This morning, the LEGO Group announced LEGO Hidden Side, a brand new augmented reality-enhanced play theme launching later this summer. With this new play theme, kids must turn a haunted world back to normal – one ghost at a time. LEGO Hidden Side will be shown for the first time ever at New York Toy Fair, 2/16-2/19.

It is the only play experience available that fully and seamlessly integrates augmented reality (AR) with physical construction to reveal a hidden world of interactive play. Activating the bespoke AR app brings LEGO models to life, revealing a hidden world of interactive mysteries and challenges to solve.

The Building Sets

LEGO Hidden Side offers 8 building sets full of awesome functionality and secret surprises that offer the build and roleplay fun of any LEGO play theme. Each model can be built as it appears by day and has transforming functionality to become the haunted version of itself.

• 70418 Lab [placeholder] 174 pieces, $19.99 (USD)
• 70419 Boat [placeholder] 310 pieces, $29.99 (USD)
• 70420 Graveyard [placeholder] 335 pieces, $29.99 (USD)
• 70421 Truck [placeholder] 428 pieces, $39.99 (USD)
• 70422 Diner [placeholder] 579 pieces, $49.99 (USD)
• 70423 Bus [placeholder] 689 pieces, $59.99 (USD)
• 70424 Train [placeholder] 698 pieces, $89.99 (USD)
• 70425 School [placeholder] 1,474 pieces, $129.99 (USD)

The AR App

Kids assume a first-person perspective to join the lead characters, using their mobile phones to see and solve paranormal mysteries beneath the surface of their town. By holding their phones up to a physical LEGO model, “points of possession” are activated, releasing virtual ghosts that kids must then capture to stop the haunting. Kids must keep one hand in each world – physical and digital – to progress the play. A short digital game can be played independent of the building sets. The app will add new ghosts, game challenges, and randomization of gameplay to keep kids coming back to their models.

Specs: free download from the App Store and Google Play for iOS 6S and up and Android phones on the ARCore supported list. App works on tablets, however, the play experience is designed with phones in mind to facilitate kids’ ability to play with one hand in each world, which is easier to do with a phone.

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