How To Play Game Boy Color Games On The Steam Deck

As a seasoned retro gamer who has spent countless hours on handheld devices from yesteryears, I must say that the Steam Deck has made my nostalgic journey even more delightful with its ability to emulate classic systems like the Game Boy Color (GBC). Following these instructions, I managed to get my favorite GBC games up and running on this fantastic device.

The Steam Deck serves as an outstanding platform for enjoying a variety of top-tier modern and classic games from your Steam collection. Owing to its PC-like attributes and virtually limitless customization options, enthusiasts of the Game Boy Color can now enjoy their preferred titles on this device. With the assistance of EmuDeck, you’ll be able to include your GBC games in your library alongside your licensed content. This tutorial will walk you through the steps to install EmuDeck, add your games, and personalize the Game Boy Color settings within the RetroArch emulator.

Before Downloading EmuDeck

How To Play Game Boy Color Games On The Steam Deck

Before you start downloading EmuDeck for playing vintage games on your Steam Deck, it’s crucial to follow some essential steps to make sure everything goes smoothly during the installation process. Here’s how:

Developer Mode

Press the Steam button.
Open the System menu and switch on Developer Mode.
Locate and open the new Developer menu and switch on CEF Debugging.
Press the Steam Button, and select Power.
Switch to Desktop Mode.

Recommended Steps

A fully charged Steam Deck or connect to the mains.
An A2 microSD card to install EmuDeck and the games.

Format the microSD card from the System Settings menu on your Steam Deck, and look for the Developer Mode setting to find it there.

Alternatively, you can connect an external HDD/SSD with a Steam Deck Docking system. However, a microSD card keeps the Steam Deck portable. A Dock and an external drive will limit you to a screen.
Legally owned GBC ROMS.

Download EmuDeck In Desktop Mode

Once everything is prepared for the installation process, let’s transition to Desktop Mode on the Steam Deck. In this mode, we can take advantage of its Linux operating system and properly install and move files into their designated folders.

Press the Steam Button and highlight the Power option.
Click on Switch to Desktop Mode.
Open a browser and download the EmuDeck program from the EmuDeck website.
Select download click on the Steam OS version, and opt for the Custom Install.
With the EmuDeck running select the SD Card image named Primary.

The microSD card will be named Primary under Removable Devices.

Select RetroArch, Emulation Station, and Steam Rom Manager – or you can install all emulators to play retro games from other systems – and click Continue.
Skip the next few screens for now and select Finish to finalize the installation.

Quick Settings

With the EmuDeck running click on Quick Settings.
Turn AutoSave On.
Select Controller Layout Match.
Turn Bezels On.
Switch Nintendo Classic AR On.
Turn LCD Handhelds On.

Add Game Boy Color Games To The Steam Deck

After you’ve successfully installed EmuDeck, let’s move on to organizing your top Game Boy Color games by placing them in the appropriate folders.

Open the Dolphin File Manager.
Under Removable Devices, click on Primary.
Open the Emulation folder.
Select ROMS, locate, and open the gbc folder.
Transfer your ROMS into the folder.

Game Boy Color File Names
.gbc

Add GBC Games To The Steam Deck Library

To incorporate your Game Boy Color games into your Steam library, first, upload the games along with their cover art using the Steam ROM Manager.

Open EmuDeck and click the Steam ROM Manager from the left panel menu.
Select Yes to close the Steam program.
Click on Next.
Turn Parsers off.
Tap on the Game Boy Color tabs. And click on Add Games.
The Steam ROM Manager will add the games and their cover art select.
When it’s finished select Save to Steam.
After the “Done adding/removing entries” appears close the Steam ROM Manager.
Exit EmuDeck and Return to Gaming Mode.

Playing Game Boy Color Games On The Steam Deck

Once the Steam ROM Manager completes uploading games to your Steam collection, you can now find and enjoy your preferred Game Boy Color titles.

Press the Steam button.
Open the Library.
Press the R1 button to access the Collections tab.
Open one of the Game Boy Color tabs.
Select your game and click Play.

Access RetroArch’s Settings

While you’re on the title screen of your Game Boy Color game, please press both the ‘Select’ button (located above the left analog stick) and the ‘Y’ button simultaneously.

Open Core Options.
Switch GB Colorization to Auto.
Or if you want the Steam Deck to mimic the Super Game Boy select SGB.
Select Internal Palette to try a range of built-in color palettes for the presentation you want for your emulated Game Boy Color games.
Open Settings and Video.
Select Aspect Ratio and either stick with the Core Provided settings or experiment with different modes like fullscreen, 4:3, and more.

Play Game Boy Color Games With Emulation Station

Emulation Station serves as a convenient, user-friendly platform for playing your Game Boy Color (GBC) games, maintaining a well-structured library of your classic gaming collection.

Press the Steam button and open the Library menu.
Reopen the Collections tab.
Select the Emulators window.
Then open the Emulation Station window and select Play.
Scroll to the Game Boy Color image and press A to open it.
Your Game Boy Color games will be organized in a list.
Select your game and launch it by pressing A.
Emulation Station utilizes RetroArch. So you can access and customize your settings by pressing Select and Y.

As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I can confidently say that the Steam Deck has truly revolutionized my retro gaming journey. With its powerful hardware and versatile emulation capabilities, it’s now possible to play my beloved Game Boy Color games on this fantastic device. The EmuDeck software, combined with built-in emulators like RetroArch and Emulation Station, makes the process seamless and enjoyable. It’s incredible to see how technology has evolved to allow me to carry my entire game library in a portable device, giving me endless hours of nostalgic fun on the go.

2024-08-16 01:04