STEAM DECK PIRATES RETRODECK GUIDE

NOW WITH ALL THE PICTURES


What is RetroDECK:

I'm going to let RetroDECK do the explaining here, but to simplify it (and simplifying the complexities of emulating is RetroDECK's strongest suit to me): RetroDECK is an all-in-one emulator for your Steam Deck. Your emulators (original Xbox, PS3, Switch, Wii...so so so many more) are all stored on your SD card. Your files, saves, roms...they're not spread out everywhere under incomprehsible file-trees, they're all running from your SD card.

Zero performance issues: running a PS3 game from an emulator installed on the SD card, from a rom on the card? No problems whatsoever.

To me that's the greatest benefit of RetroDECK. Everything on one card.

directly from their site: the features of RetroDECK
directly from their site: the features of RetroDECK


THE GUIDE

  • So, I have a 512gb micro SD card. I'm going to install it all on there and get things going:

Step 1 is to find RetroDECK!
Step 1 is to find RetroDECK!

This bit is rather simple, open your Discover Store and search RetroDECK! Don't hit the install box just yet though, first click on the name to see it. It will give us an option:

flathub is what we want!
flathub is what we want!

You'll be given the option to install using flathub. This is what I recommend!

SD card for me
SD card for me

Next you can choose where to install, I directed it towards my micro SD

just.. letting you know what's going on
just.. letting you know what's going on

Next you will see this dialog box above, just click 'ok'

VERY IMPORTANT - ENABLE THE CONTROLLER PROFILE!
VERY IMPORTANT - ENABLE THE CONTROLLER PROFILE!

Next you are given three options, you absolutely should have the first option ticked. It gives you global hot-keys to for emulating (a certain combination brings up radial dials, or closes games, etc).

In this step I ticked the first, and also the second - this one installs the firmware for you to play PS3 games. Handy!

this is self-explanatory really
this is self-explanatory really

Here we're told you need WiFi on, and to be patient. It took like 8 seconds for me. When it is done, the PS3 emulator will open up automatically above everything. Just close the emulator.

not even worth listing, but...it's telling you not to panic
not even worth listing, but...it's telling you not to panic

Just press ok!

Yippie!!
Yippie!!

A progress bar and the downloading bar will both open: super positive things to happen here, this is setting up RetroDECK and donwloading and installing the PS3 firmware (from Playstation's own website)

Just what we wanted!!
Just what we wanted!!

The PS3 emulator - RSPC3 has opened like we were told it would. Firmware is installed, now close the emulator with the top-right 'X'

RetroDeck is installed!
RetroDeck is installed!

RetroDECK is installed! Now just click 'Yes' - or in this case 'Never show this again', as you obv want it open here - installing things like firmware and roms is done on Desktop Mode, we don't need this warning each time

  • Right! That's the installation of RetroDECK done! It will have written a ton of folders into your SD card - places to put your games, the bios the roms may need, textures etc. Disregarding all the fancy stuff, let's try adding a game!

Open up your SD card
Open up your SD card

Here I've opened the SD card. You can see I called my SD card 'RetroDECK' - so I open that, then the '***retrodeck*' folder, then the '*roms*' folder, then the '*switch*' folder. Switch games require the file format being either .nsp or .xci**

'keys' to the kingdom. required for the Switch emulator
'keys' to the kingdom. required for the Switch emulator

As well as the games themselves, we require a few things to run the Switch games. prod keys, title keys and firmware.

Here you will place the two 'keys' in retrodeck / bios / swtich / keys

Look its firmware!!
Look its firmware!!

Lastly we need firmware placed in this folder

Firmware will be 229 'nca' files - place them in retrodeck / bios / switch / registered (I had to make the 'registered' folder myself, but I also placed all the nca files in the folder above (retrodeck / bios / switch) as well, as the instructions were a little unclear - I will edit this in the future when I find which is redundant).

Now go to your applications and find the 'configurator'
Now go to your applications and find the 'configurator'

This program is where all the 'tweaking' happens

a box appears on your screen
a box appears on your screen

Here you'll be presented a warning, click 'never show this again' - as you will often want to open the configurator and use it. There's no risk clicking this. After this you will be presented with a screen asking what you want. The second option down is 'open emulator' - select this

select the emulator you want to configure!
select the emulator you want to configure!

Select Ryujinx and open it!

it sees the rom we placed in the retrodeck / roms / switch folder earlier already!
it sees the rom we placed in the retrodeck / roms / switch folder earlier already!

Now we select tools from the top, then install firmware by zip - you will need a zip folder of the firmware in /downloads or similar here

I navigated to the firmware, and selected, and it recognizes it! - now select 'yes'
I navigated to the firmware, and selected, and it recognizes it! - now select 'yes'

Now click 'yes' and we're ready to play!

I'll test it out, here in Desktop Mode by double-clicking the Shantae title I put in. We'll see if it all worked!

of course it worked! - prostarz approved
of course it worked! - prostarz approved

Now I can play my Switch game back-ups on my Steam Deck!

  • Next we'll try updating a game! - and it is right here when I discovered Reddit only allows 20 pictures per post. Yay.

image for adding the update
image for adding the update

I've added Shantae: Half-Genie Hero into retrodeck / roms / switch and opened Ryujinx individually again.

Now I right-click the game title, and then select 'manage updates' - then press 'add'

The image for selecting the update
The image for selecting the update

Just find your update! Once you have, double-click it or click 'open'

image for confirming the update for your game!
image for confirming the update for your game!

That's it! You've added the update! Select the update and then 'save', now your title is added, playable and updated! You did it!

- I'll add a little note here, there is a bug in the current version of the game - Ryujinx games aren't working via the RetroDECK, but an update and bug fix is probably going to be delivered right as I post this, so I will edit this out when it does!

  • Now we'll do one last thing on Desktop Mode

Open applications and find RetroDECK - like this!
Open applications and find RetroDECK - like this!

Find the application, right-click on it and select 'add to Steam'!

Go you your library, and find your RetroDECK

To add custom art to it, you will need Decky Loader installed - after you have that installed, find the plugin called SteamGridDB - and the following step will be possible!

Select - change artwork! By selecting the three 'hamburger' lines
Select - change artwork! By selecting the three 'hamburger' lines

Here we'll...make it prettier!

Choose your favs!
Choose your favs!

Personally, the middle purple-y one is my fav, make sure to choose one for all: capsule, wide capsule, hero, logo, icon!

  • now let's open RetroDECK and change the appearance!

When you first open RetroDECK - open the menu by pressing that start button (why do I have to keep calling it the hamburger?)
When you first open RetroDECK - open the menu by pressing that start button (why do I have to keep calling it the hamburger?)

From the main menu, just...look around! Soooo many things to customize or change to your heart's content. In this instance we'll chance the 'theme' and select 'UI SETTINGS'

This bit is fun! Choose what you love!
This bit is fun! Choose what you love!

Themes! 'Theme Downloader' lets you download, you guessed it, extra themes, The themes tab lets you cycle between them, press back when you select one!

I went simple - in the settings I chose only the box-art, with a lil description and info on the side!
I went simple - in the settings I chose only the box-art, with a lil description and info on the side!

Your theme will be totally up to what you love most. Find the ones you want!


PS2

To replace the textures with higher quality ones in PS2 - called 'texture packs':

This one is pretty simple! You'll want to search for PS2 texture packs and download what you need. I found a great one on github, and another page filled with them on archive dot org (29gb's worth for Silent Hill 2!)

In this example I downloaded replacement menu and HUD textures for MGS 2: Substance (because upscaling the visuals via the emulator itself makes the environments and characters look beautiful enough!)

1.
Place the texture pack (it's a folder with subsequent folders from there) into the following: retrodeck / texture�klzzwxh:0192�packs / PCSX2 and then make your folder have the exact same name as the game title. So in this example, I placed it in there.
Place the texture pack (it's a folder with subsequent folders from there) into the following: retrodeck / texture_packs / PCSX2 and then make your folder have the exact same name as the game title. So in this example, I placed it in there

You can see the subsequent folders in this case are for the HUD and Menu's

2.
Open the 'RetroDECK configurator' and then open emulator, annnnd open PCSX2. Right-click on the game icon, and then select 'properties'. From there go down to 'graphics' and from the texture replacement tab, tick the following boxes in the picture (load textures, and asynchronous texture loading).
Open the 'RetroDECK configurator' and then open emulator, annnnd open PCSX2. Right-click on the game icon, and then select 'properties'. From there go down to 'graphics' and from the texture replacement tab, tick the following boxes in the picture (load textures, and asynchronous texture loading

3.
This is it! You're done! Some games have their entire...everything replaced and can be super high quality. I got a couple snaps of the menu, and the environment. You can see it is very crisp!

These are a few examples here:

1
2
3


PS3

PS3 was super simple.

  1. I downloaded a game in 'JB Folder' format, and then copied it into retrodeck / roms / ps3 - the whole folder
    I downloaded a game in 'JB Folder' format, and then copied it into retrodeck / roms / ps3 - the whole folder
  2. Then from the main menu, rescan the roms and the PS3 will appear in your consoles section!
    Then from the main menu, rescan the roms and the PS3 will appear in your consoles section!
  3. 'Scrape' the game, from the good old hamburger button, and you will see it displayed as per your settings from the main menu!
    'Scrape' the game, from the good old hamburger button, and you will see it displayed as per your settings from the main menu!

Plays beautifully!


Visit the RetroDECK website!

Check out their github!

They have a SUPER comprehensive wiki here

Here is their sub-reddit!

Honestly, fewer YouTube videos than I expected to find

Honestly, RetroDECK is 'my choice' for all. I love how everything is all in one. But if you want to have individual game titles in your library, then that's not a feature they have currently. It is planned for the future, or so I'm told!

I will edit this over the next few days with more sections:

  • PS3 all done
  • PS2 HD texture packs all done
  • Wii U - how to apply mods
  • PS1 best settings and textures
  • ...anything else?

I do hope this helps someone here, or prompts someone to try. I love this damn lil RetroDECK!

<3

Dont forget to go give the guide a thumbs up on reddit if you havent already!!


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Edit
Pub: 28 Jul 2024 03:50 UTC
Edit: 16 Sep 2024 08:52 UTC
Views: 2348