Learn how LEGO Pokémon SMART Play cleverly reinvents the classic brick, plus thoughts on The Blood of Dawnwalker.

When the LEGO SMART Brick was introduced to the world, LEGO fans the world over considered the multitude of ways it could be utilised. But while Star Wars was an obvious first fit, LEGO Pokémon SMART Play immediately takes things to a different stratosphere.

While the line-up is pretty darn extensive, we were able to try a handful of the sets, including the Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle, Training House with Pikachu and Berry Bash with Bulbasaur and Bidoof. If you’re a Pokéfan there’s a little something for everybody and it’s hard to imagine you won’t won’t to collect (and construct) them all.

In typical LEGO fashion it’s all immaculately set up with sets broken down into multiple instruction booklets and bags to open, making it much easier for younger fans to get amongst it. Once everything is constructed, it’s impossible not to be overwhelmed and charmed by what’s on offer here thanks to the power of the SMART Brick and SMART Tags.

Building a miniature Pikachu and being able to feed it, play with it and send it to sleep with proper audio cues feels like a revolution for the LEGO space and it should come as no surprise that it brings an incredibly infectious smile to both small and big kids alike. Likewise having a Charizard battle with proper reactive audio cues is something long-time Pokémon fans would have only imagined.

What’s more, Pokémon aren’t just able to battle themselves, but will also retain their type advantage, meaning Pikachu will have the one-up on Squirtle in a one-on-one duel. But that’s not all. Grab the appropriate training or potion SMART Tags and you can even strengthen or heal your respective Pokémon. It’s a truly unexpected and astounding level of integration that shows how much love and care has been put into the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play line-up. It also truly showcases the potential of the platform going forward.

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Interestingly, it may also be the cause of the set’s biggest downfall – their look. Much like the current line-up of Nintendo sets, LEGO Pokémon SMART Play does lack the classic visual identity of LEGO due to a large number of flatter custom pieces, although these smaller sets are a closer fit than some of their much larger and pricier brethren.  The slightly blockier formfactor also makes sense for durability, which will surely allow younger players to be a little rougher.

Perhaps LEGO Pokémon SMART Play’s biggest win is the fact that you don’t actually need the SMART Brick if you’re purely focused on the collection. Unlike the previous Star Wars set your Pokémon will not have any large gaping holes if you don’t own a SMART Brick – each coming with its own unique covering. That’ll be greatly appreciated by fans and families considering the pricey price of admission for the sets that include it as well as the surprisingly short battery life of the brick itself. From a full charge of an evening it’s not uncommon for the brick to be completely depleted by the morning after which is disappointing.

Accept that minor quibble and it’s hard not to be impressed with the LEGO Pokémon SMART Play line-up. The LEGO team has done an exceptional job at transforming this video game franchise into an absolute imaginative wonderland that is bound to be enjoyed by little kids and big kids alike. Get amongst it.

LEGO Pokémon SMART Play ranges from $34.99 to $199.99.

Also out now…

The Blood of Dawnwalker (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC)

What happens when you take some ex-developers of the beloved Witcher series then toss some pesky vampires into the mix? You arrive at The Blood of Dawnwalker – a bloodthirsty third-person action RPG that may well be love at first bite.

It all starts with an intriguing premise, as you control Coen of Laslea, a poor 14th-century European lad who finds himself ruled by the ancient vampire Brencis. Only problem is, said vamp is largely loved by the community due to his blood ending a deadly plague. Naturally things take a bit of a nasty turn, you end up succumbing to a bit of vampirism yourself and are tasked with taking down Brencis to save your family and town.

Coen himself is unfortunately a little-dimensional, but its alleviated by the many systems that surround him. Take the game’s central timer which gives you 30 days and 30 nights to take down Brencis and his crew. With each mission you tackle, that timer ticks down and it adds an unexpected weight and urgency to your path, even though you gradually realise you can probably do everything you want anyways. You’ll also need to consistently keep your own hunger in check, feeding on either animals or other people – each with their own moral consequences.

But when you’re not exploring the world or plotting your next move you’ll likely be fighting, and The Blood of Dawnwalker has to be commended for its unique take on parrying. Instead of a usual twitch-based system, the game requires you to be more intentional with a direction-based system that’ll see you consistently switching things up depending on your foe. When it flows, it’s incredibly satisfying to watch in action, it just unfortunately can get a little repetitive, especially without a large range of enemy types.

Minor gripes aside, Blood of Dawn Walker is an ambitious first step that has oodles of potential to make the most of in future titles. Rest assured that this is one adventure well worth sinking your teeth into.