That’s why RetroDECK stands out to me. It doesn’t portray retro gaming like a checklist of consoles to emulate, instead it treats it like a whole space to explore. You’ve got emulators, sure, but also interesting engines, ports, tools: things that go beyond just “run this ROM.” It feels less like setting up a bunch of systems and more like opening a door to everything that retro gaming actually is, and maybe can be to you too. Not just the big, obvious classics, but the forgotten corners too. The stuff you didn’t even realize you missed until you see it sitting there.
To dig into that idea a little deeper, I spoke with the developers of the RetroDECK team about how they view retro gaming, emulation, and gaming as a whole. What comes through clearly is that RetroDECK isn’t just a tool, it’s their way of bringing all of those experiences together. Their ongoing effort to make the full spectrum of gaming history easier to access, understand, and enjoy.
It looks like it's as legally close to plug n play as you can get for many retro titles! I don't get this PortMaster program though. I don't see a way to search for ports in the app and it doesn't...
It looks like it's as legally close to plug n play as you can get for many retro titles!
I don't get this PortMaster program though. I don't see a way to search for ports in the app and it doesn't appear to list all the ones on the website. It seems like it is configured to filter to steam deck by default. But I ran several not listed for deck on deck no problem. Couldn't find a setting that limited it to deck verified to disable, nor in the start up script, nor in the PortMaster data folder. I can see all the ports in a json though.
Wasn't there another tool shared here that comprehensively looked up a source port for your steam game? Perhaps that can fill the niche for me instead.
So it seems great if you want to slam in a ROM and go, the systems list in the directory says it supports 171 systems, so that's impressive if they work as well as my snes test. The native IPS patcher is also neat.
I'm glad they've got a vision, I see a handy tool that I'll probably keep using, but they see something more and that's what drove them to make something good.
Portmaster is intended for ARM based handhelds, so while it’s officially supported on Steam Deck, it may not operate as intended and ports that are on the website may not be supported on x86....
Portmaster is intended for ARM based handhelds, so while it’s officially supported on Steam Deck, it may not operate as intended and ports that are on the website may not be supported on x86. There’s technical support available on their Discord if you’re willing to give that a go.
Been playing a few GBA games on retrodeck lately (Metroid: Zero Mission, Castlevania) and love how easy it is to get up and going. Integrates well to steam and doesn’t mess with anything due to...
Been playing a few GBA games on retrodeck lately (Metroid: Zero Mission, Castlevania) and love how easy it is to get up and going. Integrates well to steam and doesn’t mess with anything due to the flatpak nature. ES-DE UI can be a bit confusing, though.
I don't even know where to begin. The UX is a car crash. If you compare to, say Onion or MinUI on Miyoo Mini where the UX is delightful. That's the top level issue I have. But there are so many more.
I don't even know where to begin. The UX is a car crash. If you compare to, say Onion or MinUI on Miyoo Mini where the UX is delightful. That's the top level issue I have. But there are so many more.
It looks like it's as legally close to plug n play as you can get for many retro titles!
I don't get this PortMaster program though. I don't see a way to search for ports in the app and it doesn't appear to list all the ones on the website. It seems like it is configured to filter to steam deck by default. But I ran several not listed for deck on deck no problem. Couldn't find a setting that limited it to deck verified to disable, nor in the start up script, nor in the PortMaster data folder. I can see all the ports in a json though.
Wasn't there another tool shared here that comprehensively looked up a source port for your steam game? Perhaps that can fill the niche for me instead.
So it seems great if you want to slam in a ROM and go, the systems list in the directory says it supports 171 systems, so that's impressive if they work as well as my snes test. The native IPS patcher is also neat.
I'm glad they've got a vision, I see a handy tool that I'll probably keep using, but they see something more and that's what drove them to make something good.
Portmaster is intended for ARM based handhelds, so while it’s officially supported on Steam Deck, it may not operate as intended and ports that are on the website may not be supported on x86. There’s technical support available on their Discord if you’re willing to give that a go.
https://discord.gg/JxYBp9HTAY
Ah that's the piece of the puzzle I was missing, thank you kindly for the information!
Been playing a few GBA games on retrodeck lately (Metroid: Zero Mission, Castlevania) and love how easy it is to get up and going. Integrates well to steam and doesn’t mess with anything due to the flatpak nature. ES-DE UI can be a bit confusing, though.
I refuse to believe EmationStation is the final form for Linux vintage game emulators. Surely we can do so much better than that in 2026.
Asking out of curiosity: what don’t you like about EmulationStation? (I personally think it’s great.)
I don't even know where to begin. The UX is a car crash. If you compare to, say Onion or MinUI on Miyoo Mini where the UX is delightful. That's the top level issue I have. But there are so many more.