Nex Playground is a motion-based gaming system that turns your living room into an interactive play space without controllers. You use your whole body to play the games, which makes it reminiscent of many theme park attractions.
The Basics of Nex Playground
Using a built-in camera and motion tracking, players jump, swipe, and move their bodies to control the action on screen. These games feel like an interactive attraction rather than a traditional video game. And as a theme park fan myself, I often play Nex Playground whenever I need to scratch the itch of being at my favorite parks.
The system retails for about $249 (but the price goes up on April 1, 2026) and connects directly to your TV. It is designed for families and small groups who want something more active than console gaming, with gameplay that rewards movement, timing, and participation.
What is a Play Pass?
A Play Pass is Nex Playground’s subscription service that unlocks a larger library of games and ongoing content updates. New experiences, songs, and challenges are added over time. Currently, a Play Pass is $89 for one full year.
If you are familiar with how theme parks introduce seasonal offerings and refreshed experiences, the Play Pass works similarly. It builds on the core experience and keeps things feeling new with additional content.
Play Pass games theme park fans will recognize
Nex Playground stands out because it mirrors the direction many theme parks are heading. Across the industry, there is a shift toward interactive experiences that engage guests rather than simply watching.
For theme park fans, it delivers a familiar type of engagement at home. The focus is on doing, not just watching.
Nex Playground has many games built around familiar entertainment brands that already exist in theme parks or are expanding into them. That connection adds an extra layer of appeal, especially for families who recognize these characters from real-world attractions.
photo from Dani Meyering
Bluey: Bust-a-Move
- What Is It: A rhythm and movement-based game featuring Bluey and family-friendly dance challenges
- Age rating: 3+
Bluey has quickly become one of the most recognizable family brands in themed entertainment. Bluey character experiences at Disney are arriving on Disney Cruise Line, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland. There’s going to be a Bluey coaster at Alton Towers, too. The game captures that same playful, high-energy interaction through music and movement.
How to Train Your Dragon: Riders of the Skies
- What Is It: A motion-driven flying game inspired by the How to Train Your Dragon universe
- Age rating: 6+
With How to Train Your Dragon anchoring a major land at Epic Universe, this game feels especially relevant. The flying mechanics and movement-based gameplay echo the type of immersive, interactive experiences theme park fans are loving at Epic.
photo from Dani Meyering
Kung Fu Panda
- What Is It: A motion-based action game where players strike, dodge, and react through challenges
- Age rating: 6+
Kung Fu Panda is featured in DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida. The physical gameplay here, including punching and blocking, feels similar to the active, skill-based elements being introduced in themed lands.
Sesame Street games
- What Is It: A collection of movement-based games featuring Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, and friends
- Age rating: 3+
Sesame Street has long been a staple in theme parks, especially at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens parks, where dedicated lands and attractions bring these characters to life. (Hopefully, these experiences will stick around despite the current Sesame Street lawsuit.)
These games reflect that same mix of playful learning and physical interaction. When my son and I played Cookie Monster: Cookie Factory for the first time it immediately reminded me of the interactive food truck game inside Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando.
Included games:
- Cookie Monster: Cookie Factory
- Elmo & Abby’s Magical Letter Hunt
- Move & Groove with Grover
- Elmo Says
This group instantly brings to mind the interactive play areas inside Sesame Street Land at SeaWorld Orlando, especially experiences like the food truck activity zone where kids move through hands-on, game-style challenges.
Peppa Pig: Jump & Giggle
- What Is It: A playful movement game where players jump and interact with Peppa and friends
- Age rating: 3+
The music and tone immediately bring to mind Peppa Pig Theme Park in Florida. For families who have visited, this one feels especially familiar in its simplicity and charm.
photo from Dani Meyering
Barbie Dance Party
- What Is It: A dance-focused game featuring Barbie and music-driven challenges
- Age rating: 3+
Barbie continues to expand into location-based entertainment, including Mattel Adventure Parks and indoor water park concepts. This game reflects that broader push into interactive, family-focused experiences.
Gabby’s Dollhouse: A Meow-zing Moves
- What Is It: A dance and movement game featuring Gabby and her animated world
- Age rating: 3+
Gabby’s Dollhouse is part of Universal’s growing portfolio of kids-focused experiences, including the upcoming Universal Kids Resort in Texas. The game leans into the upbeat and imaginative fun of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” shows.
Dora: Star Explorer (coming soon)
- What Is It: An exploration-based movement game where players collect stars and navigate colorful worlds
- Age rating: 3+ (expected)
Dora remains a familiar character for younger audiences, and this upcoming addition fits naturally into Nex Playground’s lineup of interactive, character-driven experiences.
What you can play without a Play Pass
Even without a subscription, Nex Playground includes several built-in games that offer a strong introduction to the system.
Starter Pack:
5 games included with the base system, designed for party-style play and quick sessions.
Go Keeper
- What Is It: A motion-based goalkeeping game across different environments
- Age rating: 6+
Starri
- What Is It: A rhythm game where players slash notes and move to the beat
- Age rating: 6+
Party Fowl
- What Is It: A collection of mini games with physical challenges for group play
- Age rating: 3+
Whac-a-Mole
- What Is It: A digital version of the classic arcade game with wave-based gameplay
- Age rating: 3+
Fruit Ninja
- What Is It: A motion-controlled version of the popular fruit-slicing game
- Age rating: 6+
For theme park fans, Nex Playground offers something familiar in a different format. It brings together movement, recognizable characters, and repeatable gameplay. While it does not replace a day in the parks, it delivers a similar type of interactive fun at home.
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