Software Recommendations
The following software may enhance your RetroDECK experience or your general Linux workflow.
This is a curated list compiled by the RetroDECK Team, featuring recommended tools and applications that we find useful.
Steam Deck
| Tool / Plugin |
Logo |
Description |
Link |
| Decky Loader |
 |
Enables custom plugins in Steam Deck's Game Mode for advanced features. Follow the GitHub guide for installation. |
Decky Loader |
| Decky Plugin: AutoFlatpaks |
- |
Manage, update, and install Flatpaks directly from Game Mode, including RetroDECK. |
AutoFlatpaks |
| Decky Plugin: Decky SteamgridDB |
- |
Browse and manage Steam artwork from SteamGridDB or local files within Game Mode. |
Decky SteamgridDB |
| Decky Plugin: PowerTools |
- |
Allows tweaking of Steam Deck hardware for better performance on certain games. |
PowerTools |
| Decky Plugin: Decky LSFG-VK |
- |
Streamlines the installation of lsfg-vk: Lossless Scaling Frame Generation Vulkan layer |
Decky LSFG-VK |
| Discover Overlay |
 |
Adds Discord integration into Steam Deck's Game Mode UI. |
Discover Overlay |
Flatpak Management and Cleanup
| Tool |
Logo |
Description |
Link |
| Flatsweep |
 |
Cleans leftover data from Flatpak applications to free disk space and keep your system tidy. |
Flatsweep |
| BleachBit |
 |
Frees disk space and protects privacy by deleting caches, cookies, Internet history, temporary files, logs, and other unnecessary data. Supports cleaning a wide range of applications including Firefox, Chrome, Opera, and more. |
BleachBit |
| Flatseal |
 |
Graphical utility to review and modify permissions for Flatpak applications. |
Flatseal |
| Warehouse |
 |
Toolbox for managing complex Flatpak options with a simple UI, avoiding the command line. |
Warehouse |
Game & Emulation Management
| Tool |
Logo |
Description |
Link |
| JRomManager |
 |
A ROM manager written in Java that allows you to manage and verify your ROMs via .dat files. |
JRomManager |
| RomM |
 |
RomM allows you to scan, enrich, browse, and play your game collection with a clean and responsive interface. Supports multiple platforms, naming schemes, and custom tags. |
RomM |
| ProtonUp-Qt |
 |
Install and manage Wine- and Proton-based compatibility tools for Steam and Lutris using this graphical interface. |
ProtonUp-Qt |
Open Source Games Lists
The following lists provide a collection of open-source video games and open-source remakes of commercial games:
| List |
Link |
Description |
| bobeff: Open Source Games List |
GitHub |
A curated list of open-source games across multiple platforms. |
| leereilly: Games on GitHub |
GitHub |
A collection of games hosted on GitHub, covering various genres and engines. |
| radek-sprta: Awesome Game Remakes |
GitHub |
A list of open-source remakes of popular commercial games. |
| Open Source Games List (OSGL) |
OSGL |
A comprehensive catalog of open-source games with links and descriptions. |
| LibreGameWiki |
LibreGameWiki |
A wiki dedicated to documenting libre and open-source games. |
| Open Source Game Clones |
OSGameClones |
Focuses on open-source clones of commercial games. |
| Wikipedia: Open Source Games |
Wikipedia |
A Wikipedia list of open-source video games. |
Game Software Clients / Installers
| Client |
Logo |
Description |
Link |
| Steam |
 |
Steam is a software distribution service with an online store, automated installation, automatic updates, achievements, SteamCloud save synchronization, and many social features. RetroDECK uses Steam Input for advanced controller profiles. Launching RetroDECK via Steam enhances your experience. Available as a Flatpak or native package; native is recommended for better compatibility. |
Steam, Flathub |
| Lutris |
 |
Lutris is an interface to manage and play games on Linux, integrating multiple stores including GOG, Steam, Epic, Itch.io, Battle.net, and more. |
Lutris |
| Minigalaxy |
 |
A simple GOG client for Linux that lets you download, install, and play your GOG Linux games with minimal setup. |
Minigalaxy |
| Heroic Games Launcher |
 |
An open-source games launcher supporting Epic Games Store (via Legendary), GOG (via custom implementation), and Amazon Games (via Nile). |
Heroic |
| itch |
 |
The unofficial itch.io app for Linux. Manage your downloads, keep games updated, access collections, and browse new titles directly in-app. |
itch |
| Bottles |
 |
Run Windows applications and games on Linux. Organize software into categories and optimize each application with various tools and integrations. |
Bottles |
| Prism Launcher (Minecraft Java) |
 |
Custom Minecraft Java client to manage multiple installations and mods. Supports JVM arguments and optimizations per instance or globally. |
Prism Launcher |
| Minecraft JVM Optimizations |
- |
Guide for JVM arguments to improve performance for Minecraft Java. Can be applied in Prism Launcher under Settings → Java → JVM arguments. |
Minecraft JVM Arguments |
| mcpelauncher (Minecraft Bedrock) |
 |
Unofficial, unstable launcher for Minecraft Bedrock Edition (Android version) on Linux and macOS. |
mcpelauncher |
Game Streaming
| Client |
Logo |
Description |
Link |
| Greenlight |
 |
Open-source client for xCloud and Xbox home streaming, built in TypeScript. |
Greenlight |
| Chiaki-NG |
 |
Free and open-source client for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 Remote Play on Linux and other systems. |
Chiaki-NG |
| Moonlight |
 |
Allows you to play PC games on almost any device, locally or remotely. |
Moonlight |
| Sunshine |
 |
Self-hosted game stream host for Moonlight. Supports low-latency streaming and hardware encoding on AMD, Intel, and Nvidia GPUs. |
Sunshine |
| Steam Link |
 |
Stream games from your PC to other devices on the same network. Supports controllers and Steam integration. |
Steam Link |