Hasta La Ideas

The first device for playing outdoors as well as inside, Swinxs provides hours of recreational use with lights and a built-in voice that explains games, recognizes players and serves as a referee.

Announced in 2008, launched in Europe last year, and now making its U.S. debut, the portable, screen-free device accommodates up to 10 players and features 26 games broken down into three categories—active, educational and adventurous. It includes classics like charades, hide-and-seek, and tag, along with new options such as Flyswatter, which sharpens fine motor skills, and Swinxsball, a mash-up of dodge ball and critical listening.

The games themselves encourage good old-fashioned fun and social interaction, while computer connectivity keeps things fresh and makes the accessory relevant to today’s wired youth. Kids can download more games (for free), exchange tips and experiences, and keep track of personal scores. With a pretty robust dev tool set, the brand clearly hopes that others will likewise start making new games. Interactive books (already available in Europe) will also soon come available once the rights get sorted out.

Designed for ages four and above, Swinxs sells online for $150 and includes the console, four wristbands, a USB cable, an adapter and 10 pre-installed games. Check out the video for a full look at Swinxs’ many capabilities.