Better Than Wii? Nex Playground Gaming System Review
Nex Playground review: controller-free motion gaming that tracks up to 4 players, comes with 5 games, and left my kids collapsed on the couch.
The Nex Playground is better than Wii if you want screen time that leaves your kids tired instead of glazed over. It tracks up to 4 bodies with no controllers, ships with 5 free-forever games, and the remote handles menus so nobody flaps at the TV. Buy it if you have a 6 by 6 foot clear space.
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How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
Quick Verdict
My kids finished their first session, said “we loved it, but we’re so tired,” and plopped down on the couch out of breath. That’s the whole point of a thing like this. Five games included, two players tracked at once, and a remote so you’re not flapping at menus.
Buy if you:
- Want screen time that burns energy instead of killing an afternoon
- Have a clear 6 by 6 foot stretch of living room floor
- Have two kids who will play the same game at the same time
- Want adults covered too, with workouts and Zumba in the catalog
Skip if you:
- Expect the full library in the box. The 5 starter games are it; the rest sits behind a Play Pass
- Want online multiplayer or chat. There isn’t any
- Need a portable console. It’s corded and plugs into the TV
| Dimensions | 3 × 3 × 3 in (76 mm cube) |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.86 lbs (390 g) |
| Players tracked | Up to 4 at once |
| Play space | ~6 × 6 ft |
| Includes | Power cord with lens cover, HDMI cable, remote |
| Connectivity | HDMI + Wi-Fi (games play offline after download) |
“We Loved It, But We’re So Tired”
That’s what my kids said the first time they played. Then they collapsed on the couch, out of breath and exasperated, and I loved it. You’re still staring at a screen, but you’re running around while you do it. That’s the trade I wanted, and it’s why I keep calling the Nex Playground on Amazon the only version of screen time I’m fine with.
Nobody’s sitting there with headphones on, cut off from the world. My kids were calling out which fruit was coming next in Fruit Ninja and arguing over who landed the finishing whack in Whack-a-Mole. It creates the kind of loud, in-the-room moment that controllers and headsets specifically kill.
Setup Is a Cable and a Cable
Two plugs and you’re done. The USB-C power cable goes in one side, the HDMI into the other, and that’s the entire install. The unit itself is a 3-inch cube that weighs 0.86 lbs, so it sits on the TV stand without needing a shelf of its own.
There’s a little blindfold attached to the power cable. When you’re not using it, you pop that over the lens. I appreciate that it’s tethered to the cord instead of being a loose cap you lose in a week. The tracking also runs locally on the box, not in the cloud.
Is it better than Wii? The remote is the reason
The remote is the single best design decision here, and it’s what makes it feel better than Wii-era motion gaming. I’ve had these body-tracking systems before, and what I don’t like is having to use your body to navigate menus. You hover over a tile, wait for a circle to fill, miss it, do it again. Clunky.
Here you take the Roku-sized remote, click through the menus, pick your game, put the remote down. Then your body does the work. The split is clean and it works just the way you think it should work.
Two-player simultaneous is the other half of it. It’s calibrated really nicely, it understands which player is making which movements, and it’s seamless. The camera can hold onto 4 bodies at once, tracking 18 points each, so a playdate doesn’t break it.
Five Games In, Sixty Behind a Pass
Five games come included and they’re free forever: Fruit Ninja, Whack-a-Mole Deluxe, a goalkeeper game, and two others. That’s a real starter pack, not a demo. My kids would have been fine on Fruit Ninja alone for a month.
Everything else lives behind the Play Pass, sold as a 3-month or 12-month subscription. That’s the catch, and you should know it going in. Nobody buys a console expecting a recurring charge. There’s a 7-day free trial if you want to see the catalog before committing, which is the right way to handle it.
The catalog’s deep. Barbie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, How to Train Your Dragon, Peppa Pig, Elmo, Care Bears. They’re adding games and activities every month. And it’s not all kid stuff. There are workouts and Zumba in there, so the thing doesn’t go dark once the kids are in bed.
You Need the Floor Space
Roughly 6 by 6 feet of clear room is the ask. That’s not huge, but it’s more than most living rooms have without moving a coffee table first. If your TV sits in a tight corner or a narrow apartment living room, this is the spec that decides whether you buy.
It’s also corded electric and plugs into the TV. This isn’t a thing you throw in a bag for grandma’s house.
The Wii Comparison People Get Wrong
Unlike Wii, there’s no controller and no wrist-flick shortcut to cheat your way through. That’s the thing buyers assume carries over and it doesn’t. On a Wii you could sit on the couch and cheat your way through tennis with your forearm. Here, if you’re not moving, nothing happens, and the camera will know.
Which is exactly why my kids ended up out of breath. The system can’t be gamed into being lazy.
Who Should Own This
The Nex Playground fits families with elementary-age kids who need an indoor energy burn that actually works. My kids have replayed Fruit Ninja until they know exactly where to slash, and the adults in the room have been pulled in by the Zumba content after bedtime. Check the current price on Amazon, if the floor space works, so does this thing.
Skip it if you’re shopping for a single older kid who wants depth and online play. There’s no online component at all, by design. That’s a feature if you’re the parent and a dealbreaker if you’re a twelve-year-old.
Pros
- Remote handles menus so you’re not waving at the TV to start a game
- Two-player tracking is calibrated really nicely and knows who’s who
- Two-cable setup, 3-inch cube, done in a minute
- Five free-forever games including Fruit Ninja and Whack-a-Mole
- Lens cover attached to the power cord instead of floating loose
Cons
- The big catalog requires a Play Pass subscription on top of the console
- Needs about 6 by 6 feet of clear floor, which rules out tight rooms
- Corded and TV-tethered, so it stays put
- No online play at all
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it need Wi-Fi to play?
Only to download. Games come down over Wi-Fi and then play offline, so a dropped connection mid-session isn’t going to kill a Whack-a-Mole run. You’ll want internet for new downloads and monthly additions.
Is the camera footage being uploaded anywhere?
No. The AI motion tracking runs locally on the device, not in the cloud. It’s also kidSAFE+ COPPA certified with no ads, no chat, and no micro-transactions inside the games.
What age is it actually best for?
Rated 5 and up, and that tracks. Elementary-age kids are the sweet spot for the licensed titles like Peppa Pig and Care Bears, while the Zumba and workout content stretches it to adults.
Can I keep playing if I cancel the Play Pass?
Yes, the five starter games are free forever, so the console doesn’t brick itself without a subscription. You lose access to the 60-plus Play Pass titles. Try the 7-day free trial first to see if the catalog is worth it for your kids.
Get it now
Nex Playground
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🛍️ Shop everything in this video
Every product mentioned, in one place. These are affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
🛍️ NeXT Playground gaming system: check price on Amazon →
🛍️ NeXT Playground USB-C cable: check price on Amazon →
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🛍️ NeXT Playground remote control: check price on Amazon →
🛍️ NeXT Playground Play Pass 3-month subscription: check price on Amazon →
🛍️ NeXT Playground Play Pass 12-month subscription: check price on Amazon →
