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TheGame Gearwas Sega’s brief entry into the handheld market in the early 90s to challenge Nintendo’s Game Boy. It was ahead of its time with the full-color display and capabilities. It had extra features, such as a cartridge expansion to play Master System games, a TV tuner that turned it into a mini TV, and much more.
It featured a library of games developed for the Game Gear and direct ports of Sega Master System games, such asSonic the Hedgehog. Even though the Game Gear didn’t have the staying power of Nintendo’s device, its games can be played on the Steam Deck thanks to the EmuDeck. This guide will show you how to install and use the EmuDeck and play Game Gear games.
Updated Jul 12, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:Sega Game Gear games won’t tax the Steam Deck’s processor, but consider install Decky Loader to optimize the power settings with the Decky app, Power Tools. However, Decky requires a sudo password before installing so this guide has been updated to include the steps for creating sudo password on your Steam Deck.
Before Installing The EmuDeck
Before attempting to install EmuDeck for retro games, you must take precautions and obtain some tools in preparation.
Recommended Items
Install EmuDeck On The Steam Deck
With the Steam Deck set up for emulators and retro games, it’s time to download and install the EmuDeck program.
Quick Settings
Transferring Game Gear ROMS And Steam ROM Manager
Now it’s time to transfer your Game Gear Roms into their correct folder and add them to the Steam Deck’s library so you can play them in Gaming Mode.
Steam ROM Manager
Fix Missing Artwork On EmuDeck
With some retro games, the Steam ROM Manager may have trouble locating your favorite Game Gear games and their cover art. Use the following steps to fix missing covers onthe Steam Deck.
Check if the ROM has any numbers before the title of the game. The Steam ROM Manager will read the numbers before the title and fail to detect the correct artwork. Right-click the ROM, select Rename, and delete the numbers.
Playing Game Gear Games On The Steam Deck
It’s time to locate and access your Game Gear games from theSteam Deck’s Gaming Modeand adjust the settings so they play without issue.
Performance Settings
The Steam Deck will often default to the 30 FPS and cause significant slowdown and sound issues for Game Gear games. Use the following steps to fix the framerate:
Install Decky Loader For The Steam Deck
The settings above will enhance the performance of Sega games on the Steam Deck. However, installing Power Tools via the Decky Loader will provide more control over SMT and additional features. Follow these steps and install them on your Steam Deck.
Creating A Sudo Password
Third-party apps like the Decky Loader program may require yoursudo password.To set this up use the following steps:
Install The Power Tools Plugin
With Decky Loader installed it’s time to install the Power Tools plugin using the following steps:
Settings For Power Tools In Emulated Games
Fixing Decky Loader After A Steam Deck Update
Major Steam Deck updates may remove the Decky Loader application from your QAM making it inaccessible. Thankfully, it can be restored with your settings intact by following these steps:
That’s everything required to add and play Game Gear games on the Steam Deck and improve their performance.
