"How to Play Sega Game Gear on Steam Deck"

The Sega Game Gear, a vibrant handheld from the early 90s, was designed to rival Nintendo's Game Boy. With its full-color display and innovative features like a cartridge expansion for Master System games and a TV tuner, it was a trailblazer. Despite not achieving the same longevity as its competitor, the Game Gear's rich library of titles, including direct ports from the Sega Master System such as Sonic the Hedgehog, can now be enjoyed on the Steam Deck thanks to EmuDeck. This guide will walk you through installing and using EmuDeck to play Game Gear games on Valve's handheld PC.

Updated January 8th, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn: The Sega Game Gear shares similarities with the Steam Deck, making it an ideal candidate for emulation. To optimize performance, EmuDeck developers suggest installing Power Tools through the Decky Loader. This comprehensive guide covers the installation of Decky Loader, the Power Tools plugin, and a solution to maintain compatibility after Steam Deck updates.

Before Installing The EmuDeck

Before diving into EmuDeck installation for retro gaming, it's essential to prepare and take certain precautions.

Activate Developer Mode

Press the Steam button.
Navigate to the System menu.
Under System Settings, toggle Enable Developer Mode on.
You'll now see the Developer menu.

Within the Developer menu, find Miscellaneous.
Enable CEF Remote Debugging.
Press the Steam Button again.
Go to the Power menu and restart your Steam Deck.

Install EmuDeck On The Steam Deck

With your Steam Deck prepped for emulation, it's time to download and install EmuDeck.

Press the Steam Button.
From the Power menu, select Switch to Desktop.
Open your preferred browser.
Visit the EmuDeck website, and click on Download to get the program.
Choose the Steam OS version, and opt for Custom Install.
On the EmuDeck installation screen, select the SD Card image labeled Primary.
You can install all emulators or choose RetroArch, Emulation Station, and Steam Rom Manager, then click Continue.
Enable Auto Save.
Skip through the subsequent screens and select Finish to complete the installation.

Quick Settings

Launch the EmuDeck program and navigate to Quick Settings in the left menu panel.
Confirm that the AutoSave feature 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

Now, let's transfer your Game Gear ROMs to their designated folder and integrate them into the Steam Deck's library for Gaming Mode play.

Transfer ROMS

In Desktop Mode, open the Dolphin File Manager.
Navigate to Primary under Removable Devices.
Open the Emulation folder.
Select ROMs and then the gamegear folder.
Transfer your ROMs into this folder.

Steam ROM Manager

Reopen the EmuDeck program.
Access the Steam ROM Manager from the left menu panel.
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 click Parse on the Add your games to Steam page.
Ensure the artwork and covers are correct, then select Save to Steam.

Fix Missing Artwork On EmuDeck

Sometimes, Steam ROM Manager might struggle to find the right cover art for your Game Gear games. Follow these steps to correct missing or incorrect artwork.

If the artwork is incorrect or missing, click Fix.
Enter the game's title in the fix Artwork and Title search bar.
The engine should present you with options for game covers.
Choose the correct image, then select Save and Close, and Save to Steam.

Check if the ROM filename starts with numbers, which can prevent Steam ROM Manager from detecting the correct artwork. Right-click the ROM, select Rename, and remove any leading numbers.

Upload Missing Artwork

Switch to Desktop Mode.
Use a browser to search for the missing game cover.
Save the cover to the Pictures folder on the Steam Deck.
Reopen the EmuDeck program.
Launch the Steam Rom Manager.
Click Upload on the game's frame.
Navigate to the Pictures folder and select the new cover image.
Click Save and Close.
Then click Save to Steam.

Playing Game Gear Games On The Steam Deck

It's time to find and play your Game Gear games in the Steam Deck's Gaming Mode, with settings optimized for smooth gameplay.

Return to Gaming Mode from the desktop background.
Press the Steam button.
Go to the Library menu.
Press the R1 button to access the new Collections tab.
Open the Game Gear window.
Select your game and hit Play.

Performance Settings

The Steam Deck may default to 30 FPS, which can lead to slowdowns and audio issues for 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.
Under Performance Settings, turn Use per-game profile on.
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 through Decky Loader is recommended. Here's how to do it:

For easier navigation, connect a keyboard and mouse, or use the onscreen keyboard by pressing the Steam button and X, and use the trackpads as a mouse.
Ensure the Steam Deck is in Desktop Mode by pressing the Steam button, opening the Power menu, and selecting Switch to Desktop Mode.
Open a browser and go to the GitHub Decky Loader page.
Click the large Download icon to start the download.
Once downloaded, double-click the launcher and choose Recommended Install.
After installation, restart the Steam Deck in Gaming Mode.

Install The Power Tools Plugin

With Decky Loader in place, you can now install the Power Tools plugin to optimize your emulated games:

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.
In the Decky Store, find and install the Power Tools plugin.

Settings For Power Tools In Emulated Games

Press the Steam button.
Go to Library and the Collections tab to find and play a Sega Game Gear game.
Press the QAM button, select Decky Loader, and open the Power Tools menu.
Disable SMTs.
Set the number of Threads to 4.
Press the QAM button again, then open the Performance menu via the small battery icon.
Enable Advanced View.
Turn on Manual GPU Clock Control.
Increase 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 the QAM, but you can restore it along with your settings:

Switch to Desktop Mode from the Power menu.
Open a browser once the Steam Deck restarts in Desktop Mode.
Visit the Decky Loader GitHub page and click the Download icon.
Select Execute, not Open, to avoid resetting your installation and losing settings.
Enter your sudo password when prompted. If you haven't set one, follow the on-screen instructions to create one. Remember this password for future use.
After installation, power off and restart the Steam Deck in Gaming Mode.
Press the QAM button, and access the Decky Loader app to find it restored with your previous settings.

This guide provides all the steps needed to add and enjoy Game Gear games on the Steam Deck, along with tips to enhance their performance.

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