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Real ones will know that it was the EyeToy that walked so that the Nex Playground could run. The kid-friendly camera-operated mini-game system has been likened to Xbox Kinect and the Wii in its explosive rise to the top of Amazon's sales charts last year. Like those systems, it holds motion at its core - its fun variety of pick-up-and-play games and easy setup, though, that's got EyeToy written all over it.
This is the kid-friendly system that managed to outsell the PS5, of all things, during the week ending November 22 last year (Matt Piscatella of Circana, via Bluesky). EyeToy Play launched at $49.99 in 2003 (about $90 today). The Nex Playground retails at $299 (though it's currently on sale for $239) and operates on a subscription model save for five onboard titles. That's a real jolt into the future, but with the brand's heavy marketing and massive success in the last year I've been taking this colorful cube out for a spin to see if it's worth the hype.
So your Nex Playground has just arrived; what's in the box? This is a simple affair, with a power cord, HDMI cable, slimline remote, and the cube itself. Setup is pretty self-explanatory, the system takes you through pairing the remote, connecting to WiFi, system updates, your account sign up, and properly placing the camera.
The Nex Playground cube itself wants to be centered below your TV, about 15 to 60 inches off the ground. That's pretty doable if you have your TV on a stand, but make note you might need to move some furniture around if you just use a wall mounted screen.
It'll also take you through how to set up your play space for maximum effect, things like not wearing clothes the same color as your background, clearing furniture, and lighting the room well.
The games
Onto the good bit then.
Straight out the box you'll have access to five games; Fruit Ninja, Whack-A-Mole, Goal Keeper, Party Fowl, and Starri. As a 30 year old Fruit Ninja and Starri have been my go-tos, the former bringing the mobile game of our youth back to the big-screen and the latter reawakening the Dance Dance Revolution of it all.
Some use the system's camera to build the action around players on-screen (like Party Fowl), while others simply track motion and translate it onto an onscreen avatar (Fruit Ninja and Starri).
Each of the included minigames brings its own unique experience, and they're all pretty well loved by us adults and the 6 and 4 year olds we were testing with.
There's a problem, though. You're not paying $300 for these five games, you're paying $300 for the hardware that will let you access the $49 (three-month) or $89 (12-month) Play Pass subscription.
This is where the system hides its real bangers, and it's not afraid to show a flash of Bluey or Peppa on its menu page to make sure your kids know the option is there. That immediately raises suspicion, and it's the one fact you'll need to be aware of if you're considering making a purchase.
The Nex Playground is only worth it if you grab the extra subscription, and that's not going to sit well with everyone.
I'll give it to them, the subscription games are impressive. We're far from my window washing childhood here, with platformers controlled through real-life jumps and strafes, a solid lineup of licenses from the aforementioned Australian dog to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Barbie, and real creativity in the different kinds of experiences offered.
It's an absolute hit with the kids, the Switch has never been so charged. With a roster of more than 50 titles, each one nicely rounded out (there are very few duds in here, it's not a shovelware system) and new ones being added every month the spread on offer is impressive. It's not just wild thrashing either, there's a decent roster of thoughtfully designed educational titles that sneak learning into genuinely fun challenges.
This is where the magic happens, but you'll be paying a rolling cost for that magic.
Is it worth it? That's down to you and your kids. From our experience, you do get what you pay for in the subscription. There's enough breadth in the catalog, and attention paid to the individual games to feel comfortable within the cost, especially if you're looking to keep younger kids active inside. Showing an interest in video games but can't quite get to grips with a controller? That's your sweet spot.
If you're aware of, and happy with, the rolling subscription, it's an excellent Switch or PlayStation replacement for the young'uns. Could Nex be a little more upfront about just how important that membership is for its $300 cube? Yes, and that's going to sting some uninformed buyers.
What happens if it's Game Over?
I've been in this industry long enough to know that what comes up (especially this quickly and especially in the kid-facing industry) often comes back down. Before joining the world of hardware journalism, I worked at a startup very much like this, a games-to-life toy with a fairly high MSRP and the promise of more content to come. It's tough to survive that initial wave of interest.
Having spent this much time with the Nex Playground, I sincerely hope they continue to build on their current momentum while maintaining their core offering. If the numbers do start to fall south, though, the subscription-based model could leave you with an expensive paperweight.
David Lee, Nex's co-founder has spoken about this eventuality a number of times, including in the brand's own blog post. He states, "if - knock on wood - Nex ever had to shut down, here's my promise: if it's up to me, we'll unlock every original game permanently, and respectfully ask our IP partners to do the same. You have my word."
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