Steam Deck: The Ultimate EmuDeck Beginner's Guide v3 (EmuDeck 3.x / ES-DE 3.x / Missing Emus)

v3 Update: Complete with new EmuDeck 3.x and Emulation Station 3.x and new techniques!

I've been asked many times - despite the plethora of EmuDeck videos on youTube - to do a complete beginner's guide to installing, configuring and using EmuDeck.

I did it - but it is already out of date with new versions replacing the old.

Well, here it is. I'll take you through all the features, help you set up "the hard parts" and give you some insight on the tool. As usual we'll "teach" as we "do" - and once you're done with this video - you'll be ready to tackle almost anything within EmuDeck's framework.

Yes, we're going to show you how to "put back in" those recently "removed" Ninty emulators as well. Update: You'll need to set Emulation Station to use Y*** (not shown) ... You need to change the default emulator. MAIN MENU, OTHER SETTINGS, ALTERNATIVE EMULATORS ... I'm guessing you can figure it out from there...

Chapter Jumps
00:00 - Intro Note
00:07 - Bumper
00:15 - Recommended Dolphin File Manager Video
00:35 - Downloading and Running Installer
01:10 - Setting a SUDO Password
01:36 - Installing (Custom Mode)
01:58 - The New Way To Choose A Location (Symlink Edition)
03:28 - Choosing Emulators and Configs
04:08 - Auto Saves
04:13 - Configuring RetroAchievements
04:35 - Bezels, aspect ratios and shaders
04:58 - Controller Layout
05:16 - Front Ends
05:26 - Emulation Station Themes
05:40 - Pegasus Themes
05:51 - Install Starts / Tips
06:40 - Help With Stalled Installer
07:34 - Manual Game Copy (and Why)
08:17 - Launcher Selection
08:35 - Post Installation Warning!
08:55 - Re-Run (shows hotfixes and other things)
09:27 - Injecting ES-DE to Steam with Steam Rom Manager
10:18 - Testing ES-DE Injection (with Error discussion)
10:41 - Understanding Where BIOS/ROMS Go (and the HOW and WHY)
11:36 - Using BIOS Checker Before Copying
12:23 - Copying my BIOS backup to Emulation/bios
12:45 - Using BIOS Checker AFTER Copying
12:57 - Copying ROMS (with tricks and tips)
14:20 - PSX Action with ES-DE
15:23 - Inject Einhander PSX into Steam via Steam Rom Manager
17:15 - Testing the Injected Game (A Look at Steam after Injection)
18:20 - Scraping metadata into ES-DE (feat. PSX)
19:34 - Restoring Y*** Emulator Back Into EmuDeck
21:10 - Restoring the 3DS Emulator Back Into EmuDeck
22:01 - Adding Proper Configuration to Y*** and 3DS Emulator with EmuDeck
23:42 - Miscellaneous Features of EmuDeck / Closing

RECOMMENDED WATCHING
Dolphin Tricks and Tips

EmuDeck 101 - What Is It and How Does It Work? (Index Card Instruction)

Batocera (Showcase, Install and vs. EmuDeck)

Access Deck's Drives As A Drives on Windows (SSH+SSHFS) - New 2023 Edition

Compress Your Emulation Images and Save Up To 70% (Windows and Steam Deck)

EmuDeck Store: Easily Get Free Games (and my Top 10 Favorite!)

Move your EmuDeck to Another Deck - Backup Tool Part 1 - Exporting (w/metadata)

Steam Deck: Understanding and Setting Up EmuDeck's Arcade Games

#steamdeck #steamdeckoled #emulation #emudeck #mame #classicgaming #retrogaming #emulationstation

[DctrDRK]

The virtual directory and installing the standalone emulators are two great pieces of advice! I wish I had known about them sooner.

[roanries]

Followed your old video but haven't really started emulating games, Ill just re-install and follow this update video, thanks

[sofrits]

Fantastic walkthrough! Thank you so much

[AdamBoa]

the best beginner's guide for emudeck ever

[feeshifeeshi]

Great video! Very informative and easy to follow

[valhallaoutcast]

great updated guide, now we will need a way to move our old Rom location to this new semilink method haha

[weealexZ]

Thanks for the video only video that helped me

I swear downloading emulation for the first time is like going to war.

I feel like that picture of goku when he is in the crater

[_WolfeRacing]

When I am hitting custom I am getting a different file directory than Dolphin?

[talbi]

Hey MonroeWorld, is it possible to re-route using the virtual symlink method if my setup has already be done the standard way as in selecting the SD card in the inital setup etc I hope this makes sense, would like to use this symlink method but worried it will screw my current setup games and saves etc? cheers

[sichambers]

I've been using dolphin for game cube emulation and some of the control schemes are awful. Because I've used the Emulation station front end, does that mean i cant set up deck profiles for individual emulated titles? On the steam input ES seems to have various action sets for different emulators yet i cant see one for Dolphin which is odd.

Do you have any suggestions as to how to get steam control profiles for individual titles and whether steam input will work with emulated titles the same as regular steam games?

[helpzeagedzimmerframegamer]

Hiya wonder if you can help. Upgraded to esde v3 few days back after having a fully working emustation. Have finally got it back to where its about to run "scanning games" it gets half way through the process and just crashes the app. Any ideas? Any and all help would be amazing as its now making my brain ache
cheers

[spiXelg]

The screen is different at 9:38 now. I got ES-DE (Program) injected into steam, but it won't open. I tried re-injecting (repeating the steps at 9:27 and it did not work. Any insight?

[StormRage]

Confused on setting mine up. My bios folder doesnt have folders for certain emulators. Do i just create folders for those?

[senorsombrero]

Can you do a guide for those of us holding off on updating emudeck on our decks considering the recent issues with emudeck on recent updates?

[superdragonever]

I made a sudo password a while back when I was trying to get powertools all setup for emudeck but unfortunately I forgot it. Is there a solution?

[andresturge]

Can u pls help me, my game shows up in steam rom manager but doesnt show up in the emulator folder i have to search and add it .

[kellendavis]

So my deck just arrived and I’m following along ready to get going. First issue, is that my emudeck install/download is taking FOREVER. I’ve been watching sonic run for a bit now.

[akasavitar]

I did that been up for hrs I can’t get it to work with es like I actually have the games in es but it’s fine I can still play doe thanks 🙏

[JasonRobert]

This is a very helpful video! After installing EmuDeck though, it doesn't show any of the menus (BIOS checkers, etc), instead it just shows the installation options (easy or custom) - I wonder is this because my steam deck crashes after the installation in desktop mode? FWIW, it seems my deck crashes quite often in desktop mode.

I have no problem running EmulationStation and playing the ROMs from both desktop and game modes, but I was wondering is it better if I just format my steam deck and microSD, and redo the installation all over again? I don't have lots of data or configurations yet (just got the deck over the weekend).

Again, thanks for such an informative video, any help is appreciated!

[jonizeh]

15:13 How can you close an emulated game? Especially when you are launching Emu Station via the SteamOS Steam Library. Which buttons do I have to press to exit? I am currently stuck in a DS Game and dont know how to quit.

For future: Is there a way to look up how all the controls work? (Close Game, Save State, etc.)

And thanks for your awesome guide!😊