If you’re just setting up a Steam Deck for the first time — perhaps you’re lucky enough to get one of the limited-edition white models — or you’re dusting off your Deck after a little break, I’ve put together some recommendations of great games from this year, along with one update to a classic.

There's a lot to like about the hardware beyond the screen as well. The analog sticks are sturdy and reliable, the d-pad is a little weirdly placed but otherwise great, and everything else about it feels sufficiently premium. It's a little on the heavy side, but given how much tech is packed into this thing, that's more than forgivable.

Ahead of the Switch 2 reveal, you may be surprised to know that the best console for hardcore and lapsed gamers alike is already here – and the Steam Deck is a fantastic purchase

Configure Controls and Settings: After setting up RPCS3 and adding your games, configure the control settings to your preference. The Steam Deck’s controls can be mapped to replicate the PS3 controller layout. Additionally, adjust the graphics and performance settings within RPCS3 to achieve the best balance between performance and visual quality.

It’s a tad rote to extol the virtues of Valve’s Steam Deck in 2024; it’s been the handheld PC that’s had gaming and tech journalists alike wax lyrical about it. Yet here I am, about to tell you why it’s my most-played games device over the past 12 to 18 months.

The Steam Deck is one of the best portable gaming devices around, despite one major shortcoming: It doesn’t run Windows. Unlike the Asus ROG Ally, the Lenovo Legion Go, and a fleet of other devices that come with Windows preinstalled,