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The Sega Game Gear, introduced in the early 90s, was an innovative handheld console designed to rival Nintendo's Game Boy. It boasted a full-color display and advanced features like a cartridge expansion for playing Sega Master System games and a TV tuner that transformed it into a portable television. Despite its short-lived popularity, the Game Gear's library included both original titles and ports of classic Sega Master System games, such as Sonic the Hedgehog.
Thanks to the EmuDeck, these nostalgic games can now be enjoyed on the Steam Deck. This guide will walk you through the process of installing EmuDeck, playing Game Gear games, and optimizing performance using tools like Decky Loader and Power Tools.
Updated January 8th, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn: The Sega Game Gear shares a similar form factor with the Steam Deck, making it a perfect fit for emulation on Valve's handheld PC. For optimal performance, the EmuDeck developers recommend using Power Tools, accessible through the Decky Loader program. This guide covers the installation of Decky Loader, the Power Tools plugin, and how to ensure compatibility with the Steam Deck after updates.
Before Installing The EmuDeck
Before you dive into installing EmuDeck for retro gaming, it's crucial to prepare and take the necessary steps.
Activate Developer Mode
- Press the Steam button to open the menu.
- Navigate to the System menu and find System Settings.
- Enable Developer Mode within these settings.
- A new Developer menu will appear.
- Within the Developer menu, go to Miscellaneous.
- Turn on CEF Remote Debugging.
- Press the Steam Button again, then select Restart from the Power menu to reboot your Steam Deck.
Recommended Items
- An A2 MicroSD card is essential for storing emulators and ROMs, freeing up the internal SSD for Steam games and apps.
- Alternatively, use an external HDD, but you'll need to connect the Steam Deck to a Steam Deck Dock.
- A keyboard and mouse can streamline file transfers and searches for game covers.
- Ensure you legally own Game Gear ROMs, which you can create from your physical games.
Install EmuDeck On The Steam Deck
Once your Steam Deck is ready for emulators, you can proceed with downloading and installing EmuDeck.
- Press the Steam Button, then navigate to the Power menu and select Switch to Desktop.
- Open your preferred web browser and visit the EmuDeck website.
- Click on Download to get the EmuDeck program.
- Choose the Steam OS version and opt for Custom Install.
- On the installation screen, select the SD Card image labeled Primary.
- You can choose to install all emulators or select RetroArch, Emulation Station, and Steam Rom Manager before clicking Continue.
- Enable Auto Save.
- Skip through the next screens and click Finish to complete the installation.
Quick Settings
- Launch the EmuDeck program and navigate to Quick Settings in the left menu.
- Ensure AutoSave is enabled.
- Turn on Controller Layout Match.
- Set Sega Classic AR to 4:3.
- Enable LCD Handhelds.
Transferring Game Gear ROMS And Steam ROM Manager
It's time to add your Game Gear ROMs to the correct folder and integrate them into your Steam Deck's library for Gaming Mode access.
Transfer ROMS
- In Desktop Mode, open the Dolphin File Manager.
- Navigate to Removable Devices and open Primary.
- Go to the Emulation folder, then ROMs, and finally the gamegear folder.
- Transfer your ROMs into this folder.
Steam ROM Manager
- Reopen the EmuDeck program and select Steam ROM Manager from the left menu.
- Click Yes to close the Steam Client.
- Click Next on the Welcome to SRM! page.
- On the Parsers screen, select the Game Gear icon.
- Click Add Games, then Parse on the Add your games to Steam page.
- Verify the artwork and covers, then click Save to Steam.
Fix Missing Artwork On EmuDeck
If the Steam ROM Manager struggles to find the correct cover art for your Game Gear games, follow these steps to fix missing or incorrect artwork.
- If artwork is missing or incorrect, click Fix.
- Enter the game's title in the Fix Artwork and Title search bar.
- Select the appropriate game cover from the options provided.
- Click on the image, then select Save and Close, followed by Save to Steam.
Ensure that your ROM files do not have numbers before the game title, as this can prevent the Steam ROM Manager from recognizing the correct artwork. If necessary, right-click the ROM, select Rename, and remove any leading numbers.
Upload Missing Artwork
- Switch to Desktop Mode.
- Use a web browser to find the missing game cover.
- Save the image to the Pictures folder on your Steam Deck.
- Reopen the EmuDeck program and run the Steam Rom Manager.
- Click Upload on the game's frame.
- Select the new cover image from the Pictures folder.
- Click Save and Close, then Save to Steam.
Playing Game Gear Games On The Steam Deck
Now, let's get your Game Gear games running smoothly in Gaming Mode on the Steam Deck.
- Return to Gaming Mode from the desktop background.
- Press the Steam button and navigate to the Library menu.
- Use the R1 button to switch to the Collections tab.
- Open the Game Gear section.
- Select your game and click Play.
Performance Settings
The default 30 FPS setting on the Steam Deck can cause slowdowns and audio issues with Game Gear games. Here's how to adjust the framerate:
- Press the QAS button (the one with three dots under the right trackpad).
- Select Performance.
- Enable Use per-game profile under Performance Settings.
- Increase the Frame Limit to 60 FPS.
Install Decky Loader For The Steam Deck
To further enhance the performance of Sega games on the Steam Deck, installing Power Tools via the Decky Loader is highly beneficial. Follow these steps to set it up.
- Optionally, connect a keyboard and mouse for easier navigation. Alternatively, press the Steam button and X to access the onscreen keyboard and use the trackpads as a mouse.
- Ensure you are in Desktop Mode by pressing the Steam button, selecting the Power menu, and choosing Switch to Desktop Mode.
- Open a web browser and navigate to the GitHub Decky Loader page.
- Click the Download icon to start the download.
- Once downloaded, double-click the launcher and select Recommended Install.
- After installation, restart the Steam Deck in Gaming Mode.
Install The Power Tools Plugin
With Decky Loader installed, you can now add the Power Tools plugin to optimize your gaming experience.
- In Gaming Mode, press the Quick Access Menu (QAM) button below the right trackpad.
- Click the new plugin icon at the bottom of the right-side menu.
- Open the store icon at the top of the Decky Loader menu.
- Find the Power Tools plugin in the Decky Store and install it.
Settings For Power Tools In Emulated Games
- Press the Steam button and go to the Library.
- Open the Collections tab and select a Sega Game Gear game.
- Press the QAM button, then navigate to Decky Loader and select Power Tools.
- Disable SMTs.
- Set the number of Threads to 4.
- Press the QAM button again, then select the Performance menu (battery icon).
- Enable Advanced View.
- Turn on Manual GPU Clock Control.
- Increase the GPU Clock Frequency to 1200.
- Enable Per Game Profile to save these settings for individual games.
Fixing Decky Loader After A Steam Deck Update
Major Steam Deck updates might remove Decky Loader from your Quick Access Menu, but you can easily restore it with your settings intact.
- Switch to Desktop Mode from the Power menu.
- After the restart, open a web browser.
- Navigate to the Decky Loader GitHub page and click the Download icon.
- Select Execute (do not select Open, as it will reset your install and remove settings).
- Enter your sudo password when prompted. If you haven't set one, follow the on-screen instructions to create a new one.
- Once the installation is complete, power off the Steam Deck and restart it in Gaming Mode.
- Press the QAM button to access the restored Decky Loader app with your previous settings.
That's everything you need to know to enjoy and optimize Game Gear games on your Steam Deck.
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