Wii-ly Good Fun? The Nex Playground and the Unlikely Return of Motion Gaming
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
The Nex Playground, a new motion-controlled console, is carving out a much-needed niche as a family-friendly "Wii replacement" that gets kids (and parents!) off the sofa, offering simple, active fun despite the industry's past motion-control mishaps.
Right, so for ages, we’ve all been having a bit of a laugh (or a cry, depending on how you look at it) at the ghost of motion controls past, haven't we? Remember the glory days of the Wii, where everyone from your gran to your hyperactive cousin was flailing about in the living room like a wizard trying to summon a particularly stubborn daemon? Then came the... well, let's call them "experimental" phases. Kinect, PlayStation Move – noble efforts, sure, but often felt less like magic and more like trying to herd digital cats with a wonky stick. Most of us just kinda slumped back into our gaming chairs, resigned to the fact that the sofa had won the war against getting off our butts. But hold up, mate, because something rather unexpected has popped up on my radar, something that smells suspiciously like the spirit of those chaotic, active gaming days: The Nex Playground.
Launched last year by a techno-tainment mob called Nex – who, bless their cotton socks, were already dabbling in this wizardry with apps like Active Arcade (think Kinect for your phone) and HomeCourt (a basketball trainer, no less) – the Playground is basically a dinky cube. But don't let its humble stature fool you. This little box packs a wide-angled lens that's pretty darn clever at tracking your movements, bringing that whole 'waving your arms about like you're conducting an invisible orchestra' style of gaming back to life. It’s an obvious next step in their evolution, trying to conjure a console experience from their mobile spellbook.
Now, let's be straight: if you're expecting some sort of mind-bending, graphically intense AAA epic, you might want to adjust your expectations. This isn't your next *Witcher*. What it *is*, though, is what I've affectionately started calling 'high-impact time-killing.' And believe me, on those days when the clouds decide to leak for hours on end, trapping you and a couple of miniature humans indoors, it's an absolute godsend. My own little test crew – that's me, a spirited seven-year-old, and an equally chaotic three-year-old – quickly discovered that while it might not hit the dizzying heights of *Wii Sports* golf (man, those were the days), it absolutely nails the vibe of bouncing from one arcade game to the next, just for a solid hour or two of pure, unadulterated silliness.
They've got your usual suspects – a football shootout, a rhythm game that's a bit *Beat Saber*-lite, a *Whack-a-Mole* re-imagining, and a *Fruit Ninja* port that swaps finger swipes for full-blown karate chops. And then there are the expansions, which unlock more tie-ins and fitness bits. But here's where it gets interesting, especially for those of us with tiny humans dictating our screen time. Nex has managed to bottle some of that Wii magic, particularly with *Bowling Strike*. Fair dinkum, it's the most realistic, user-friendly bowling game I've played since, well, since *Wii Sports*. We had a tragic day recently where we couldn't get a real alley booking, and this genuinely saved the day. Plus, it's got a bumpers mode for the littlies, which, let's be honest, is a stroke of genius. Expect arguments over the pink ball, though – that's just part of the experience, isn't it?
And speaking of tiny humans, anyone else tired of the endless parade of *Paw Patrol* platformers? Nex Playground’s got its own line-up of kid-friendly IP, like a *Gabby’s Dollhouse* party game or a *Care Bears*-themed runner. But the kicker? You actually have to *get up and move*. My kids, bless 'em, will jump at the chance to appear on screen with Gabby, rather than just zoning out on another episode. It's a small thing, but it goes a bloody long way in avoiding that mind-melt sensation. Most games are easy enough for the kids, though I did occasionally have to restrain my 'anime baseball skillz' from absolutely pwning them and causing tears. (Pro tip: sometimes, mate, you just gotta let them win. Or just watch. Seriously.)
But for me, the digital wizard in the room, the real standout was *Aeon Guard*. You’re a spellcaster, right? Defeating waves of monsters with motion controls that make you feel like a discount Doctor Strange. You're conjuring magic, attacking, defending. Look, I’m not sinking 60 hours into it, but I’ll happily sink 60 minutes, just to impress the hell out of my kids with my hand-waving prowess. It's the little wins, eh?
What's genuinely impressive is how well Nex has nailed the motion tracking. Their camera is surprisingly accurate, picking up nuanced movements and even recognizing players as they drift around the room. My 'test subjects' aren’t exactly known for their adherence to rules or staying perfectly in frame, but the Playground still managed to keep track of them, or politely pause until they got with the programme. Loading it up is a breeze – so much so that even the kids can do it on their own – and we barely hit any of those infuriating mid-game browsing issues or setup fiascos that usually demand parental interference. There’s a simple remote system too, for when hand-activated buttons get a bit much, or when attention spans start to wander like a lost spell. It’s pretty slick, all things considered.
And this, mate, is the core of it: there's really nothing quite like it out there right now. We've had two decades of attempts, but this feels different. Nintendo's on about a 'Switch 2' with a 'mouse' controller – which, bless their hearts, is totally foreign to this new Gen Alpha lot who've never touched a PC. They love *Ring Fit*, sure, but 'mountain climbers' and 'tricep kickbacks' aren’t exactly their definition of 'fun.' They just want to *play*. So the Playground slides into this humungous gap, filling those rainy afternoons and long summer evenings when the sun just refuses to set for bedtime. It's not a budget buy, no. The console is about $250 USD, and then you're looking at an $89 annual 'play pass' or $49 for three months to unlock the full library. But then again, think about it: a family of four going actual bowling on a wet day? That could easily set you back a hundred quid, easy. Plus, I'm way better at digital anime baseball than any real sport, so there's that. Take *that*, kids!
So, while the gaming industry often serves up 'revolutionary' claims that are anything but, the Nex Playground feels like a genuine, if niche, innovation. It’s not trying to conquer the world; it’s just trying to get your kids (and maybe you, if you’re secretly into waving your arms about like a digital wizard) off the sofa and having a proper laugh. And honestly, sometimes, that's the most magical thing of all.
*Original article by Matt Patches for Polygon. Published 5 minutes ago.*
Tags: Motion Gaming, Family Gaming, Console Review, Casual Gaming, Active Gaming
Original article: Polygon