"Steam Deck: Running Game Boy Games Guide"

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Steam ROM Manager

With the games in their correct folder, reopen the EmuDeck program and follow these steps:

• Click on Steam ROM Manager on the left panel.
• Select Yes to close the Steam client and click Next.
• On the Parsers screen, turn Toggle Parsers off.
• Click on the three Game Boy tabs.
• Select Add Games.
• After Steam ROM Manager finishes adding the games and their cover art, select Save to Steam.
• Wait for the “Done adding/removing entries” message and close the Steam ROM Manager.
• Exit EmuDeck and return to Gaming Mode.

Playing Game Boy Games On The Steam Deck

With the games added to your Steam Deck, you can access them from your library using the following steps:

• Press the Steam button.
• Open the Library.
• Go to the Collections tab.
• Select one of the new Game Boy windows.
• Open the game and tap Play.

Customize The Game's Colors

Some Game Boy games have built-in color options, even though the original Game Boy had a limited color palette. You can enhance the visual experience using RetroArch.

Note that not all Game Boy games support color options.

• Launch a Game Boy game.
• Press the select button with two squares above the left analog stick and the Y button to open the RetroArch menu.
• Select Core Options.
• Navigate to GB Colorization.
• Enable Auto for color or choose Off for a more authentic Game Boy experience.

Using Emulation Station For Game Boy Games

While you can launch Game Boy games from the Steam Library, Emulation Station provides an alternative method that can be useful if you encounter issues with certain titles:

• Press the Steam button.
• Open the Library.
• Navigate to the Collections tab.
• Select the Emulators window.
• Tap on the Emulation Station window and select Play.
• Scroll to the Game Boy icon and open it with the A button.
• Press A to launch your Game Boy games.
• The RetroArch command using Select and Y also works through Emulation Station.

Install Decky Loader On The Steam Deck

To optimize the performance of your Game Boy games on the Steam Deck, the EmuDeck developers recommend installing Decky Loader along with the Power Tools plugin. Here's how to set them up:

For better navigation, connect a wireless or wired keyboard and mouse. If unavailable, use the onscreen keyboard and trackpads.

• Press the Steam button in Gaming Mode.
• Open the Power menu and switch to Desktop Mode.
• In Desktop Mode, open a web browser and navigate to the GitHub page for Decky Loader.
• Scroll down and click on the large Download icon to start the download.
• Once downloaded, double-click the launcher and select the Recommended Install.
• After installation, restart the Steam Deck in Gaming Mode.

Installing The Power Tools Plugin

With Decky Loader installed, you can further enhance your Game Boy gaming experience by adding the Power Tools plugin and adjusting your settings.

• In Gaming Mode, access the Quick Access Menu (QAM) and select the new plugin icon at the bottom of the side menu.
• Click the store icon next to the settings cogwheel to access the Decky Store.
• Use the search bar to find and install the Power Tools plugin (or scroll down to locate it).

Power Tools Settings For Emulated Games

• Press the Steam button to open the Library and launch a Game Boy game from the Collections tab or the Non-Steam Library list.
• After launching the game, press the QAM button to access Decky Loader and select the Power Tools menu.
• Select Turn off SMTs.
• Adjust the slider and set the Threads to 4.
• Press the QAM again to access the Performance menu.
• In the Performance menu, click Enable Advance View.
• Turn on Manual GPU Clock Control.
• Increase GPU Clock Frequency to 1200.
• Enable the Per Game Profile feature to save customized settings for each game.

Restoring Decky Loader After A Steam Deck Update

Major updates for the Steam Deck can significantly alter the user interface (UI), potentially disrupting the functionality of third-party apps like Decky Loader. Here’s how to restore Decky Loader and any installed plugins, such as Power Tools:

• Reopen Desktop Mode by pressing the Steam button and selecting the Power menu.
• Wait for the Steam Deck to boot up in Desktop Mode and launch a browser.
• Navigate back to the Decky Loader GitHub page and click the Download button to begin the process again.
• After the download, select only the Execute option, avoiding clicking Open.
• When prompted, enter your pseudo password in the pop-up box.
• If you haven’t created a pseudo password yet, follow the onscreen steps to do so. (Choose a strong password you can remember for future unofficial app installations.)
• Restart the Steam Deck in Gaming Mode after the installation.
• To confirm that your Decky Loader app, settings, and plugins are restored to their pre-update state, press the QAM button to access your program. If your Decky software is ever removed by a Steam Deck update, repeat these steps.

That’s all you need to know to run Game Boy games on the Steam Deck and tailor the settings to your preferences. The larger screen of the Steam Deck makes it an excellent platform for enjoying classic Game Boy games.

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