Product test
Nintendo’s Virtual Boy review: a (far too) faithful retro revival
by Domagoj Belancic
Watch out, Switch and the gang – Nex Playground has arrived
2.4.2026
Translation: Natalie McKay
Pictures: Philipp Rüegg
Video: Nico Bernasconi, Carolina Ferreira Fernandes
The new Nex Playground console relies fully on motion controls. It works surprisingly well, and is even fun for older players who are young at heart. But its pricing model won’t be popular with everyone. To watch the above video with captions, go to Settings > Subtitles/CC > Auto-translate > English.
Xbox Kinect was Microsoft’s answer to the Wii. The motion controls went even further than Nintendo’s console and made the device completely controller-free. The boom in these systems is a distant memory. These days, people mostly play video games from the comfort of their sofa or in front of their PC. The Nex Playground wants to change that. This mini console’s mainly aimed at children and gets them to burn off a lot of energy. But it’s fun for the young at heart too, as my colleague Simon and I can confirm.
Setup couldn’t be simpler
The Nex Playground comes from the United States. This console’s been available there since December 2023 – with some interruptions. At the end of last year, demand was so high that it was practically sold out everywhere. Approximately 650,000 units were sold in 2025, a truly impressive result for a debut product. The Nex Playground’s set to make the leap across the Atlantic in 2026. Until then, you’ll need to import it, just like I did.
The Nex Playground’s a small, colourful cube with sides measuring just under eight centimetres. It has no buttons whatsoever, but there are two ports on the back. One HDMI port for connecting to the TV and one USB-C port for the power adapter that’s included. The camera with the motion sensor is on the front.
The only accessory it comes with, aside from the power adapter and HDMI cable, is a small remote control. I need this for setup and navigation. It takes just a few minutes to get the Nex Playground ready. I need to create an account with an e-mail address, then I’m up and running.
Games only available with a subscription
At $250 – including five games – the Nex Playground’s much more affordable than the Switch and similar consoles. But there’s a downside: if I want to unlock more games, I have to sign up for a Play Pass subscription. This costs $50 for three months or $90 for one year. It currently includes over 50 games, with new content and titles being added every month. But these aren’t on the same level as the games you get with the Game Pass for PC or Xbox. They’re mostly mini games, often made up of even shorter micro games. Most of them are available exclusively on the Nex Playground, and were developed either by Nex itself or its partners.
The selection’s impressive. Kids love seeing familiar faces like Bluey, Peppa Pig and Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. Big kids like me are drawn to the Ninja Turtles or the various fitness titles. I used Kinect Fitness a lot on the Xbox One – but only in the winter.
Unlike with Microsoft’s Kinect, I can’t use gestures or voice commands to navigate through the menus. It was annoying on that console anyway, so I don’t miss it here. The operating system – Play OS – is based on Google Android, but you’d never know. Its intuitive interface means it’s even simple enough for kids. Games are sorted into various categories, such as Top 10, Party Games, Sports and Music & Dance. I can mark up to five items as favourites, and they’ll appear at the top.
The system is available only in English and Spanish at the moment. With the planned launch this spring in Great Britain, followed by other European countries, that’s likely to change. There isn’t really much text to read, and only some of the games have dialogue.
Make some room
To start a game, I press Play on the remote control, and off we go. Depending on the game, up to four people can play. You line up in front of the TV or the camera and raise both your arms in the air. The Nex Playground immediately picks up the other players. The camera has a 176-degree angle of view, so you can stand relatively close, and everyone will still fit in the picture. Having said that, these games require quite a bit of space, even with just two players. Especially those involving a lot of movement – or when kids are playing.
I mainly tried it out with my son (5 years old) and my daughter (8 years old). After just a few minutes, I found myself wondering if it was too late to extend the TV’s warranty: my kids are bouncing around and flailing their limbs in a way our living room just can’t handle. Unfortunately, I can’t move the TV or the sofa. All I can do is position the camera so we can play on the rug. But then we’ll be standing at an angle in front of the TV. This isn’t a perfect solution, especially in games where the camera makes you feel like you’re immersed in it.
So we’re standing a risky one and a half metres away from the TV, and I’m already mentally browsing for a new one.
From entertaining to struggle
From action and sports games, through to party games, there’s something for almost everyone. Most of them are really simple to pick up. Of all the games my children and I tried, these are our favourites:
- Bluey: Unsurprisingly, the first games we play are well-known titles that my kids recognise right away. The title based on this popular children’s series is made up of various mini games. In one of them, we have to use our hands to keep a balloon in the air as long as possible. In another one, we cook a recipe. The gameplay isn’t challenging, but my kids always enjoy interacting with Bluey’s world.
- Starri: this game’s an obvious copy of Beat Saber, a VR sensation. Symbols race towards me, accompanied by a surprisingly eclectic mix of songs. At just the right moment, I clap my hands, wave my arms, or move along the illuminated lines. A game concept that never gets old. And even people like me – who think most pop music is a form of torture – will find a few tracks they like. Of course, Simon and I had to take it to the extreme, and tried the hardest level right away. You can see just how much we worked up a sweat in the video above.
- Party Fowl: a collection of party games where you can watch yourself goofing around on the TV. Sometimes I’m a hen and do squats at just the right moment to lay eggs in baskets. Or I have to smash blocks of ice with my hands, or make a helicopter fly by doing hula-hoop motions. I’m definitely counting that as part of my daily physical activity!
- Home Run Heroes: for a long time now, Wii Sports has been proof that simple sports games work well with motion controls. In Home Run Heroes, I swing my bat and hit the most amazing home runs.
- Go Keeper: this is another sports game where balls are flying towards me. This time, instead of hitting them away, I’m a goalie and I have to block them. A fun design featuring robots that shoot balls. And that’s not all – there are also many special balls, gloves with different abilities and wind conditions that affect the ball’s trajectory.
The 12.3-megapixel camera doesn’t produce the most detailed image on the TV. But faces are recognisable enough to make fun of your own antics. When I’m not using it, I can cover the camera with a magnetic cap. According to Nex, the console is certified in line with idSAFE+ COPPA – a law designed to protect children’s privacy online. The console doesn’t collect any data, is ad-free and doesn’t offer in-game purchases or chat features. It works offline too.
Nex Playground is currently only available as an import. It’s still unclear if and when Digitec/Galaxus will stock the product. The official price is $249.
In a nutshell
Fun-filled, despite the mandatory subscription
I didn’t have high hopes for the Nex Playground. A kids’ console that only really works with a paid subscription? Enough to set all my alarm bells ringing. I needn’t have worried, as the gaming experience speaks for itself. With a selection of around 50 games, there are more than enough titles that my kids – as well as my colleague Simon and I – enjoy. From entertaining mini games featuring well-known characters, to intense music games and chaotic party titles, there’s something for everyone.
I was also impressed by the ease of use and the motion controls. Plus, new games are constantly being added. My kids are watching Avatar: The Last Airbender for the second time, and are excited that a game based on it will be coming out soon on the Nex Playground.
You get an entire collection of titles for the price of a single Switch 2 game. Of course, none of them can hold a candle to a real Nintendo game. All in all, and thanks to controls that no other console currently offers, the Nex Playground delivers something truly unique. And you – or rather, your kids – get some exercise out of it, too.
Pro
- A wide selection of games that’s growing all the time
- Entertainment for all ages
- Reliable motion controls
- Turns screentime into active play
- Easy to use
Contra
- Virtually useless without an annual subscription
- Game selection primarily focused on multiplayer and fitness
- Currently only available via import
Philipp Rüegg
Senior Editor
Philipp.Rueegg@digitecgalaxus.chAs a child, I wasn't allowed to have any consoles. It was only with the arrival of the family's 486 PC that the magical world of gaming opened up to me. Today, I'm overcompensating accordingly. Only a lack of time and money prevents me from trying out every game there is and decorating my shelf with rare retro consoles.
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