My Family's Nex Playground Review

Before even opening the box, I knew my kids would love the Nex Playground. What surprised me is how much I love this active gaming system.

My kids each have a tablet and we have a projector for streaming shows and movies, but we don't own a gaming system. My kids are welcome to play at friends' houses but until now, we've opted to keep video games on small screens.

What won me over about the Nex Playground? The fact that to play, my kids have to—at the very least—stand and move their arms. We realized during the pandemic that everyone felt better when we got outside and moved our bodies, so outdoor walks are a regular part of our family schedule. But I like the idea that my kids can fit in some extra exercise before school, in the evenings or on rainy days.

Plus, most of the games on Nex Playground offer two- or more player experiences, many of which are collaborative. But even the competitive games are pretty light-hearted. I have loved playing games with my kids or watching the two of them play together.

Keep reading for my in-depth review of the Nex Playground, including the games that have me hooked.

What is Nex Playground and how is it different?

The point of the Nex Playground system is "to get families moving." It's a screen-free motion-based gaming system that uses body tracking. What does that mean? While it comes with a remote, all the games are played with your body.

The Nex Playground has a camera that tracks your body movements. Your upper body and arms are used for most games, but some games pick up kicks, jumps and hip motions.

There are no controllers and no game consoles. All the games are loaded online and you can either stick with the five games the system comes with or upgrade to the Nex Playground Play Pass subscription, which gives you access to more than 30 games. Five new games have been added since we started playing.

Setting up the Nex Playground: First impressions and ease of use

I was shocked at how simple it was to set up the Nex Playground. Because we have a projector instead of a TV, I thought it might be tricky.

But I plugged the Nex Playground into our projector via HDMI and plugged in the power cord. I used the remote to turn it on, followed the on-screen instructions and in a few minutes we were up and running. This is important when you have kids anxiously waiting to play.

All the games have easy-to-follow instructions on screen and most games are so intuitive to use that even pre-readers will get the hang of it pretty quickly.

Exploring the Nex Playground game library and Play Pass

You need about six feet by six feet of space in your living room or wherever your TV is to properly play the games included. Those five games are:

• Fruit Ninja: Swing your arms and slice flying fruit.
• Whack-a-Mole: A fast-paced, animated version of the carnival game.
• Party Fowl: A multiplayer game where users compete by completing silly challenges.
• Go Keeper: A soccer game where you become the goalkeeper.
• Starri: Like popular dance games, but instead of jumping and fancy footwork, you stretch and move your arms towards moving, floating targets.

A subscription to the Play Pass grants you access to the full catalogue of existing and upcoming games. You can get a three-month subscription for $49 USD or a 12-month subscription for $89 USD.

If you have a toddler, the Peppa Pig game will be a hit. Your little one will get to jump in muddy puddles as Peppa. It's pretty adorable. Hungry Hippos is a digital version of the board game where players use their arms to open and close their hippos' mouths.

For those concerned about having a camera connected to the internet in their homes, the Nex Playground comes with a magnetic camera cover. You can also play the games offline if that feels safer.

Our family's experience

Overall, we love the Nex Playground. It's been fun to play video games on a large scale with my kids while also moving around. My younger son loves popping up in front of the camera and pretending to be one of the moles in Whack-a-Mole and we had a good laugh trying to keep up with Barbie in the Barbie Dance Party game.

My kids like Fruit Ninja, Whack-a-Mole, Tumbo Bots (a silly game where your arm movements become geometric characters' leg movements) and Miniacs (a racing game) best.

I have favourite games, too. Again, I love this system and have been getting as much use out of it as my kids. I play Starri, Box Flow (a zen boxing fitness game) and the Family Fitness Challenge mini-games. I'm so much more motivated to work out knowing it will be entertaining.

Is Nex Playground worth the investment?

If you've avoided video game systems and are looking for something different, I think the Nex Playground is a good choice. Right now, it's easiest to buy it in the U.S., but you can order on Amazon.com and have it shipped to Canada.

It's $199 USD, plus a Play Pass subscription if you choose to go that route. So it's on par or less expensive than many traditional gaming systems, even with a subscription. Having said that, the experience is different from a Nintendo or Xbox. While the Nex Playground keeps track of high scores and there are levels to progress through, it's not quite like playing Mario Games.

Final verdict

Nex Playground gets your family moving—without complaints about sore feet or long walks. The games are engaging. Some are silly, some are focused on fitness but they all provide active play. Plus, playing them together definitely builds connection.

I think it's a great choice for families looking for an alternative to traditional gaming systems. There's a game for everyone, from toddlers through teens and of course, parents, too.