A Steam Deck and a Snack Box MICRO together fit in a small bag and give you your whole Steam fighting game library anywhere: hotel rooms, road trips, casuals between pools. Here's how to set it up.

Connecting the MICRO to your Steam Deck

1. Plug the MICRO into the Deck's USB-C port with a USB-C to USB-C cable, or use a USB-C hub or dock.
2. Run the MICRO in PC mode (see the configurator for mode settings). Steam Input will recognize it as a controller.
3. If you're playing with the Deck's built-in controls disabled, set the MICRO as Player 1 in the Quick Access menu's controller settings.

Configure your layout and SOCD settings ahead of time at config.junkfoodarcades.com. New to SOCD? Read Understanding SOCD.

On a budget? The MICRO LITE is built specifically for PC and Switch, which makes it a great Steam Deck companion at $99.

Power: what you need to know

The Steam Deck has one USB-C port. If the MICRO is plugged into it directly, you can't charge at the same time.

• Short sessions: plug directly into the Deck. The MICRO is a low-draw wired controller.
• Long sessions: use a USB-C hub or dock with power delivery (PD) passthrough. Plug your Deck charger into the hub and the MICRO into one of its USB ports. That way you can play for hours without draining the battery.
• Away from outlets: a USB-C PD power bank connected to a PD passthrough hub will extend your session.
• Save battery: lower the Deck's screen brightness and cap the frame rate (40 or 30 fps) in demanding 3D fighters.

Great fighting games to play on MICRO + Steam Deck

• Street Fighter 6
• Tekken 8: leverless is huge in Tekken for crisp movement
• Guilty Gear -Strive-
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
• Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes
• Skullgirls 2nd Encore
• BlazBlue: Central Fiction
• Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection and Capcom Fighting Collection
• Them's Fightin' Herds
• Avatar Legends
• KOF

Before buying, check each game's Steam Deck compatibility rating on its Steam page, since performance and online features can change with updates. Lighter 2D fighters tend to hold frame rate and battery best.

Travel tips

• Pack a short cable. A 1 ft USB-C cable keeps the setup tidy on a lap or tray table.
• A kickstand or small dock keeps the Deck upright while your hands are on the MICRO.
• Check your SOCD mode before online matches.

More tips in Gaming on the Go with a leverless controller.

Want analog games on the Deck too? See SWORL + Steam Deck. For more on travel setups, read Best Portable Fight Stick 2026.

Get your Snack Box MICRO →