LEGO and The Pokémon Company previewed an expanded range of Pokémon-themed LEGO sets ahead of their 1st August launch, with designers Sid Muthyala and Mike Andersen speaking to Nintendo Life in London about the collection's design philosophy. The new wave follows the initial Pikachu, Eevee and giant Charizard-Blastoise-Venusaur sets released in February, introducing LEGO's latest Smart Play Brick technology, which allows interactive play between figures, while generally reducing in size and price compared with the earlier launch sets.

The designers explained that affordability and age range were central considerations, with the 12-set assortment spanning from $14.99 up to just over $100 and catering to children aged six and upwards through to 12+. Ten of the twelve sets are compatible with the Smart Brick, which adds an extra layer of interactivity, such as letting Geodude "battle" Charmander or Squirtle ride along on a buggy, though the designers stressed each set is built to work as an engaging toy in its own right even without the brick. They also noted the importance of grounding the technology in scenarios children can intuitively understand, describing this balance as a significant learning process during development.