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Nintendo DS lookalike app hits the App Store

A new app has hit the App Store that looks and operates similarly to the Nintendo DS. And so far, Apple hasn't removed it.

Don Reisinger
CNET contributor Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
Don Reisinger
2 min read

Apple might have let one slip by. An app that looks awfully similar to the Nintendo DS is now available in its App Store.

Nintendo DS
Does that look like a Nintendo DS to you? ZM2 Dev

Dubbed DS Double Sys, the iPhone app from ZM2 Dev "can turn your device into a 'Handheld Game Console.'" When users boot up the app, the DS's familiar design is featured on the screen, including its dual displays. App owners can change the color of the DS to match their real-life version, zoom in on individual screens, and even play games. ZM2 Dev said that gamers receiving higher scores on its Pixel Mania title will be able to unlock more DS colors and a "secret game."

According to the app's App Store listing, more games, case colors, and microphone functionality will be made available at some point in the future.

After fielding several complaints over its app-approval policy, it seems rather ironic that Apple would allow an app that looks (and works) exactly like a Nintendo DS into its App Store. That said, it could have something to do with the way the app works.

Early last month, Apple rejected a Commodore 64 emulator called C64 that was trying to gain entry into its App Store. The app, which allowed owners to use Commodore BASIC, also allowed users to play authentic Commodore 64 titles. In a rejection notice sent to the app's developers, Apple cited section 3.2.2 of its iPhone Developer's Agreement, which states that "an application may not itself install or launch other executable code by any means."

DS Double Sys is not, theoretically, an emulator. The game is a simulation of a Nintendo DS. That might have helped the app gain admission into the App Store.

Regardless, it should be interesting to see how long it stays in the store. Nintendo can't be happy about an app that costs $4.99 depicting its hardware. And if more games are made available, it might cause even more trouble for the app's developers.

Look for more news on this once Nintendo catches wind of it.

Via Gizmodo (Link)