I'm a PC gamer at heart, but this past weekend I've been playing a lot of console games with my daughter — but not on a console you might expect.
Despite being tempted to buy a PS5 now that its first party games are no longer coming to PC, and knowing how kid-friendly the Nintendo Switch 2 is, neither of those consoles are what captured the attention of me and my daughter; instead it was the humble Nex Playground, a cute cube-like console that eschews traditional controllers for tracking your body.
The reason for my surprise is that I wasn't entirely sold on the idea. Microsoft's attempt at something similar with its Kinect camera was a disappointment, and I'd never heard about the Nex Playground before last year, when it made headlines after outselling the Xbox.
The console itself is compact and very cute-looking, with a built-in camera (and privacy lid). Setting it up was easy, and it was clever enough to not need a lot of calibration (which has often killed my interest in VR headsets). It also adapted well to me placing it on a shelf within my TV stand, rather than directly beneath the TV.
Bundle of joy
The Nex Playground comes with five games, so you can start playing right away, including Fruit Ninja and Whack A Mole Deluxe, which my daughter loved to watch me play.
While those five games are a good taster for what the Nex Playground can do, you'll likely soon be looking at other things to play. Unlike other consoles, the Nex Playground doesn't let you buy individual games — instead, there's the Play Pass subscription, which gives you access to a large and growing list of titles (over 50 at the time of writing). While I prefer buying games individually, rather than relying on a subscription, this does give you a good way to quickly try and play a large variety.
Gabby's Doll House A-Meaow-zing-Moves, and Care Bears Rainbow Ride caught my daughter's eye first, as they are based on TV shows she loves, and other big names such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bluey, and How to Train Your Dragon have Nex Playground games too. The quality varies — some are new, bespoke apps made especially for the console, while others feel like glorified phone games. Care Bears Rainbow Ride, for example, felt rather janky, and I doubt we'll be playing that again.
Bowling Strike! was a hit, however, and reminded me of the glory years of the Nintendo Wii. My daughter also loved getting me to dance (badly) with Barbie Dance Party.
The biggest hit, however, was Mirrorama, which isn't a game per se, but applies some fun filters to the footage the Nex Playground captures of you. My daughter was really taken with this, and I had a lot of fun as well. We've still got a lot of games to try out, but so far, I've been impressed with how well it all works (and my daughter has had a lot of fun).
As a parent, it also feels safe — there are no online games (though you do need an internet connection to download them initially); no in-game purchases, lootboxes or adverts; and the games themselves are all appropriate for kids. All motion-tracking is done on device, and it's kidSAFE+ COPPA compliant as well.
It's great how active it is as well, as you really need to throw your entire body into a lot of the games (though at the moment it's mostly me that's working up a sweat thanks to Barbie Dance Party).
Now is a particularly good time to get the Nex Playground, as Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart have given the console a large 20% discount, now $239, down from $299.
If you have an Amazon Prime account and are already shopping around for Prime Day deals, you can also get an exclusive three-in-one bundle deal which includes the Nex Playground, Travel Case, and a 12-month Play Pass subscription for $330 (down from $412).
Today's best Nex Playground deals
While I found playing with the Nex Playground fun (if exhausting), the real joy for me was seeing how much fun my daughter was having with it. It certainly feels healthier and safer than her playing on a tablet or smartphone.
So, it's great timing that I've been raving about it to fellow parents just as it gets some major price cuts for Prime Day.
If you're based in the UK, the Nex Playground is now available for £269.99, having just released on June 22.
More Amazon Prime Day deals in the US
- Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
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- Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
- Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
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