The Nex Playground is a console full of kid-friendly games that operate solely with motion controls. It’s cooler than it sounds; the little cube’s camera can track two players’ movements in a multitude of games — five of which come free with the console.
It’s a great way to exhaust your little ones when going outside isn’t an option, and it’s $60 off for Prime Day. Normally $249.99, you can grab one at Amazon for $189.99 after you clip the on-page coupon. It’s $199.99 at Best Buy and Walmart. If you like the five games that come with the Playground, you can choose to buy a Play Pass (in three-month or 12-month subscriptions) to get access to the full suite of titles.
I’ve had a chance to try several of the games on the Play Pass, and it’s even fun for adults. Fruit Ninja is there, as well as a Beat Saber-like dance game, plus other titles where you have to bonk and slice obstacles and enemies (some of them are licensed, featuring Sesame Street, Peppa Pig, Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more). There’s no graphic violence, cussing, or profanity. What’s more, it has a kidSAFE Plus COPPA seal, ensuring that parents have complete control over their children’s data and information. This device can also be used offline.
The Nex Playground runs its own easy-to-navigate operating system, and you can dial through menus and the game selection screen using its included remote. The Playground is powered by the included USB-C brick, which has a magnetic privacy cover for the lens. You connect it to your TV using an included HDMI cable.
If the price seems high, think of the Nex Playground sort of like the crank-equipped Playdate. You’re paying for the hardware, yes, but you’re also paying to get access to a library of bespoke (and surprisingly polished) games made exclusively for the platform. You don’t see this kind of thing too often.
