Many of us were around for the launch of the Wii and Xbox’s Kinect. Games that get people moving have been on the minds of many for a while, but it’s never quite felt cohesive. The new Nex Playground aims to change that, and after an hour of previewing the device, they might have something special on their hands.
With two kids of my own, I’ve realized the importance of keeping them active. I say this being a gamer myself. Even when the Wii launched, we found ways to bowl sitting down. We gamers aren’t the best at keeping up with exercise. But that is where Nex Playground comes in.
What Makes the Nex Playground Unique?
Nex Playground takes many of the movement-based games we know and love, like Guitar Hero, and lets us lose the controller (aside from the one to make selections), adds a better field of view, and literally gets us in the game. I sat in on a live preview with Nex Playground’s Co-founder and CEO, David Lee, and I have to say, watching his team play was nothing like the devices I remember when movement in games became, well, a movement.
First, the Nex Playground can fit in the palm of your hand. This itty bitty colorful device looks perfect on your mantle or handing out with your other consoles. It takes up no space and can track the number of people in the room rather than the number of controllers synced up with one simple RGB camera.
For parents concerned with a camera in the living room, there is a light indicator to let you know when the camera is on. There is no video recorded or stored anywhere on the device or in the cloud, as the video is processed in real-time. If that isn’t enough, the Nex Playground also has a nifty monocle-looking camera cover to add some extra assurance.
Nex Playground Gameplay
With that out of the way, I want to discuss how the system works. On the Nex Playground, you can access all kinds of games. Currently, are already 20 games available with all types of difficulty levels. If your household has a wide age range, you can find something for everyone, even parents, after the kids are in bed. I would even go so far as to say the Nex Playground could be fun for adult game nights too.
Nex already has a partnership with Hasbro, bringing Peppa Pig’s Jump & Giggle interactive show to the device. This will be perfect for the youngest ones in your household, letting them feel like they are watching an episode of Peppa Pig while interacting with it.
Another game on the device is called Starri. This will remind you of Guitar Hero, Rockband, Just Dance, Dance Dance Revolution, and even Beat Saber. Nex Playground has partnerships with Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros to bring some of the best top 40 songs to the game. Starri looks like it will be popular on the system, using an array of arm and hand motions to move along to the beat. The preview showed me the difficulty spike available, which will take some time to master. This system isn’t just for children.
Nex Playground will also feature racing games, sports games, and even spellcasting games that need you to hit certain motions to cast a spell and destroy the enemies in front of you. There are all kinds of genres, and many are set up so that the entire family can have fun—and stand a chance at winning.
There won’t be steering wheels or remotes in your hand, so practicing your mime skills will come in handy. However, I was told that because of how the camera system works, if you wanted to hold something—like a steering wheel to race—Nex tracks your hands and body, so it won’t interfere with the session at all.
Nex Playground Payment System
Here is the big question: how much will the Nex Playground cost, and does it make sense if you already own a series of consoles? Right now, you can pre-order the Nex Playground for $179.99, including three base games. You can purchase games individually, and the costs will vary, with some costing around $23, like the party game Party Fowl.
That being said, Nex Playground is tapping into the streaming service future we are all getting used to. For $89 a year or $49 each quarter, you can access Nex Playground’s library of games. As the launch approaches, David Lee expects many more partnerships to come to light. With four internal developers and plenty of external game devs already, I’m excited to see what else the little system can do.
Nex Playground will be launching in time for the holiday season in 2023. Be sure to check out their website for any updates as they become available.
