Lego's Latest 'Star Wars' Smart Play Sets Are a Disappointment
Lego's ambitious "Smart Play" system, unveiled at CES last month, promises to revolutionize the way fans play with their sets by incorporating interactive light and sound technology. However, in its second wave of Star Wars releases, Lego has seemingly made a rookie mistake.
The new set of five Star Wars "Smart Play" sets boasts impressive pieces, with prices ranging from $40 to $100. The Luke's Landspeeder, AT-ST, Millennium Falcon, Mos Eisley Cantina, and Yoda's hut on Dagobah sets all come with specialized tiles and minifigures that can supposedly interact with smart bricks, which would respond by playing sounds or light-up features.
But here's the catch: none of these sets actually include a smart brick. To get full use out of the system, you have to purchase one of Lego's previously revealed "All In One" sets, which costs at least an extra $70. This means that the original set's price tag is not just inflated by the cost of the smart bricks but also comes with a hefty markup for the entire "Smart Play" experience.
As a result, even though the prices are lower than initially expected, these sets still feel overpriced and geared towards younger audiences rather than adult collectors. The sets' designs compromise on building integrity to accommodate the potential addition of smart bricks, leading to incomplete builds with noticeable gaps where the bricks could be inserted.
While there are some fun ideas in these new sets, the "Smart Play" system's limitations become apparent once again. Fans are left wondering if Lego will ever sell individual smart bricks separately or if they'll have to commit to an entire set just to get access to them. This raises concerns about affordability and accessibility for fans who might not be willing or able to shell out the extra cash for a "Smart Play" experience.
The release of these sets on March 1 will likely disappoint many Star Wars fans, especially those looking for a more immersive experience. As Lego continues to refine its "Smart Play" system, it's clear that there's still much work to be done before this technology can truly deliver on its promise.
Lego's ambitious "Smart Play" system, unveiled at CES last month, promises to revolutionize the way fans play with their sets by incorporating interactive light and sound technology. However, in its second wave of Star Wars releases, Lego has seemingly made a rookie mistake.
The new set of five Star Wars "Smart Play" sets boasts impressive pieces, with prices ranging from $40 to $100. The Luke's Landspeeder, AT-ST, Millennium Falcon, Mos Eisley Cantina, and Yoda's hut on Dagobah sets all come with specialized tiles and minifigures that can supposedly interact with smart bricks, which would respond by playing sounds or light-up features.
But here's the catch: none of these sets actually include a smart brick. To get full use out of the system, you have to purchase one of Lego's previously revealed "All In One" sets, which costs at least an extra $70. This means that the original set's price tag is not just inflated by the cost of the smart bricks but also comes with a hefty markup for the entire "Smart Play" experience.
As a result, even though the prices are lower than initially expected, these sets still feel overpriced and geared towards younger audiences rather than adult collectors. The sets' designs compromise on building integrity to accommodate the potential addition of smart bricks, leading to incomplete builds with noticeable gaps where the bricks could be inserted.
While there are some fun ideas in these new sets, the "Smart Play" system's limitations become apparent once again. Fans are left wondering if Lego will ever sell individual smart bricks separately or if they'll have to commit to an entire set just to get access to them. This raises concerns about affordability and accessibility for fans who might not be willing or able to shell out the extra cash for a "Smart Play" experience.
The release of these sets on March 1 will likely disappoint many Star Wars fans, especially those looking for a more immersive experience. As Lego continues to refine its "Smart Play" system, it's clear that there's still much work to be done before this technology can truly deliver on its promise.
come on lego! sounds like u r trying 2 charge fans an extra $70 just 4 the privilege of havin a smart brick 
u gotta think about ur customers, not just the fans who wanna buy every set u release 
i mean wut's the point of all those "smart" features if u cant even get 'em in the original sets? 
like who thought it was a good idea to make you buy an extra set just to get access to the smart brick feature?! 
i mean i love me some lego as much as the next person, but come on! these sets are way overpriced and the designs are kinda wonky too 
plus can we talk about how annoying it is that they're making us buy a whole new set just for the smart brick? ugh, lego what were u thinking?! 
. plus, who's gonna be able to afford individual smart bricks? that just seems like a major accessibility issue 
. i'm really hoping lego gets their act together soon 'cause right now, these sets feel like a cash grab 
It's like they're trying too hard to be cool and innovate, you know? 
The prices are already a bit steep, but if you wanna use the full "Smart Play" experience, it's like they're double-charging you. 
It feels like Lego is trying to cater too much to the younger crowd instead of the adult collectors who would really appreciate more complexity in their builds... 
Overall, I think they need to go back to the drawing board and figure out how to make this tech more accessible without breaking the bank. 
. and the prices are still pretty steep for what you get. as a fan of adult lego collecting, i feel like these sets are more geared towards younger kids and not really catering to us adults who want a more premium experience 
. Can we please get individual smart bricks or something?! That would be so much better than having to buy an entire set just to get the "cool" stuff 
. Can't they just make the tech work without all the extra baggage? 