Skip to content

Getting started

Step 0: Prerequisites

This is a guide on how to get started with RetroDECK

What do I need?

You need to meet the following prerequisites before you start following this guide:

  • You need to have a device to install RetroDECK on.
  • Have related BIOS & Firmware ready
  • Have game backups of various formats ready that you want to play

Step 1: Installation & Configuration

Only install RetroDECK from the official channels via Flathub!

Steam Deck - Installation

Read and follow the following guide

Steam Deck - Installation and Updates

Linux Desktop - Installation

Read and follow the:

Linux Desktop - Installation and Updates

Other SteamOS / Linux gaming devices - Installation

(more information later)

Step 2: BIOS & Firmware

NOTE: On the Steam Deck this step needs to be done in Desktop Mode

Information

Read up on Manage your BIOS/Firmware

  • The BIOS & Firmware files go into the ~/retrodeck/bios/ directory

Example: You have a BIOS for the PSX called exampleBIOSPSX.bin, you just put that file into the ~/retrodeck/bios/ folder.

Step 3: ROMs

NOTE: On the Steam Deck this step needs to be done in Desktop Mode

On ROMs

Rom files needs to be put in their corresponding system directory inside the roms folder. Note that the roms folder location can be different depending on where you choose to put it during the installation process. The following options are available during the installation:

Choice: Internal

If during the installation of RetroDECK you choose the Internal option for the roms folder: The roms folder is:~/retrodeck/roms/

Choice: SDCard

If during the installation of RetroDECK you choose the SDCard option for the roms folder: The roms folder is: <sdcard>/retrodeck/roms/

(Please note that the <sdcard> is an example and not called so inside your Linux/SteamOS system but rather your unique per SDCard ID number).

Choice: Custom

If during the installation of RetroDECK you choose the Custom option for the roms folder:
The roms folder wherever you choose.

Let us get started on ROMs/Games:

Read up on RetroDECK Management 🗜️ section of this wiki.

  • Put the corresponding roms inside the corresponding system folder

Example:

You have an example NES game called ExampleNESGame.nes You must put that game into the /retrodeck/roms/nes folder.

Step 4: Playing the Games

Steam Deck - Gamemode

Return to gamemode on the Steam Deck and start up RetroDECK. Now the systems you put rom files for should be shown and be able to be played.

Example: The NES column should now be shown with our ExampleNESGame.nes from Step 3

Linux Desktop

Start up RetroDECK from Steam. Now the systems you put rom files for should be shown and be able to be played.

Example: The NES column should now be shown with our ExampleNESGame.nes from Step 3

Step 5: Making the games "pretty" with videos, images, and art.

Do the following:

  1. Make an account on Screenscraper
  2. Read up on scraping and the various settings that exist for it in the ES-DE User Guide
  3. Login to your screenscraper account inside RetroDECK.
  4. Setup the scraping how you want it.
  5. Start scraping.
  6. Look at your nice pretty games.

Step 6: ES-DE Themes

You can download more themes for ES-DE's frontend with the built-in theme downloader you can find it in:

UI Settings - Theme Downloader

Switch between them and in:

UI Settings - Theme Set