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's versatility allows for retro gaming, enhancing the experience of classic Game Boy titles.

Before You Begin:

Ensure you have: a fully charged Steam Deck; an A2 microSD card for games and emulators; legally obtained Game Boy ROMs; and a Bluetooth/wired keyboard and mouse (recommended for easier navigation).

Enable Developer Mode:

1. Press the Steam button.
2. Navigate to System > Developer mode and enable it.
3. Enable CEF Debugging within the Developer menu.
4. Select Power > Switch to Desktop Mode.

Install EmuDeck (Desktop Mode):

1. Connect your keyboard and mouse.
2. Download EmuDeck from its official website, selecting Steam OS and the free download.
3. Choose Recommended Settings then Custom Install.
4. 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.
7. 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 (correctly named) into this folder.

Steam ROM Manager Integration:

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.

Customizing Game Colors (RetroArch):

(Not all games support this)

1. Launch a game.
2. Open the RetroArch menu (Select + Y buttons).
3. Navigate 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. The RetroArch menu (Select + Y) also functions here.

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 in Gaming Mode.

Install Power Tools Plugin:

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, 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 in Gaming Mode.

Enjoy your enhanced Game Boy experience on your Steam Deck!