Steam Deck: How To Run Sega Game Gear Games

This guide details how to install and utilize EmuDeck to play Sega Game Gear games on your Steam Deck, maximizing performance through Decky Loader and Power Tools.

Before You Begin: Essential Preparations

Before installing EmuDeck, ensure you've completed these steps:

Enable Developer Mode: Navigate to Steam > System > System Settings > Enable Developer Mode. Then, within the Developer menu, enable CEF Remote Debugging. Restart your Steam Deck.

Recommended Equipment: An A2 MicroSD card (or external HDD connected via dock) for storing ROMs and emulators is highly recommended to preserve internal SSD space. A keyboard and mouse simplify file transfers and artwork management. Legally acquire your Game Gear ROMs.

Installing EmuDeck

Follow these steps to install EmuDeck:

1. Switch to Desktop Mode (Steam button > Power menu > Switch to Desktop).
2. Download EmuDeck from their website.
3. Choose the SteamOS version and select "Custom Install."
4. Select your SD card (Primary) as the installation location.
5. Choose your desired emulators (RetroArch, Emulation Station, Steam ROM Manager are recommended).
6. Enable "Auto Save."
7. Complete the installation.

Quick EmuDeck Settings

Within EmuDeck, access Quick Settings and configure the following:

• Enable AutoSave.
• Enable Controller Layout Match.
• Set Sega Classic AR to 4:3.
• Turn on LCD Handhelds.

Transferring ROMs and Using Steam ROM Manager

Transfer your Game Gear ROMs to the /Emulation/ROMs/gamegear folder on your SD card. Then:

1. Open EmuDeck and launch Steam ROM Manager.
2. Close the Steam Client when prompted.
3. Select the Game Gear icon on the Parsers screen.
4. Add your games and parse them.
5. Review artwork and save to Steam.

Fixing Missing Artwork

If artwork is missing or incorrect:

• Use the "Fix" function in Steam ROM Manager to search for and download correct artwork.
• Ensure ROM filenames don't contain numbers before the game title, as this can interfere with artwork detection. Manually rename if necessary.
• If artwork is still missing, manually download it, save it to the Steam Deck's Pictures folder, and upload it through Steam ROM Manager.

Playing Your Games

1. Switch to Gaming Mode.
2. Access your Game Gear games via the Steam Library's Collections tab.
3. Select a game and play.

Optimizing Performance (60 FPS)

To achieve a smoother 60 FPS experience:

1. Access the Quick Access Menu (QAM).
2. Go to Performance.
3. Enable "Use per-game profile."
4. Set the Frame Limit to 60 FPS.

Installing Decky Loader and Power Tools

For enhanced performance and features:

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.
5. Access Decky Loader via the QAM, open the store, and install the Power Tools plugin.

Configuring Power Tools

Within Power Tools, disable SMTs, set the number of threads to 4, enable manual GPU clock control (setting the frequency to 1200), and enable per-game profiles.

Recovering Decky Loader After a Steam Deck Update

If a Steam Deck update removes Decky Loader:

1. Switch to Desktop Mode.
2. Download Decky Loader again.
3. Run the installer using sudo. (You may need to set a sudo password if you haven't already.)
4. Restart your Steam Deck.

Enjoy your Game Gear games on your Steam Deck!