Stardew Valley is a great game to have on your Steam Deck. The story of the game revolves around a boy who inherits a farm from his grandfather and completes daily quests to develop the farm further.
The best feature of the game is that the player is free to choose how they proceed, including growing crops, raising livestock, fishing, foraging, and exploring the area. The game also features a multiplayer mode, in which up to four players can cooperate to complete tasks on the farm.
The launch of Steam Deck gave Stardew Valley a significant boost. Some major benefits of playing Stardew Valley on Steam Deck are easy controls, outstanding performance, and support for mods.
Read on to learn more about some of the game’s best mods, controls, and performance tips.
Stardew Valley on Steam Deck
Stardew Valley is officially available on Steam and fully playable on the recently launched Steam Deck.
You can find the game listed on the Steam Store and easily download it on your Steam Deck to play it on the go. One of the best features of playing Stardew Valley on a Steam Deck is that it is easy to control, supports mods, and lets you enjoy the game on the go.
Here are some tips and tricks for you to experience Stardew Valley at its best.
Mods for Stardew Valley
Mods are one of the best ways to customize a game’s appearance while still being able to play it as usual. For example, you can switch your in-game character with a third-party illustration, modify the environment, or alter the game’s rules using mods.
However, you cannot install a mod for Stardew Valley on Steam Deck without a mod launcher.
SMAPI.io is probably the best and most stable launcher for installing Stardew Valley mods on a Steam Deck.
Here’s how you can set up the mod launcher to play Stardew Valley with mods on your Steam Deck.
Using SMAPI.io to Install Stardew Valley Mods on Steam Deck
Step1: Click on the power option from the menu and switch to Desktop mode.
Step 2: Open a browser and navigate to smapi.io
Step 3: Click the Download Button and extract all files from the ZIP file.
Step 4: Open a terminal window and install the “install on Linux.sh” file.
Step 5: Follow the on-screen instructions and answer the program’s queries.
Step 6: Now, head to the nexusmods website and download any mods you’d like to play on Stardew Valley.
Step 7: Extract the Mod Files Folder and move it to Stardew Valley’s Mods folder. You can use the steam library to find Stardew Valley’s local files by clicking on the game’s properties > local files > browse.
Step 8: Navigate to the Stardew Valley folder and find the file named “Stardew Valley”
Step 9: Open the file using any text editor and change the Check Terminal value to True. (it will be false initially, and you will have to repeat steps 8 & 9 whenever you update the mod launcher)
Step 10: All done; you can now play any mod for Stardew Valley on your Steam Deck without any errors.
Best Stardew Valley Mods for Steam Deck
Here are some of the best Stardew Valley mods for your Steam Deck.
- Stardew Valley Expanded
- Better Ranching
- Attractive Standard Farm
- Gift Taste Helper
- Ellie’s Ideal Greenhouse
Tip: Remember that multiple mods for Stardew Valley are available on Nexus Mods. Therefore, you can always download a new mod for the game if you get bored.
Stardew Valley Performance on Steam Deck
Stardew Valley works like a charm on the Steam Deck with solid 60 FPS and a stutter-free gaming experience. The game runs in a native resolution of 1280 x 800p and has enough details visible to play it for extended periods without straining your eyes.
We understand that you may find it difficult to install new game mods or understand its controls if you are just starting with gaming on a Steam Deck.
However, we did notice that controls were a bit sluggish when the game ran for more than an hour on the Steam Deck. The device was also overheating after an extended gaming session, which did not trigger any thermal throttling but lowered the responsiveness of the character.
Possible Issues and Fixes
Note: Mods are not guaranteed to have as much stability as the base game. Therefore, you can expect bugs and performance issues when using a mod for Stardew Valley on a Steam Deck. However, there is a simple fix to this problem found in a Reddit Thread.
If you notice your game is freezing or ghosting frames when playing with mods on a Steam Deck, you can simply follow these steps to clear any runtime errors or performance issues with the mods.
- Go to Manage
- Open Properties
- Change Forced Compatibility with Proton Experimental
That’s all you can do to address the issue. If the problem persists, try reinstalling the game without any mods. However, for any further assistance, feel free to contact support.
Using Steam Deck Controls in Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is not a very hard game to learn, and you can get familiar with its controls within a short time, even if you are just starting on a Steam Deck. However, you may need to remember a few buttons and know how to move joysticks.
If you have used a controller before, you can quickly understand and control your character in the game. Alternatively, you can use this steam guide to understand the control schemes better and learn some general information about Steam Deck.
Features of Steam Deck Controls
Here are some of the most highlighting features of a Steam Deck’s controls and buttons.
- Customizable Buttons
- Responsive Dual-Touchpads
- Comfortable Reach
- Premium Joysticks
Remarks: Even though the Steam Deck provides some good features in its control schemes, the buggy software makes them problematic for gaming as there’s sometimes a minor delay in input registration.
Using The Steam Deck Docked Mode
You can use Docked Mode to connect your Steam Deck device to an external display. In docked mode, the screen of your Steam Deck will go dark to save power. However, you can still use your device’s controls.
Surprisingly, playing games in Docked Mode seem to have a positive impact on your battery life and increases the gameplay time by 5-10 minutes.
Is Steam Deck Worth It?
Steam Deck is relatively new in the console market and still has a lot of ground to cover before it can be recommended. Additionally, if you are into big screens and high refresh rates, keep in mind that Steam Deck might not be the best option.
Conclusion: Stardew Valley on Steam Deck
Stardew Valley is an excellent game for anyone who enjoys farming or simulation games. It is well-made and has charming pixel art alongside an immersive soundtrack.
The gameplay is deep and satisfying, with plenty of room for exploration and character customization. The Steam Deck is an excellent platform to try new mods of Stardew Valley and play the unmodded version due to its good portable performance, providing an easy way to access the game on the go.
Additionally, you get about 1.5 hours of gameplay time on a fully charged Steam Deck. In docked mode, you can get more juice out of the battery and get around 1.7 hours of gameplay.
Overall, Stardew Valley is a must-play for anyone who enjoys indie types of games on Steam Deck.