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The Commodore Amiga was a computer gaming system that featured advanced games for its time, with titles that displayed animation, colors, and sound that were often better than the SNES and Sega Megadrive/Genesis. It featured notable games likePrince of Persia, Flashback, and Speedball 2.It was closer to a PC than a gaming console with its own operating system, screen, keyboard, and mouse.
The Amiga PC series, which operated from 1985 to 1996, continues to be remembered affectionately by those who grew up using these machines. Whether you want to capture your youth or try some Amiga titles as a retro gaming enthusiast, this guide will take you through the steps of running Amiga Games on the Steam Deck.
Updated on August 02, 2025 by Michael Llewellyn:By default the Decky Loader app requires users to input their sudo password before installing it. The sudo password acts as protection against third-party programs like Decky Loader. As Decky Loader is a requirement to run retro games like Amiga titles without issue, this guide is updated to include the steps for setting up a sudo password on the Steam Deck’s Desktop Mode.
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Before Installing EmuDeck
The Amiga is a complicated system to emulate, but the EmuDeck program and the built-in Emulation Station app running the games on the Steam Deck are less troublesome with the right steps:
Transfer The Amiga Games & Kickstart Files
The Kickstart files are similar to the console’s BIOS files. For the emulators to function properly, the files must be organized into the appropriate folders. Unfortunately, like the ROMS you must look for the Kickstart files and how to obtain them yourself.
Transfer The Kickstart Files
Transfer The Amiga Games
With the Kickstart files in place, it’s time to transfer yourAmiga gamesinto the correct folder.
If your ROMs are for the Amiga 1200 series or Amiga CD32 files, transfer them to the appropriate folders.
Steam ROM Manager
With the Kickstart files and the games in their correct folders, it’s time to add your games to the Steam Deck library.
Fix Missing Artwork
If your game’s cover art is missing, use the following steps to add it.
Uploading Missing Artwork
If an emulated game does not have cover art, you can upload your own by using an image search in Google Images or DuckDuckGo.
Playing Amiga Games On The Steam Deck
You can now play your Amiga games directly from the Steam Deck’s library or use Emulation Station.
Emulation Station
Alternatively, you’re able to play your Amiga games through the Emulation Station program by using the following steps.
If you have trouble running Amiga games from the Steam Deck’s library, the Emulation Station program should run them without issue, and it makes it easier to access the RetroArch settings.
Install Decky Loader On The Steam Deck
Despite its age, the Amiga is a complex machine to emulate on other devices. The EmuDeck developers recommend installing the Decky Loader app and the Power Tools plugin to adjust the SMTs on your Steam Deck. Use the following steps for instructions.
For better navigation, it is advisable to connect a wireless or wired keyboard and mouse to the Steam Deck. Alternatively, you can utilize the onscreen keyboard and trackpads.
Create A Sudo Password
The Decky Loader program may require yoursudo password.To set this up use the following steps:
Install The Power Tools Plugin
With Decky Loader installed, you can improve their performance by installing Power Tools and modifying your settings.
Power Tools Settings For Emulated Games
Restoring Decky Loader After A Steam Deck Update
Many major updates for the Steam Deck significantly alter the user interface (UI), which can render some third-party applications, like Decky Loader, incompatible with features on the device. To recover your Decky Loader program and any installed plugins, such as Power Tools, follow these steps.
That’s everything in place to run games as complex as the Amiga library on the Steam Deck.
