The Las Vegas Sphere has already hosted a series of immersive concerts, films and experiences within its walls. But on the outside, its massive Exosphere screen has been largely reserved for abstract visuals or eye-catching brand takeovers. That changed at CES 2026.
Thanks to a collaboration between Disney, Lucasfilm, Lego and Sphere Studios, timed to celebrate Lego’s new Smart Play system, the exterior of the Sphere has gone somewhere no other part of the venue has ever gone before. I don’t think it will ever be surpassed.
Ironically, Lego’s new Smart Brick doesn’t have a screen to play on – that’s part of its ingenuity. However, this moment felt like a celebration of imagination on a grand scale, evidence of what happens when the physical creativity of Lego is combined with a canvas as massive as the Sphere.
Approaching the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, the redemption was impossible to miss. Lego Star Wars figures of Luke, Leia, Darth Vader and more raced through the Sphere, surrounded by rolling waves of bricks. But as I rounded the corner, I spotted the real piece de resistance, even before I saw the other side of the Sphere: a life-size Lego X-Wing.
Soon, I donned a helmet and watched as the X-Wing’s front cover tilted forward and the cockpit door opened, revealing my seat inside. In front of me was a single flight arm with a trigger, as well as a screen to select a character and start the experience. But the real spectacle was straight ahead, visible through the transparent cockpit window, with the Death Star virtually filling my entire field of vision. If I wanted, I could also watch the cockpit screen, but why?
I started off alongside a group of other X-Wings, my fellow Rebels, if you will, before the TIE Fighters began to approach as we closed in on the floating battle station. What followed was every Star Wars fan’s dream, played out on an absolutely massive scale.
The Sphere’s outdoor display, nicknamed Exosphere, is the largest outdoor display in the world at a staggering 366 feet tall, and Lego Star Wars has taken over the entire 580,000 square feet of it. This is surely the biggest screen a Lego Star Wars game has ever been played on, and perhaps ever will be. Even though this experience was designed specifically for the Sphere, it still feels undeniably similar to the Lego Star Wars series.
It was Lego Star Wars represented virtually in the best possible way, quite close to the The Skywalker Saga game, where you can do a race quite similar to this one. As the Death Star got closer, after seeing more iconic Lego Star Wars ships such as the Tantive IV appear, I embarked on the iconic trench run on the Sphere. It was simply a pinch-me moment that felt like I was diving straight into Star Wars: A New Hope.
Here the flight control stick was a little overbearing, but I managed to knock out several turrets and TIE fighters along the way. Eventually the prompt appeared on the screen saying “Defeat Darth Vader”, and with a few well-placed shots I managed to land some excellent direct hits, if I do say so myself.
Then came the final blow. The full Lego Death Star shell filled the Sphere before the iconic implosion and explosion sequence took over, with gray Lego bricks bursting across the screen in chaotic fashion. Smoke filled the area around the X-Wing for added effect. It was crazy and absolutely incredible on an epic scale.
I’ll also note that while the X-Wing itself was mostly made of Lego bricks, with a few other structural elements mixed in, there was an R2-D2 built entirely of bricks on board, as well as a giant Smart Brick. The droid moved and screamed throughout the run, its head spinning all the time.
I eventually scored 50,000 points, neither the lowest nor the highest, but a pretty admirable performance.
Even though this activation at CES 2026 very clearly used a screen – and a massive one at that – it still echoed the same idea behind Lego’s new Smart Brick. At its core, it was about entering into and being a part of the Star Wars narrative, rather than passively watching it unfold on a phone or tablet.
The Sphere simply took this concept to the extreme, turning racing through the trenches of the Death Star into a fully immersive shared moment. At home, the Smart Brick and Smart Minifigures aim to spark that same feeling of participation on a much smaller scale, using lights, sounds and reactions built right into the bricks to draw players into the story and let imagination fill out the rest.
TechRadar also had the chance to catch up with Jaxson Dart, the NFL quarterback for the New York Giants, who is an avid Star Wars fan, a longtime Lego builder, and someone who scored higher than me in the Death Star Trench Race.
Dart had a similar initial reaction after piloting the X-Wing, calling it “crazy”. “This was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a long-time fan. I had so much fun piloting the LEGO Star Wars X-Wing and watching it play out at Sphere.”
When asked when his passion for Star Wars began, Dart explained, “Honestly, for as long as I can remember, I’ve always been drawn to it. »
“Star Wars was my first love of movies and characters, and that love has continued to evolve throughout my life. It makes me feel like a little kid again.” Dart also brings a bit of Star Wars to game day, as he’s known for wearing one-sided makeup that resembles Anakin Skywalker.
He called Anakin his on-field character, describing him as powerful and imposing, two necessary traits for an NFL quarterback. Off the field, he added: “I would probably compare myself to Yoda because I’m a leader who wants everyone around me to succeed.”
We ended on the all-important topic of Dart’s favorite Lego set, specifically his favorite Star Wars build, and the answer came quickly: the just-released UCS Death Star. “Because I like challenges and it was very complex.”
This certainly follows. The latest Death Star in the Ultimate Collector’s Series is one of the most ambitious Lego Star Wars releases to date, clocking in at 9,023 pieces and measuring approximately 20 inches tall.
Unlike previous versions of the Death Star, or even the one recreated on the Sphere, the latest Lego Death Star is designed as a cross-section rather than a full globe, depicting each floor filled with iconic pieces of the battle station, as seen throughout the franchise.
Lego Smart Play will officially launch on March 1, 2026, with three new Star Wars sets, each including at least one Smart Brick, Smart Minifigure and Smart Tag. You can check out our first look and impressions of these sets here.
TechRadar will cover this year’s events extensively THESEand will bring you all the big announcements as they happen. Visit our CES 2026 News for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets and the latest in AI.
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