$\"Duke$ <\/p>\n

Image: Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Why did I suddenly want to play the original Duke Nukem<\/em> on my Steam Deck?<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t recall the exact reason, but I do know that after a hefty dose of Googling and a thorough amount of trial and error, Valve\u2019s gaming handheld came alive with the sounds and sights of the classic PC platformer. And just like that, I was hooked on turning the Steam Deck into a DOS gaming haven.<\/p>\n

While there are numerous ways to run classic DOS games on the Steam Deck, this guide will focus on the most straightforward option, which involves installing DOSBox in the Steam Deck\u2019s Desktop mode, then creating basic scripts to launch the original DOS files in game mode.<\/p>\n

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Further reading: <\/strong>Master your Steam Deck with these 22 tips and tricks<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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1.<\/span><\/p>\n
Enter Desktop mode<\/h3>\n
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$\"Switch$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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This part\u2019s easy: Tap the Steam button, scroll down to Power, then select \u201cSwitch to Desktop.\u201d<\/p>\n
When the desktop environment launches, you\u2019ll use the right trackpad for cursor controls, R2 and L2 for left and right click, and Steam+X to bring up the on-screen keyboard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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2.<\/span><\/p>\n
Install DOSBox<\/h3>\n
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$\"Installing$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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DOSBox is an emulator that runs classic DOS games on modern PCs, and it\u2019s easily installable through Steam\u2019s desktop mode.<\/p>\n
In the desktop taskbar, click the shopping bag icon to launch the Discover app store. Select the Home section in the left sidebar, then type \u201cDOSBox\u201d into the search field at the top. Then, click the Install button in the DOSBox entry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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3.<\/span><\/p>\n
Organize your DOS games<\/h3>\n
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$\"Steam$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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To streamline the setup process, make sure all your DOS games are in one location. Click the folder icon in the taskbar to bring up the desktop mode\u2019s file manager (called \u201cDolphin\u201d), which you can use arrange your files.<\/p>\n
For this guide, we\u2019ll assume your games are stored in the Steam Deck\u2019s Documents folder, under a subfolder called \u201cDOS.\u201d Each individual game should have its own subfolder within this \u201cDOS\u201d folder, with all necessary files extracted.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t have any DOS games yet? The and are good places to start.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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4.<\/span><\/p>\n
Create your launch file<\/h3>\n
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$\"Creating$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Inside your DOS folder, right-click on an empty space, then select Create New > Text File\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n
You\u2019ll use this file to launch one of your DOS games, so give it a name that\u2019s associated with the game, and use .sh<\/strong> instead of .txt<\/strong> for the file extension. The exact file name doesn\u2019t matter, but you could use something like \u201cdukenukem.sh\u201d for Duke Nukem as an example.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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5.<\/span><\/p>\n
Copy the launch file location<\/h3>\n
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$\"Copying$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Now, we need to edit the .sh launch file to include instructions on launching the game. But first, let\u2019s copy the location of the DOS game\u2019s .exe file to the clipboard.<\/p>\n
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Navigate inside the folder for one of your DOS games.<\/li>\n
Locate the .exe file that would typically launch the game. This typically has some resemblance to the name of the game itself.<\/li>\n
Right-click the .exe file and select \u201cCopy Location.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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6.<\/span><\/p>\n
Modify the launch file<\/h3>\n
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$\"Editing$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Right-click the .sh file and select \u201cRun with Kate\u201d to open the text editor. In the text editor, type the following:<\/p>\n
flatpak run com.dosbox.DOSBOX \"\"<\/kbd><\/strong><\/p>\n
Now, in between the two quotes above, paste the location that you copied earlier. Assuming your games are stored in the Documents folder, your text should now look something like this:<\/p>\n
flatpak run com.dosbox.DOSBOX \"\/home\/deck\/Documents\/DOS\/darkforces\/dark.exe\"<\/kbd><\/strong><\/p>\n
Click Save and close the file.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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7.<\/span><\/p>\n
Add the launch file to Steam<\/h3>\n
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$\"Adding$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The next step is to make the game launchable from inside Steam:<\/p>\n
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While in Desktop mode, launch Steam, go the \u201cGames\u201d tab in the top menu.<\/li>\n
Select \u201cAdd a non-Steam Game to My Library.\u201d<\/li>\n
Select \u201cBrowse\u2026,\u201d then locate and select the .sh file you just created.<\/li>\n
Select \u201cAdd Selected Programs.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
At this point, the .sh file should appear in your Steam library. Right click on it and select \u201cProperties,\u201d and you can rename it to the actual name of the game.<\/p>\n
Now, you can either launch the game in Desktop mode to make sure it works, or just head back to Game mode.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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8.<\/span><\/p>\n
Optional: Add artwork<\/h3>\n
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$\"Using$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Non-Steam games don\u2019t automatically come with artwork. If that bothers you, consider and the SteamGridDB plugin to easily add art from inside game mode. Alternatively, you can use to add artwork through Desktop mode.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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9.<\/span><\/p>\n
Play the game<\/h3>\n
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$\"Launching$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Back in Game mode, the DOS game will appear in the \u201cNon-Steam\u201d section of your library.<\/p>\n
Chances are the game won\u2019t work with the Steam Deck\u2019s controls by default, and if they do, they\u2019ll likely be out of line with modern controller conventions. That\u2019s where the Steam Deck\u2019s extensive button remapping features<\/a> come in handy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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10.<\/span><\/p>\n
Rinse and repeat<\/h3>\n
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$\"Creating$ <\/figure>\n
Jared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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When you\u2019re ready to add more DOS games, return to Desktop mode, then create a copy of your existing .sh file. Rename it to the game you\u2019re adding, paste in the file location, and add the new file to Steam. Repeat this process for any DOS game you\u2019d like to play on the Steam Deck, and enjoy your newfound vessel for PC gaming nostalgia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
For more ways to make the most of your Steam Deck, check out our extensive tips and tricks guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n
<\/body><\/div>\n
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\n\t\tAuthor: Jared Newman<\/a> \t\t<\/h3>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Jared Newman has been helping folks make sense of technology for over a decade, writing for PCWorld, TechHive, and elsewhere. He also publishes two newsletters, Advisorator<\/a> for straightforward tech advice and Cord Cutter Weekly<\/a> for saving money on TV service.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Read More<\/a>
\n Thomas Kazmierczak<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Image: Jared Newman \/ Foundry Why did I suddenly want to play the original Duke Nukem on my Steam Deck? I can\u2019t recall the exact reason, but I do know that after a hefty dose of Googling and a thorough amount of trial and error, Valve\u2019s gaming handheld came alive with the sounds and sights<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":612131,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3291,22595,46],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-612130","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-games","8":"category-steam","9":"category-technology"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612130","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=612130"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/612130\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/612131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=612130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=612130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=612130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

Enter Desktop mode<\/h3>\n\n<\/figure>\nJared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Rinse and repeat<\/h3>\n\n<\/figure>\nJared Newman \/ Foundry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\t\t\n\t\tAuthor: Jared Newman<\/a> \t\t<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n