Before we got our hands on the Steam Deck, we joked that it would have a launch lineup vast and deep enough to put every console in history to shame. Steam is a truly massive collection of PC games assembled across two decades, and Valve's ambition was for the Steam Deck to be able to run every game on its platform.
Now that the Steam Deck is available, that optimism hasn't quite panned out—at least not yet. Valve has only managed to "verify" a small portion of Steam's vast library, and there are definitely Steam games that don't work properly on the Deck right now. There are also games that just aren't particularly well suited to playing on the handheld, either because they're best experienced with a mouse and keyboard or because they're too demanding to play on the Deck without major compromises.
All that said, there are still tons of amazing games on Steam that run fantastically on the Deck and make for great handheld experiences. It really has had the kind of launch lineup most consoles could only dream of.
Here's what we're playing on the Steam Deck right now, and recommend to anyone getting one of their own in the coming months.
Six perfect Steam Deck games
- Monster Hunter Rise: Originally on Switch, Rise can be a portable game on the Deck once again, but with an average framerate much closer to 60 than 20.
- Stardew Valley: An ideal "second screen" game to spend hours in, and you can pick up your farm from where you left off on PC. Verified.
- Hades: Runs better on Steam Deck than the Switch, and you probably haven't maxed out every weapon aspect yet. Verified.
- Portal 2: A Valve classic that doesn't demand twitchy FPS skills. Test chambers are ideal for short play sessions. Verified.
- Yakuza 0: A big, meaty adventure that can run at 60 fps on the Deck. Karaoke here, there, and everywhere. Verified.
- Astalon: Tears of the Earth: An underappreciated Metroidvania with an NES aesthetic, and one of our favorite games of 2021.
Great Steam Deck Verified games
These games all got a "Verified" seal of approval from Valve, meaning you shouldn't even have to tinker with the controls or pull up the on-screen keyboard to play them. We've tested them out ourselves and think they're all an ideal match for the Deck.
Death's Door | 2021
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage space: 5GB
A tightly paced action game that feels like a compact modern-day Zelda. It isn't as grandiose and sprawling as Hollow Knight, but as we wrote in our review, Death's Door is a microscopic epic. Runs at 60 fps on Deck.
Return of the Obra Dinn | 2018
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage space: 2GB
Our 2018 game of the year. The Steam Deck can easily handle Obra Dinn's "1-bit" aesthetic, and its slow, exploratory pacing suits relaxing in a comfy chair to unravel the ship's mystery. Just keep a notebook handy if you hope to crack the case.
Psychonauts 2 | 2021
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage space: 30GB
Double Fine's long-awaited sequel turned out to be another very good platformer, which our Psychonauts 2 review calls "a glorious return to one of gaming's most inventive and empathic universes." Not available on the Switch, so the Steam Deck brings an excellent chance to play this funny game on the go.
Sable | 2021
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage space: 3GB
We scored this laid-back coming of age adventure a whopping 93% in our Sable review and have no doubt it will make an excellent Steam Deck game. Its lovely style, chill story, and small install size make it a great fit for going handheld.
Sekiro | 2019
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage space: 25GB
Rather than pace your apartment between gos at Genichiro, imagine whipping out the Deck throughout a leisurely Saturday, spacing out attempts to stab the man with oat milk lattes and rose garden walks. A true warrior's way.
Death Stranding | 2020
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage Space: 80GB
Our game of the year from 2020 looks amazing on a 4K display, yet also scales down to the Deck's hardware and still runs well. Its slow-paced deliveries are a good fit for the portable life.
Shadow Tactics | 2016
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage Space: 13GB
A fantastic tactical stealth game that hasn't been handheld before. Thoughtful planning and execution are a perfect fit for the Steam Deck, and it's as light footed on your storage space as your team will be in game. You can see just how much we loved it in our Shadow Tactics review.
Disco Elysium | 2019
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage Space: 9.5GB
Our 2019 game of the year is a surprisingly good fit for the Deck despite being a text-heavy, mouse-driven PC game. Excellent controller mapping helps Disco Elysium translate well to the Deck, and there are settings that keep text legible and performance and battery life dialed in for the handheld. Hobo cop rides again.
Valheim | 2021
✅ Steam Deck verified
Storage Space: 1GB
There are two parts to Valheim. The sprawling adventure and combat in the massive world, and the cozy relaxation of puttering around your Viking base. Delving into swamp crypts and taking on Yagluth is probably best on desktop, but taking care of your turnip crops, fiddling with your base, and watching the sunset from your front porch feels like a nice experience for the Deck.
Try these Steam Deck picks next
These games aren't marked as Verified on the Steam Deck, but that doesn't mean they aren't a good fit for the system. Some simply require choosing a controller profile or using the virtual keyboard to enter text.
Monster Train | 2020
Steam rating: Unsupported (but it works!)
Storage space: 2GB
Our favorite deckbuilder after Slay the Spire, and it's still not on Switch or mobile. Monster Train's strategy lies is in how you combine its demon factions. Intro video is messed up on the Deck, but otherwise it works beautifully.
Final Fantasy X/X-2
Steam rating: Untested
Storage space: 37GB
Two Final Fantasys in one package, and thanks to their age they run smooth as butter on the Deck without hammering your battery life. Jump straight to X-2 if you want to play the silliest game in the series (which also happens to have maybe its best battle system).
Loop Hero | 2021
Steam rating: Playable
Storage space: 200MB
Loop Hero was a surprise gem in early 2021 and it's likely to be a nice fit for the portable Steam Deck. With its tiny install size, this is a great one to chew through time next to any bigger games you're keeping on that Deck SSD.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection | 2019
Steam rating: Unsupported (multiplayer anti-cheat)
Storage space: 43GB min, 125GB total
It's five full Halo games, their multiplayer modes, and mod support all in one package. Halo was built for gamepad controls, so any game in the series should feel great on the Deck. The whole package is massive, but handily you can choose to install individual games.
Wildermyth | 2021
Steam rating: Untested
Storage space: 2GB
An RPG that actually manages to pull off procedural storytelling, both for your characters and the quests you embark upon. It does a miraculously good job of emulating the experience of playing a tabletop game with a human DM, and the turn-based battles and dialogue sequences are quick enough to work well in 30 minute chunks.