Steam Deck: How To Run Game Boy Games

This guide details how to install EmuDeck and play Game Boy games on your Steam Deck, optimizing performance with Decky Loader and Power Tools. The Steam Deck, a powerful handheld, is easily customizable for retro gaming.

Before You Begin:

Ensure you have:

• A fully charged Steam Deck.
• An A2 microSD card for games and emulators.
• Legally obtained Game Boy ROMs.
• A Bluetooth or wired keyboard and mouse (recommended for easier navigation).

Enable Developer Mode:

1. Press the Steam button.
2. Navigate to System > Developer > Enable Developer Mode.
3. Enable CEF Debugging in the Developer menu.
4. Power > Switch to Desktop Mode.

Install EmuDeck:

1. Connect your keyboard and mouse.
2. Download EmuDeck from the official website in Desktop Mode.
3. Choose SteamOS and select "Download for Free".
4. Opt for Custom Install and select your SD card (Primary) as the installation location.
5. Choose your desired emulators (RetroArch, Emulation Station, Steam ROM Manager recommended).
6. Enable Auto Save and complete the installation.

Quick Settings (EmuDeck):

1. Open EmuDeck and select Quick Settings.
2. Enable AutoSave, Controller Layout Match, Bezels, Nintendo Classic AR, and LCD Handhelds.

Adding Game Boy Games:

1. Use Dolphin File Manager to access your SD card (Primary).
2. Navigate to Emulation > ROMs > gb.
3. Transfer your .gb ROMs to this folder. Ensure correct filenames.

Steam ROM Manager:

1. Open EmuDeck and select Steam ROM Manager.
2. Close the Steam client if prompted.
3. Disable Toggle Parsers.
4. Add your Game Boy games.
5. Save to Steam.

Playing Game Boy Games:

1. Press the Steam button.
2. Open Library > Collections.
3. Select your Game Boy collection and launch a game.

Customize Colors (RetroArch):

(Not all games support this)

1. Launch a game.
2. Open the RetroArch menu (Select + Y).
3. Go to Core Options > GB Colorization.
4. Enable Auto or Off for color adjustments.

Using Emulation Station:

1. Press the Steam button.
2. Open Library > Collections > Emulators > Emulation Station.
3. Select Game Boy and launch your games.

Install Decky Loader:

1. Switch to Desktop Mode.
2. Download Decky Loader from its GitHub page.
3. Run the installer and choose Recommended Install.
4. Restart your Steam Deck.

Install Power Tools:

1. Access Decky Loader's Quick Access Menu (QAM).
2. Open the Decky Store and install the Power Tools plugin.

Power Tools Settings:

1. Launch a Game Boy game.
2. Open Power Tools via QAM.
3. Turn off SMTs. Set Threads to 4.
4. Open the Performance menu (QAM), enable Advanced View.
5. Enable Manual GPU Clock Control and set GPU Clock Frequency to 1200.
6. Enable Per Game Profile.

Restoring Decky Loader After a Steam Deck Update:

1. Switch to Desktop Mode.
2. Re-download Decky Loader from GitHub.
3. Run the installer (Execute only).
4. Enter your pseudo password (create one if needed).
5. Restart your Steam Deck.

Enjoy your enhanced Game Boy experience on your Steam Deck! Remember to always use legally obtained ROMs.