Electronic games slowly showing up in playgrounds

Kids love video games, but many parents complain their kids aren't getting enough physical exercise because of them. The Wii has changed that a bit, and now a company called Playworld Systems is working on bringing huge electronic games to playgrounds everywhere.

NEOS is an outdoor game with four towers full of interactive buttons that light up in random sequence. The game promotes physical fitness, and social skills in the playground as players race against each other in order to hit blinking buttons and score points. There is a total of nine games, each with three skill levels, that can be played by teams of four or eight players at a time.

Kids, as well as adults, have been raving about the game, but only a few of them are making their way into playgrounds since the system is too expensive for schools to afford. Apparently, Ellen Degeneres gave away two on her show, while other schools are resorting to grants to get one.

It's a great system for kids growing up in the digital age, but if the price remains at $40,000, it will be a while before we see them in our local parks. Has anyone spotted NEOS in their community?