The Nintendo DS family of systems sold in excess of 150 million units and remains one of Nintendo's most commercially successful products.
Initially released as the 'phat' DS in 2004, it would be repackaged as the DS Lite in 2006, and it's this particular model which most people will have owned back in the day. We also got the DSi in 2008 and the DSi XL the following year.
Given the popularity of Nintendo's dual-screen wonder, it should come as no great surprise to learn that it has had its fair share of imitators over the years. In recent times, we've seen the AYANEO Pocket DS and Anbernic RG DS, but there was a notable DS clone released in China many years ago that tried to pass itself off as the real deal – and it may even have fooled some ill-educated parents into making a purchase.
As highlighted by Retro Handhelds, the DS ML is a Chinese-made DS clone that recycles original DS Phat parts and places them in a DS Lite-style shell, creating a low-cost alternative to the real thing.
The catch was that the screens on the original 2004 DS are noticeably weaker than those on the DS Lite, as is the speaker. As the DS ML uses these components, it can't offer the same experience as the 2006 model – even if it is using authentic Nintendo parts.
On the upside, the cartridge slot allows GBA games to fit flush with the casing, and the price was (and, if you can find one online today, still is) cheaper.
Did you happen to own a DS ML? Or are you tempted to seek it out after reading about it now? Let us know with a comment.