Obesity and weight management in children and youth continue to be challenging to address, affecting one-third of children and adolescents in the United States. Fewer than half of children (ages 6-11 years) and 8% of adolescents meet recommendations for daily physical activity. However, exergaming (a physical form of controlling video games) has become a popular activity among children and teens and could be leveraged to promote physical activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the role of competition to elicit vigorous intensity physical activity, measured by heart rate, while exergaming in 19 youth ages 6-13 years. Competition was manipulated through both performance-based praise and two-player competitive play. Intensity was significantly higher following the performance-based praise versus prepraise, and the post-praise session reached vigorous intensity (67% HR[subscript max] vs. 59% HR[subscript max]). Heart rate was marginally higher in two-player competitive play versus solitary play, and both sessions met vigorous intensity criteria (70% HR[subscript max] vs. 65% HR[subscript max]). By increasing opportunities for competition during exergaming, children may respond by participating more vigorously, which is important for good physical health.