LEGO's SMART Play Star Wars Sets Now Up for Pre-Order - Worth the Tech Upgrade?

Well, this is interesting. LEGO's new SMART Play system has just landed on the official shop for pre-orders, starting with a selection of Star Wars sets. If you missed the CES announcement a few days back, SMART Play essentially adds digital elements to traditional building - think app integration, interactive features, and presumably some clever tech built into the bricks themselves.

The reaction from the community has been, shall we say, mixed. Some builders are excited about the possibilities, whilst others reckon LEGO should stick to what it does best - good old-fashioned plastic bricks. Fair enough on both counts, really.

We've already added all of these sets to the site so it will be interesting to see how their prices hold out in the first few months of release, if recent trends are anything to go by they will all be sold out in the first week.

The standout set so far is Darth Vader's TIE Fighter (75421) at $69.99 for 473 pieces. That works out to roughly 12p per piece when you convert to pounds - not bad for licensed Star Wars, especially if the tech actually adds value. The sets officially release on 1st March, with more expected throughout the year.

Here's the thing though - we don't really know yet how well this SMART Play system will work in practice. Will kids genuinely engage with the digital elements, or will they just want to swoosh the TIE Fighter around the living room? And for us adult fans, does the tech enhance the building experience or just complicate things?

The good news is that if you're curious but cautious, purchases over $70 qualify for the Year of the Horse promotional set, so you're not walking away empty-handed if the SMART Play doesn't live up to expectations.

I'm cautiously optimistic but definitely waiting to see some proper reviews before diving in. Sometimes the best innovations are the ones that feel natural rather than forced.