Cozy Game Restoration on Steam Deck: Controls and Settings

Is Cozy Game Restoration Steam Deck ready?

It is the target device, not a port. The Steam store page states the game “runs great on desktop, but it is being built from the ground up for Steam Deck”, and the demo patches show the work: a controller pan fix, resolution fixes, UI scaling updates and controller sensitivity tuning all shipped during 2026.

The store does not carry a formal Deck Verified badge yet, because the game is not released. Treat “built for Deck” as the developer’s stated intent and check the rating after launch.

What controls does it support?

Input	Support
Gamepad	Full controller support
DualShock 4	Supported
DualSense	Supported
Keyboard and mouse	Supported
Steam Deck built-in controls	Yes, the intended layout

The demo also added a continuous-cleaning hotkey on both input types — Tab on keyboard, Square (Xbox X) on a controller — plus D-pad tool cycling, which is the difference between a comfortable Deck session and thumb cramp.

What settings should I change first?

Four, in this order:

1. Tool toggle press — enable it so tools stay engaged without holding a trigger. It lives in both the main options and the in-game options menu.
2. Controller sensitivity — the developer has said sensitivity is still being tuned; set it before your first cartridge and revisit after.
3. UI scaling — the demo’s resolution and scaling fixes were aimed at small screens and square aspect ratios, so check the booklet and menu text size on the Deck screen.
4. Audio sliders — master, music and effects are separate, and cleaning feedback is audio-led.

The camera model still assumes a two-button mouse with a scroll wheel, even in controller play. On Deck that means the trackpads and the right stick carry more of the load than the menu labels suggest.

How does it run on Linux?

There is no native Linux build on the store. The developer’s demo notes list “OSX, Windows, Steamdeck, Linux via proton”, so on a Linux desktop you are on Proton. Steam Deck is the same story — it is Linux with Proton, and it is the platform the game is tuned for.

The June demo had a handful of Linux-specific quirks (buttons disappearing on one build); the developer wrote that he was digging into them, and no fix was posted before the demo was sunset. If you hit something similar at launch, report it — the developer has been responsive to Deck and Linux reports throughout.

Does the game need a mouse at all?

No, but the store’s own requirements block says a mouse with two buttons and a scroll wheel is needed for camera control. A gamepad works; the requirement is about the desktop default mapping, where pointing at the cartridge is part of the interaction.

On Deck, the trackpads stand in for that pointing role, which is why the controller sensitivity setting is worth the two minutes it takes.

What about performance and battery?

Steam’s listed requirements are modest — 8 GB RAM, Intel Graphics 4400 minimum, GTX 1050 or RX 570 recommended, 4 GB of storage — and the demo targets a wide range of systems rather than high-end hardware. Battery life figures are not published; expect a low-power 2D game to run comfortably but verify it yourself after launch.

For the full platform and price picture see price and platforms; for the tool settings referenced above see cleaning tools; for the loop itself start at the beginner guide.