It wasn’t for a long time, but apparently they were able to crack it for emulation. That said, the whole appeal of the Analogue was for the genuine, native playback of physical cartridges. Emulation doesn’t seem to have basic features you’d expect from an emulation device like save states or fast-forward. If I were you, I’d go for something like the RG35xx or the Miyoo Mini +
That dude left out a couple negatives.
First, all games will default to the Deck’s output resolution. You need to go to the game’s settings before launching to set the resolution to match the TV’s.
Since running a game at a higher resolution hurts performance, you’ll usually get worse performance docked than handheld unless you’re ok with using a lower resolution intentionally.
There are various issues with external controllers. Here are a few that I’ve had personally:
PS5 controller developing input lag over the course of an hour. Need to disconnect and reconnect.
Double inputs caused by Steam Input happening on top of a game’s built-in input
Some games not correctly interpreting multiple controllers because the Deck’s controls still register as a controller while docked
Some games like Stardew Valley not accepting controller input without going into settings and reordering
Not reconnecting to Bluetooth controllers automatically, needing to go to settings and manually connect (for some reason this doesn’t happen with Xbox controllers for me)
Unrelated to controllers, there are some other dock issues:
Constant audio buzzing and disconnect while docked. Need to enable Developer mode and change a setting to fix.
Severe UI slowdown while docked.
These are all with the official Steam dock. So yeah, it’s not the seamless Switch-like experience a lot of Deck users pretend it is.
I also picked up Haunting Ground on my SD after seeing Spnere Hunter’s video raving about it. Fantastic horror game for sure.
For some reason this post reminds me of the good old N64 days where you had to load a vibration pak into the controller. Good time, good times.
I used to think this until I got 7th Heaven running on the deck. Wide screen, enhanced textures and character models, 60fps, orchestral soundtrack, and I even added the delightfully amateur voice acting mod.
It was a massive pain to set up, but now I can’t imagine going back.
Depending on the game, Steam Deck makes connecting multiple controllers a massive pain. Switch you press one button and they’re connected.
Trying to get Kirby Air Ride to acknowledge all four controllers on Steam Deck for split screen is a goddamn nightmare.
But the switch doesn’t have Kirby Air Ride at all, sooo one point for the Steam deck there?
But emulating console games built around a controller using M+KB is so uncomfortable.
8bitdo is the way to go for sure. Can’t beat that dpad. I personally use the 8BitDo Ultimate since it has a 2.4 connector built into the dock. I have the dock plugged into my Steam Deck dock, so it’s perfect for emulation on the big screen. Then if I turn on my Switch, I flip the toggle to Bluetooth on the controller and it becomes a Switch Pro controller.
To quote Dunkey in his Xenonlade 2 video: why are her boobs bigger than her head??!
I read a book called Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents. My mom is similar, and it gave me a lot of insight into why she behaves the way she does, and how I may have developed unhealthy coping mechanisms as a result. Highly recommend.
The only thing you’d be missing is the anti-glare screen that comes with the top model.
Heads up since everyone is recommending Retroarch:
Retroarch has a SIGNIFICANT learning curve. There are so many settings hidden in menus and submenus. I recommend looking up some YouTube videos before diving in if you’re a fist-timer, since it can get overwhelming really quickly.
It depends on a few factors. First, what is the quality of the power bank? If it supports USB-C and has fast charging, it will likely be able to keep up with the Deck’s power draw. However, it also depends on the game you’re playing. Something AAA that drops your battery life to <2 hours may use more power than the bank can provide. That said, as long as you’re taking breaks and putting the system to sleep, the bank should be able to catch up.
The Deck has a 5300mAh capacity. Most high quality power banks are around 10000, so you should be able to double or triple the battery life.
First load after a reboot takes over a minute usually. Pretty normal load times.
The dock has been fantastic. Quick tip: make sure you go to your game preferences before launching and change resolution from Default to Native, otherwise it will still output with the Deck’s resolution instead of 1080p+
A simple upvote doesn’t do this comment justice. The Steam Deck completely changed how I play games. It is a must buy.
Love my Miyoo Mini. Games like Zelda give my hand cramps on it, but it’s fantastic for RPGs. I’m partway through Final Fantasy VII on it.
It’s funny that people are arguing against you when the DS, Switch, and Gameboy/GBC are the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th top selling gaming consoles of all time. Like yeah, they’re all Nintendo consoles, but if other companies put in the same effort and marketing, they’d likely have similar results.