Lego's push into electronics is showing up under the tree this year. Among the sets Wired highlighted in its 2026 holiday gift guide is the Star Wars Throne Room Duel and A-Wing set, built around what the company calls Smart Bricks, a line of rechargeable pieces that add lightsaber sounds, blaster effects, Darth Vader's breathing and even a snippet of "The Imperial March" to a recreation of Return of the Jedi's climactic duel. The bricks also light up, though owners will need to remember to charge them, Wired's Adrienne So noted.
It's one entry in a catalog that leans hard on licensing, which has long been Lego's playbook. The company signs deals across franchises and then builds sets around them, something Wired's guide calls "an ouroboros of advertising." This year's additions include a Lego Ideas Peanuts: Snoopy's Doghouse set, built from a fan submission to Lego's crowdsourced Ideas platform, complete with Snoopy, Woodstock, a typewriter and a campfire with swappable legs so Snoopy can sit, type or lounge.
Gaming gets an entry too. The new Lego Batman video game pairs Gotham's rogues' gallery with slapstick humor, puzzle-solving and melee combat built around counters and combos, and supports split-screen co-op. Wired's reviewer called it the most enjoyable Lego game in years, a notable claim given the publisher's long back catalog of licensed titles spanning Star Wars, Ninjago and Marvel.
Other picks skew toward smaller gifts and seasonal décor. The Lego Botanicals line, which includes an articulated rose bouquet, is pitched as display pieces that double as centerpieces rather than sets meant for disassembly. A Lego poinsettia set runs $50 and was used as a holiday table centerpiece in a previous year, according to the guide. For stocking-stuffer territory, Wired points to a Lego-branded notepad with 224 sheets and a brick-pattern cover, Lego playing cards sold in two-packs, and a set of Lego brick erasers priced at $36.
The guide also flags the Star Wars Advent Calendar 2026, which packs a minifigure or small build behind each door, including Mandalorian and Grogu figures in holiday sweaters, creatures like a Bantha and a Dewback, and small ships such as an X-wing and the Razor Crest. Separately, Lego ornaments and a Lego Architecture Paris: City of Love set round out the newer additions to this year's lineup, alongside returning favorites like the company's Formula 1 vehicle sets, which double as display models and functional toys once assembled.
None of the picks carry confirmed release windows beyond being positioned for this year's holiday season, and pricing on several items, including the Smart Bricks Star Wars set and the Lego Batman game, wasn't specified in the roundup. Shoppers looking to budget around the guide's named prices, the $50 poinsettia set and the $36 brick erasers, will need to check Lego's own retail listings for the rest as the holiday shopping window opens.
GDFiled by The Gadgets Desk
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