished exploring all 10 sets what his favourite ended up being, and while he couldn’t narrow it down to one, Squirtle’s name did pop up an awful lot. I’d argue you couldn’t get a better recommendation than that.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Cubone and Gengar’s Spooky Showdown
The second biggest of these five sets, coming in at 782 pieces, Cubone and Gengar’s Spooky Showdown may well be one of my favourites purely from a build perspective. For starters, I feel Cubone may be one of the best replications of any Pokemon out of these sets – its proportions are perfect, and the skull sitting on its head looks just like the video games. Even though it’s small, you couldn’t have asked for a better build. As for Gengar, well, it’s surprisingly larger than I expected, not to mention rather weighty too. Easily, its best feature is its beaming smile, complete with a movable tongue, controlled by a lever on its back. Just like Cubone, I feel LEGO has nailed the Shadow Pokémon’s look too, with both pocket monsteres sitting nicely on my shelf whenever the boys aren’t using them.
Speaking of the boys, the interactable elements of this set are pretty cool too, turning its centrepiece stage into a sort of game. You’ll need to attempt to throw your Ultra Ball at its two targets to knock a Pokémon off the top, thus revealing your reward: a treasure chest. A small tree also acts as another target, with both utilising SMART Tags alongside the two Pokémon.
This probably ranks as one of my favourite sets – particularly down to the look of Gengar and Cubone – though the interactable elements proved a hit too with the kids. It is a little pricier than others in the collection, but I feel that reflects in the quality.
LEGO Pokémon SMART Play: Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle
The biggest of all twelve Pokémon SMART Brick sets, though interestingly, Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle only features two SMART Tags (one for each Pokémon). What it might lack in interactable extras, though, it certainly impresses with the size and complexity of its builds. Umbreon looks great and features a build rather similar to that of Jolteon. Garchomp meanwhile is quite clearly the centrepiece of the set, a good chunk of the set’s 831 pieces counting toward him. It shows too, not just in terms of his size but also his moving joints and details in his head.
The set does come with two extra items, a Poké Ball (though much larger than the other sets) and a rather large trophy. Again, neither uses the SMART Tags and don’t offer much in the way of interactable elements, making this set perhaps appeal more to the Pokémon fan than the children. In fact, if you were to invest in this line of sets for your kids, I’d likely recommend some of the other cheaper alternatives. Maybe keep this one for yourself.
Well, there we have it. After two weeks of building, I can’t help but feel a little bit like a Pokémon Master. My kids and I have enjoyed not only putting these sets together but actually playing with them, which is all good in my book as it gets them away from the screens for a bit and lets them simply use their imagination. Do you need every set? Unlikely. However, if you’re looking for something for your Pokémon fan child, then it’s definitely worth picking up a few extra sets alongside your SMART Bricker starter set. With hundreds more Pokémon to choose from, both my kids and I can’t wait to see who comes along to battle next.
Review Copy Provided by The LEGO Group
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