Following the debut of LEGO Pokemon earlier this year, there have been countless reports and leaks for new sets slated to arrive this summer. Previously, we heard plans for at least 10 new LEGO Pokemon sets launching this summer, all of which are said to be Smart Play compatible.
This week, courtesy of an anonymous Brick Tap source, three of these sets have been confirmed, with leaked images of the set names and what they'll actually look like. According to the leak, the three sets are:
- 72157 - Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash
- 72159 - Jigglypuff Concert
- 72166 - Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown
Two of these sets — "Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash" and "Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown" — were part of a previous leak, although their names are slightly different than what was previously reported.
Unlike the first wave of LEGO Pokemon sets, it appears that this new wave will be marketed more towards kids, ages 7 and up, and geared for play. The relatively new SMART Play sets incorporate an all-new interactive system that helps bring LEGO creations to life with sound and motion through the use of special Smart Bricks, Smart Tags, and Smart Minifigures. The technology debuted with LEGO Star Wars, and has been met with a mix of curiosity and cautious optimism. While the technology is appealing, the pricing is still a major question mark.
We don't yet have prices attached to these leaked sets, but the LEGO Star wars Smart Play sets cost anywhere from $39.99 to $159.99, depending on the size of the set and how many pieces.
As of right now, there are currently three LEGO Pokemon sets available, all marketed towards adults 18 years and older. Unlike these upcoming Smart Play sets, the initial wave seems aimed at collectors, and are priced appropriately.
The first wave's signature set is "Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise," an massive 6,838 piece set that builds a trio of Kanto Region Evolutions. The set can be built so that Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise can be displayed together as a single statue, or each figure can be removed to stand alone. There's also the Pikachu and Poke Ball, a 2,050-piece set that recreates the franchise's most iconic Pokemon.
LEGO has not yet officially announced any plans to expand upon the LEGO Pokemon line, but given the popularity of the franchise along with the number of leaked reports, it seems it's only a matter of time.