The Living-Room Game Console That Gets Kids Off the Couch

Why families love it

Picture this: it's raining, everyone's restless, and instead of another hour on the couch, the whole family is jumping, ducking and laughing in the living room.

That's the idea behind Nex Playground. It's a small, cheerful cube that sits by your TV and uses a wide-angle camera to follow how you move. Your body is the controller.

No wands, no wristbands, no fighting over who gets player two. Up to four people can jump in at once.

Plug it in and play

Setup is refreshingly simple. It connects to your TV with an HDMI cable, which comes in the box along with the power cable and a small remote for picking games.

Nex recommends about 6 by 6 feet of open floor, and placing the cube centered just below or in front of the TV so the camera can see everyone.

Games for every kind of kid

Five games come included and stay yours for good: Fruit Ninja, Starri, Party Fowl, Whack-a-Mole Deluxe and Go Keeper.

Want more? An optional Play Pass unlocks the full library of 60-plus games, with names kids already know, like Bluey, Barbie, Sesame Street and PAC-MAN. Nex lists it at $49 for three months or $89 for a year, and one pass covers up to two consoles in your home.

Made with parents in mind

Nex says the games have no ads, no in-app purchases and no chat features. The motion tracking runs on the device itself, and there's a magnetic privacy cover for the camera when it's not in use.

It also makes a sweet bigger gift for the holidays. If you're building out a kid's wish list, our picks for screen-free audio players and a cozy sunrise alarm pair nicely.

Good to know

Nex recommends it for ages 5 and up. Younger kids can still join in with a grown-up or older sibling, and there are a few preschool titles too.

You'll need a TV or projector with an HDMI port and Wi-Fi for setup and downloads. Games play offline once they're downloaded.

Your questions, answered