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Sega had a great run of gaming consoles starting with the Sega Master System and ending with the Dreamcast. While their last two machines had the unenviable task of going up against the Sony PlayStation, theSega Saturnwas still a console with excellent gamesPanzer Dragoon Sagathat weren’t available anywhere else. However, thanks to EmuDeck, you can play your favorite Sega Saturn games on the Steam Deck, making them available on a modern system. This guide will show you how to install EmuDeck and get Sega Saturn games running on Valve’s powerful handheld device.
Updated Jun 30, 2025, by Michael Llewellyn:While the Sega Saturn couldn’t compete with the PlayStation it was the perfect home console for fans of Sega’s library of arcade games. Furthermore, it still had a library of unique games ranging from RPGs and platformers like the Sonic the Hedgehog series. To run the retro Sega games it’s recommended you install Decky Loader. However, Decky now requires a sudo password before installing it, so this guide is updated with the steps to show you how.
Installing EmuDeck On The Steam Deck
Before installing an emulation program on the Steam Deck, you should gather the necessary items and tools to ensure a safe and smooth installation process.
Switch On Developer Mode
Transfer BIOS Files
Now it’s time to transfer the BIOS files for theSega Saturnusing the following steps:
The Sega Saturn BIOS files can be found using a Google search.
.bin and .cue
Steam ROM Manager
With theSega Saturn gamesin their correct folder, it’s time to add them to the Steam Deck’s library so you can play your games in Gaming Mode.
Locate And Play Your Saturn Games On The Steam Deck
With the games added to the library, it’s time to locate and play them on your Steam Deck.
Install Decky Loader For The Steam Deck
If the settings mentioned above do not provide optimal performance on your Steam Deck, you will need to install Power Tools as recommended by the EmuDeck developers. Power Tools is an essential plugin that is installed with the Decky Loader program. To install Power Tools and Decky Loader on your Steam Deck, follow these steps:
Create A Sudo Password
The Decky Loader program may require yoursudo password.To set this up use the following steps:
Install Power Tools
The next step is to install Power Tools using the Decky Loader program and adjust its settings to improve the performance of Sega Saturn games. Follow the steps below to complete the installation.
Power Tools Settings For Emulated Games
Fixing Decky Loader After A Steam Deck Update
The Steam Deck has major updates that can make changes to the UI and add new features. As a result, this can break compatibility with the Decky Loader app. Use the following steps to restore your app, your personalized settings, and your plugins.
That’s everything required for adding and playing your Sega Saturn games on the Steam Deck and adding them to your library next to your official Steam games.
