The Nintendo DS, released in 2004, sold over 150 million units, with its dual screens and touch capabilities mesmerizing players worldwide. From the clunky original “Phat” to the sleek DS Lite, the family grew, with each iteration getting better. But hidden in the history of this is an oddity: the Nintendo DS ML.
The DS ML, from China, first appeared during the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, selling for as low as $25 on AliExpress and Taobao. It’s not a new console, but a rehashed one based on the 2004 DS. Manufacturers took old or unsold DS motherboards and wrapped them in a custom shell that looks like the DS Lite. The result is a device that looks current at first glance but feels like a time capsule inside. Its larger, DS Lite-inspired body is comfortable while being sleeker than the Phat. The cartridge slot even allows Game Boy Advance games to sit flush, solving the problem of the DS Lite where GBA carts stuck out.
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Inside, the DS ML keeps the original DS screens, which are smaller, dimmer and blurrier than the screens of later versions. With only two brightness settings – on or off – it lacks the finesse of the DS Lite or DSi. The speaker, also from the Phat, is tinny and quiet compared to the DS Lite or DSi. The hinge is stronger than other well-worn DS Phats but not as precise as original Nintendo hardware. Despite its flaws, the DS ML has a certain charm, like a fake designer bag that almost passes for the real thing.
The DS ML’s roots run deep in China’s tangled history with gaming hardware. For nearly a decade the Chinese government basically shut down the market for video game consoles so a thriving grey market for all manner of electronics sprang up. Companies exploited this by taking old consoles apart, scavenging usable components from e-waste or big lot sales of unsold stock. The DS ML is the result of this chaos, a handy little solution that takes old DS hardware and kicks them up to create something new – or at least something that seems new again. The plastic case is a fraction of the cost of the real thing but still turns out to be pretty nice – & the lack of official Nintendo branding is part of what gives it some charm. Rumor has it the “ML” in DS ML might actually stand for “Medium Large” or possibly even “Maybe Legal” but honestly nobody really knows for sure.
