Today I continue our exploration of the new LEGO® SMART Play™ System. In my previous blog post I took a look at all the new molds found in the first 8 LEGO® Star Wars™ sets with ‘enhanced play’, and today I'll be testing if the SMART Brick adds any value to the play experience by building 4 of them: 75421 Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter™, 75423 Luke’s Red Five X-wing™, 75424 AT-ST™ Attack on Endor and 75426 Millennium Falcon™.
We were given these products by The LEGO Group; the author's opinions are their own.
This article contains affiliate links to LEGO.com; we may get a small commission if you purchase.
Page contents
- A personal history of LEGO electronics
- 75421 Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
- 75423 Luke's Red Five X-wing
- 75424 AT-ST Attack on Endor
- 75426 Millennium Falcon
- Conclusion
A personal history of LEGO electronics
The LEGO Group and electronics have a long and sometimes rocky relationship. Some sets include simple stuff like lights, sounds or engines; others are fully programmable. This is not just in recent years: lights go back to the 1950s, and I was surprised to find a LEGO train controlled by a real-life whistle in 1968.
Being born in the early '80s, my memory of LEGO electronics includes the Light & Sound System, with its 9V battery box that powered lights and sirens via conductive LEGO plates. I’ve spent many hours riding a 12V train on tracks with a central conducting rail, while dreaming of electronic switches, signals and crossings.
Through LEGO® Technic™, electronics came to me in the form of the 8082 Universal Building Set, the first to include a micro motor, and the pinnacle technology (and the pride of my collection still) is the 8480 Space Shuttle with the money-drain known as Fiber Optics System (of which my spare went into hiding when I took this photo).
I could fill endless blog posts just talking about all the different systems The LEGO Group has introduced over the years (and many already have done so), so I’ll keep it short. Some were very successful, like LEGO® MINDSTORMS® (a moment of silence please), LEGO® Power Functions (more moments of silence please) and various train systems. Most of them have one thing in common: at some point they were discontinued, no longer supported, or in the best-case scenario ended up in a box in the attic.
This is true especially for systems requiring software: I have several LEGO® BOOST hubs that no longer have a supporting app; the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor app will be discontinued in June 2026; my LEGO® NEXO Knights™ shields are now just a pretty decoration... and as for my LEGO® VIDIYO™ tiles? Well, to be fair, those were never played with. Even analog items like LEGO Power Functions motors become ever more difficult to replace.
Of course, innovation is welcome; improvements can always be made, and both technology and the way kids play evolves over time. But people investing in a LEGO Mindstorms set only to find the app reach end-of-life will be sceptical about a follow-up system – and yes, I am one of those who think play sets for kids (i.e. not counting LEGO® Education products like SPIKE™ Prime, etc) mainly need to take place in the real world, away from yet another screen. The current programmable LEGO® Powered UP System has many more options compared to its 'dumb' analog predecessor LEGO Power Functions, but I also do miss the simple, screen-free plug-and-play experience the old system offers. More details on the differences between LEGO Powered Up and LEGO Power Functions can be found in this video by RacingBrick.
An added point: those advantages would come better to fruition if the system was more comprehensible, and supported by clear documentation and components that made it easy to swap between the various subsystems LEGO Technic CONTROL+, LEGO Powered Up, LEGO Education Spike Prime, LEGO Boost and LEGO Mindstorms. Instead, the accompanying software is limited; compatibility seems random; and we need to rely on third-parties like PyBricks to fully explore the possibilities.
So when The LEGO Group proudly announced yet another new system, Smart Play, I was excited to see the possibilities, but you can see why I am also on the skeptical side. One thing I’ve learned, however, in my years of writing reviews is that there is a big difference between seeing a set on a screen and holding it in your hands.
I have built sets that looked amazing, only to be disappointed by either the build process or the final product. Sets that looked terrible or seemed boring sometimes turned out to be among my favorites. Of course sometimes, the book is just as the cover suggests. I am trying to go in with a mind that is open, but with the history lessons sitting at the back.
75421 Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter
- Release date: 1 March 2026
- Pieces: 473
- Price: 69,99 EUR / 69,99 USD / 59,99 GBP/ 99.99 AUD / 299.99 PLN
- Ages: 8+
With 473 parts, Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter is currently the smallest (and least expensive) set to come with a Smart Brick. The set features the iconic Tie Fighter seen in Episode IV - A New Hope, along with a Rebel ‘base’ with a cannon as well as a refueling station. Included are three Smart Tags: one tile and two minifigures.
New molds
- Charger 8 x 14 x 1 2/3, Smart Play (111989)
- Brick, Smart Play 2 x 4 x 1 2/3 in Black (6618029 | 118829)
- Technic Axle with Oval Panel, appearing 2x in Red (6569899 | 7791)
Smart Tag tile
- 1x Tile Special 2 x 2 with Smart Tag with Darth Vader's TIE Fighter print in Red (6547160 | 113617)
Minifigures
The set comes with 2 minifigures: Darth Vader and a brave rebel trying to shoot him down.
Darth Vader receives a new body and a recolored cape. His head has been used in several sets.
- Minifig Body with Smart Tag, Darth Vader in Black (6610515 | 116406)
- Neckwear Cape, Standard, Very Short [Spongy Stretchable Fabric] in Black (6589124 | 116015)
Recolors
- 1 x Plate Special 10 x 10 Octagonal with Hole in Black (6584641 | 89523)
- 1 x Weapon Gun / Blaster 1 x 2 x 2/3 with Studs on Sides and Handle in Blue (6587187 | 15071)
- 1x Tool Hammer / Sledgehammer in Green (6579923 | 75904)
Decorations
Aside from the minifigures, there are two new decorated elements in the set. There is no sticker sheet.
- 1x Dish 6 x 6 Inverted - No Studs with Handle in Trans-Clear (6530928 | 111787)
- 2x Tile 2 x 4 in Light Bluish Gray (6530927 | 111786)
The model
The set is a decent build, but the chunky design is clearly aimed at a younger audience enjoying rough play. The age mark on this set is 8+.
The fighter is strengthened with brackets and Technic beams clamping down the donut-shaped center. The wings are held in place with double pairs of clips, which are surprisingly sturdy.
On a red area behind the pilot sits the Smart Tag tile on which the Smart Brick can be placed, activating the Tie program.
A trigger raises the new red paddles in front of the Smart Brick, activating a shooting sound.
The base is, well, basic – until it interacts with the Smart Brick. The refuelling station comes with the recolored pieces: the blue nozzle activates a refueling sound in the brick, while the green hammer ‘repairs’ the ship.
Video: the Smart Play functions
75423 Luke's Red Five X-wing
- Release date: 1 March 2026
- Pieces: 581
- Price: 89,99 EUR / 99,99 USD / 79,99 GBP/ 149.99 AUD/ 389.99 PLN
- Ages: 6+
Luke’s Red Five X-wing has 581 parts and includes several side-builds, including a communication center, a transporter and an Imperial turret. This set has the lowest age mark in the Smart Play range, aimed at 6 year-olds.
It includes one Smart Brick and 7 tags: 5 are tiles and 2 are minifigures.
New molds
- Brick Round Half 2 x 2 x 2 with 4 Studs on Side with R2-D2 Body print in White (6530828 | 111777)
- Charger 8 x 14 x 1 2/3, Smart Play (111989)
- Brick, Smart Play 2 x 4 x 1 2/3 in Black (6618029 | 118829)
- Technic Axle with Oval Panel, appearing 2x in Red (6569899 | 7791)
- Windscreen 4 x 6 x 2 with Light Bluish Gray X-Wing Cockpit print in Trans-Clear (6530829 | 111778)
Smart Tag tiles
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with X-Wing print in Red (6578823 | 113617)
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Cannon Tower print in Red (6578819 | 113617)
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Communication Station print in Red (6578822 | 113617)
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with R2-D2 print in Red (6578821 | 113617)
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Transport print in Red (6578820 | 113617)
Minifigures
The set comes with 5 characters: 2 regular minifigures, 2 Smart, and R2-D2 with a Smart Tag tile on its back.
Luke Skywalker comes with a new head and Smart Tag body. The helmet has been in use since 2010.
- Minifig Body with Smart Tag, X-Wing Pilot / Luke Skywalker in Orange (6610517 | 116406)
- Minifig Head Luke Skywalker, Orange Visor, Black Chin Strap in Light Nougat (6530830 | 111779)
- Minifig Body with Smart Tag, Leia in White (6610518 | 116406)
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with Smart Tag with R2-D2 print in Red (6578821 | 113617)
- Brick Round Half 2 x 2 x 2 with 4 Studs on Side with R2-D2 Body print in White (6530828 | 111777)
Moving on to the regular m inifigures, the Rebel features a new torso. The Stormtrooper has appeared in this form in several sets since 2024.
- Torso, Rebel in Tan (6590445)
Recolors
Just one recolor here, also found in sets 75420, 75421 and 75426.
- 1x Tool Hammer / Sledgehammer in Green (6579923 | 75904)
Sticker sheet
Rare elements
- 6x Wheel 8 x 6 with Slot in Black (6255103 / 6492150 / 6584676 | 34337) has appeared in a single set in 2019.
- 1x Wedge Sloped Inverted 16 x 4 x 1 1/3 Cockpit in White (6250313 / 6584640 | 42863) has appeared in 2 sets in 2019 and 2020.
The model
Carrying a 6+ age mark, the build is pretty basic, with playability and sturdiness pushing accuracy to the background. This will probably upset Star Wars fans, but my 9 year-old didn’t seem to mind.
The shape at the rear reminds me of Plate Special 6 x 6 x 2/3 Cross with Dome (30303), introduced by LEGO® Rock Raiders, but also used in early LEGO Star Wars sets. I wonder if this is a deliberate reference to the old element?
A button slides the Smart Brick forward, lining the color sensor up with the red railings sticking out near the rear of the canopy. This activates a shooting sound. A spring sets the brick back in its original position when the button is released.
The side builds are more extensive than those accompanying Darth Vader’s Tie Fighter. On the Rebel side, the transporter has a Smart Tag activating driving/hovering sounds, and the command center has sounds as well.
The Imperial turret can shoot at the X-wing, using the same mechanism as the Tie Fighter.
With so many Smart Tag tiles and minifigures there is plenty to play around with in this set, but it’s not a looker. That said, X-wings for 6 year-olds generally aren't.
Video: the Smart Play functions
75424 AT-ST Attack on Endor
- Release date: 1 March 2026
- Pieces: 347
- Price: 49,99 EUR / 49,99 USD / 44,99 GBP/ 79.99 AUD/ 209.99 PLN
- Ages: 8+
The brave Ewok Wicket is fighting off the Empire in the second-smallest set, comprising 347 parts. It includes a speeder bike and an AT-ST; both classic and well-represented LEGO Star Wars vehicles.
The set is Compatible, which means there is no Smart Brick included; it contains 3 Smart Tags instead. Two are tiles and one is a minifigure.
New molds
- Technic Axle with Oval Panel, appearing 2x in Red (6569899 | 7791)
Smart Tag tiles
The set comes with 2 unique tags:
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with Smart Tag with Speeder Bike print in Red (6579659 | 113617)
- Tile Special 2 x 2 with Smart Tag with AT-ST print in Red (6579658 | 113617)
Minifigures
Wicket is the only Smart figure in the set, featuring a new body, and a head that has been used in a single other set. The AT-ST Driver and Scout Trooper both come with a new torso.
- Minifig Body with SMART Tag, Medium Legs, Ewok in Reddish Brown (6612797 | 118267)
- Torso, Imperial Uniform in Light Bluish Gray (6608274)
- Torso, Scout Trooper Armor in White (6605589)
Recolor
The set is also light on recolored pieces, with just a single one to be found:
- 2x Dish 4 x 4 with 4 Studs in Light Bluish Gray (6594239 | 65138)
The model
The speeder bike is a decent build: nothing really standing out from previous versions, but not bad either. Behind the seat, the Smart Brick can provide swooshing sounds, as well as ‘firing’ the cannons by pulling the trigger.
Behind the AT-ST driver, we find another trigger mechanism for the Smart Brick.
I found the AT-ST to be pretty underwhelming. The model is focussed on (rough) play, putting a limit on accuracy. The worst part is the legs, which don’t have any articulation. Surely a click hinge would be stiff enough?
The ‘head’ is made out of 3 sections that wrap around the base, and is surprisingly sturdy. There are some big gaps though.
The rear side is left open, and the roof can hinge for easy access.
The play features include firing the weapons, and wobbling the Smart Brick which recreates the walking sound of the AT-ST. Flip the model over, and you’ll hear a crashing sound. For kids, this will be a decent play set, but for Star Wars fans looking for a realistic model, too many concessions have been made, and there's little in the new elements department.
Video: the Smart Play functions
75426 Millennium Falcon
- Release date: 1 March 2026
- Pieces: 473
- Price: 99,99 EUR / 99,99 USD / 89,99 GBP/ 149.99 AUD/ 419.99 PLN
- Ages: 9+
The second-largest set in the lineup depicts the most famous spaceship out of the Star Wars universe. The set is Compatible, so it does not include a SMART Brick. It is also devoid of any side builds; all action takes place inside the ship.
It includes a whopping 8 Smart Tags: 4 in tiles and 4 in minifigures.
New molds
- Windscreen 5 x 6 x 2 2/3, Curved Top with Millennium Falcon Cockpit print in Trans-Clear (6599437 | 116864)
- Technic Axle with Oval Panel, appearing 2x in Red (6569899 | 7791)
- Brick 4 x 5 with Rounded End, Axle, Pin Holes, 2 x 2 Recessed Center
Smart Tag tiles
Four Smart tiles are added to bring the Falcon to life.
- 1x Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Millennium Falcon print in Red (6579665 | 113617)
- 1x Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Hyperdrive print in Red (6579664 | 113617)
- 1x Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Lightsabers print in Red (6579663 | 113617)
- 1x Tile Special 2 x 2 with SMART Tag with Docking Ring print in Red (6579666 | 113617)
Minifigures
The set comes with 4 figures, all featuring a Smart Tag.
All figures use existing heads, the bodies are new:
- Minifig Body with SMART Tag, Han Solo in Black (6610521 | 116406)
- Minifig Body with SMART Tag, Chewbacca in Dark Brown (6610522 | 116406)
- Minifig Body with SMART Tag, Tatooine Luke Skywalker in White (6610514 | 116406)
- Minifig Body with SMART Tag, C-3PO in Pearl Gold (6594365 | 116406)
Recolors
- 3x Plate 2 x 4 in Trans-Light Blue (6598272 | 5584)
- 2x Bracket 1 x 2 with 1 x 2 Vertical Studs in Dark Tan (6592331 | 4585)
- 1x Tool Hammer / Sledgehammer in Green (6579923 | 75904)
- 1 x Brick Special 16 x 16 x 1 1/3 with Pinholes in Dark Bluish Gray (6596696 | 65803)
Decorations
We get two new decorated elements:
- 1x Tile Round 3 x 3 with Dejarik Table print in Black (6599436 | 116863)
- 1 x Minifig Head, Marksman-H Training Remote Droid in White (6537210 | 112342)
The finished model
The Millennium Falcon is built around the recolored Brick 16x16, which provides a sturdy base. On the inside we find Luke practicing with his lightsaber, a hyperdrive, unstable coaxium fuel and a cockpit with a firing mechanism.
Additional sections are held in place by Technic pins, and after bag 7 of 9, we have an open structure to play in.
The model is finished off with a hinging roof and removable center beam. The cannons on top can rotate, but don’t hinge up and down.
Overall, this seems a great play set, but like the other sets the looks take a backseat here, although this one still looks good. For the right audience this will be a fun one.
Video: the Smart Play functions
Conclusion
A lot has already been said about LEGO Smart Play, and often not in the most positive way. And in short: I am not blown away by what I have seen. But there is more to it.
The main thing to keep in mind is that Smart Play is aimed at children, so play is the main focus, resulting in sets that prioritize sturdiness over aesthetics. The Smart Brick encourages the models to be swooshed around and crashed to activate all the available sounds. So yes, these models look off, even compared to other sets aimed at the same age group. Even with that information in mind, I can understand why this is a big hurdle for many LEGO Star Wars fans. These fans tend to be older though; I do wonder how many children in the target age group of 6 to around 10 years will really be bothered by it.
Now to the system itself. As a kid, I loved electronics in my LEGO builds. Sounds, lights and motors added massively to the play experience, and I see Smart Play as an evolved version of the electronics I played with. The wide range of sounds is nice, and my 10 year-old has been running around the house swooshing the models with great gusto.
While themes like LEGO Nexo Knights and LEGO® Hidden Side enhanced the play experience, they also had children holding yet another screen, to get that added experience. Aside from when you are installing updates or changing the synthesizer volume, Smart Play is screen-free, and I greatly appreciate that.
I do feel more could have been done with it. For instance, the 4 sets I’ve built for this blog post all come with the same fire mechanism, and the fueling and repairing functions are all similar too. More variety would have been welcome in this premiere, but hopefully that is to come.
On the other hand, most models also come with some features that make them unique. According to the press release, multiple bricks can be joined to work together. In the videos, I’ve shown it’s possible for spaceships to ‘fire’ at each other, with the one brick ‘feeling’ the shots of the other brick and reacting to it. That’s a great idea, but the fun is diminished when you realize you don’t even need to aim to get a hit.
A lot of complaints have been made about the 'language' of the minifigures: instead of clear speech, we get some incoherent babbling, presumably to fit into an international market. That’s great for themes like LEGO® City, but in a franchise like Star Wars it feels very cheap, despite similar mumblings also appearing in some classic LEGO Star Wars video games. I’m not certain if the synthesiser inside the brick would even be able to create clear voices, but I found it does distract massively.
Both the quotes and the models are iconic to Star Wars, making the issues all the more clear. I wonder why The LEGO Group decided to use this theme for the first Smart Play sets? While the IP is a convenient shorthand for the storytelling aspect, going with a more generic theme like LEGO City might have been more befitting the capabilities of the system?
So while the system has some flaws and drawbacks, it still enhances to the play experience. Not too bad, but not great either. Some kids will love it, others can happily live without it. Parents can rest easily knowing their kids can play without a screen, but they will run into my main issue: the price.
Yes, any electronics will raise the price of a set; as a LEGO® Technic fan, I know this all too well. But that price-hike needs to be warranted: the added costs need to be justified in the total value of the set. While The LEGO Group have conducted extensive testing with potential consumers to ensure they see decent value, I can’t say really is the case for me. Yes, my 10 year-old has more fun playing with an X-wing that makes sounds. Does that X-wing need to cost €20 more than a standard LEGO model, just for that additional fun? I think not, but you may feel different.
LEGO Smart Play appears to be an impressive system, packed with cutting-edge technologies. But while I am impressed, I also feel a bit underwhelmed. It feels like either these sets don't get the full potential out of the system, or the system has some limitations. I do appreciate I am an adult who might not 'get it', so I'll follow my kid's judgement instead. Still, I just can’t justify the costs.
That's it from me on Smart Play, but we’re not done yet. When we return to our Smart Play series, guest writer Twan will take a look at the other 4 LEGO Star Wars sets that incorporate the concept.
Set 75420 on LEGO.com
Set 75421 on LEGO.com
Set 75422 on LEGO.com
Set 75423 on LEGO.com
Set 75424 on LEGO.com
Set 75425 on LEGO.com
Set 75426 on LEGO.com
Set 75427 on LEGO.com
READ MORE: LEGO® Pick a Brick: on 11 May 2026, over 900 new elements will be added
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