​Simon Optix is a board game for your face

Dancing lights flashed in my eyes. I heard familiar beeping sounds. I waved my hands in front of my face.

Welcome to board games, 2017-style.

Hasbro's Simon used to be a classic tap-the-button music memory game when I was a kid in the '80s, but the brand's gone through some recent revamps. The Simon Air was a motion-controlled tabletop spin on Simon that arrived last year. But the Simon Optix is a whole other level of weird.

The Optix connects with multiple players to sync games so everyone can try their hand at matching the patterns together. Also new to the Optix are some swipe moves: a rainbow of lights appeared, and I waved my hand across the colors. Different proximity-aware zones recognize when your hand is close to the visor, and register that with a beep.

I played a few rounds at the New York Toy Fair and found it weirdly addictive. The headband's not tremendously comfy, but it fit. The Optix is also, at least, hands-free. Welcome to the age of wearable games.

The Simon Optix arrives this fall for $25. (UK and Australian availability weren't announced, but the price converts to about £20 or AU$30.)

We played with the coolest Hasbro and Mattel toys you can't buy yet

+47 More

See all photos