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Overview

Use this guide when you want to configure Citron to run as the switch emulator through Emulation Station: Desktop Edition (moving forward, referred to as ES:DE).

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INFO: This guide assumes that you have already installed ES:DE and downloaded the Citron AppImage.

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WARNING: This guide will follow the paths established by EmuDeck if installed on an SD Card.  If you are following this without EmuDeck and/or files on your SD Card it will still work - but the paths will be different.

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Steps

1. Press the STEAM button and then go to Power > Switch to Desktop to enter the Desktop mode.

1. Download the citron.sh script below on to your Steam Deck somewhere accessible.

   citron.sh

2. Move the AppImage to your Applications folder and rename it to citron.AppImage.

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   TIP: If you need to obtain an AppImage, see the How to Run Citron on Steam Deck guide for further help before continuing.

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3. Move the citron.sh script into the following directories (replacing <SD CARD NAME> with your SD Card):

   • /run/media/deck/<SD CARD NAME>/Emulation/roms/emulators/
   • /run/media/deck/<SD CARD NAME>/Emulation/tools/launchers/

4. Navigate to the ES:DE system xml files here:

   • /home/deck/ES-DE/custom_systems/

5. Open the es_find_rules.xml file and add the following entry into your file.

   Example:

   <?xml version="1.0"?><!-- This is the ES-DE find rules configuration file for Unix --><ruleList>
       ... <!-- Other configured emulators -->    <emulator name="CITRON">
           <!-- Nintendo Switch emulator Citron -->        <rule type="systempath">
               <entry>citron</entry>
               <entry>org.citron_emu.citron</entry>
           </rule>
           <rule type="staticpath">
               <entry>~/Applications/citron*.AppImage</entry>
           </rule>
       </emulator>
   </ruleList>
   

6. Open the es_systems.xml file and add the Citron entry into the <system> entry for Nintendo Switch like below.

   Example:

   <?xml version="1.0"?><systemList>
     ... <!-- Other configured systems -->  <system>
       <name>switch</name>
       <fullname>Nintendo Switch</fullname>
       <path>%ROMPATH%/switch</path>
       <extension>.nca .NCA .nro .NRO .nso .NSO .nsp .NSP .xci .XCI</extension>
       <command label="Ryujinx (Standalone)">%EMULATOR_RYUJINX% %ROM%</command>
       <command label="Yuzu (Standalone)">%INJECT%=%BASENAME%.esprefix %EMULATOR_YUZU% -f -g %ROM%</command>
       <!-- Add this line entry -->    <command label="Citron (Standalone)">%INJECT%=%BASENAME%.esprefix %EMULATOR_CITRON% -f -g %ROM%</command>
       <platform>switch</platform>
       <theme>switch</theme>
     </system>
     ... <!-- Other configured systems --></systemList>
   

7. Launch ES:DE and go into your Nintendo Switch Section which should contain your Switch Games.

8. Press the start button (hamburger button) on your Steam Deck to launch the options.

1. Go to Other Settings > Alternative Emulators > switch, press A to change it and select Citron (Standalone).
2. Close the options menu and launch a game - it should launch with Citron.

Common Issues

• Citron doesn't launch when I select it in the Emulators section.
  • This is usually because the citron.sh file was not copied to the emulators directory/run/media/deck/<SD CARD NAME>/Emulation/roms/emulators/
• Citron doesn't launch the a game when I select it in ES:DE.
• Citron doesn't appear in my list of emulators.
  • Both of there are caused by incorrect XML, go back and double check your es_find_rules.xml and es_systems.xml files. You can double check that it is valid xml using this site.

Resources

Citron Website

Download Citron

Citron Source Code

Citron Discord