Coug Gaming: Cuphead, a cult classic

It seems like you just die every time, but Cuphead keeps players coming back for more.

Cuphead is a 2017 run-and-gun-style platformer in the style of a 1930s rubber hose cartoon, reminiscent of the early Disney art style. With lively character designs, painted backdrops, an old-timey film grain filter, and a distinctive 1930s jazz band soundtrack, this game is an audiovisual delight — and an endless source of rage for many gamers due to its infuriating difficulty.

This game is roughly 10 hours long or close to 30 hours for a completionist playthrough, though most will take much longer as dying is a very frequent occurrence in this game.

The story follows two ceramic siblings: Cuphead and his brother Mugman, who live in the safe care of their grandfather, Elder Kettle. One day, against the advice of Elder Kettle, the brothers travel across the Isle to the Devil’s Casino, where they find themselves winning big at the Craps table. 

We won’t spoil the rest of the story for you, but in short this casino visit lands Cuphead and Mugman into a world of trouble, forcing them to journey across Inkwell Isle to fight a variety of characters. 

When starting the game you can choose to play as either Cuphead or Mugman, or both if you’re playing local co-op. Upon entering the first of three isles, you are gifted a magic potion by Elder Kettle that grants you your first projectile type, which is what you’ll use to defeat enemies. On top of the quick reflexes needed to dodge attacks, the game usually throws a few other obstacles or smaller enemies at you at the same time. While you battle one boss, there may be a series of smaller enemies slowly creeping upon you, which can easily lose you a heart or even kill you if you don’t manage the barrages effectively.

The difficulty of this game ensures that you will die. A lot. And to add to your fury? Whenever you die in a boss battle, the “game over” screen displays a taunting quote from the boss you just died to. But the game does offer some leniency — you can beat most of the bosses on the ‘simple’ difficulty, though this won’t earn you enough souls to complete the game.

This intense, unforgiving gameplay makes for a fast-paced and exhilarating experience only made all the sweeter when you finally beat that pesky boss you’ve been stuck on for ages. It makes the game even more addicting, as nothing beats the feeling of defeating an enemy who has killed you countless times. 

We certainly can’t talk about Cuphead without mentioning its reputation. While notorious for its difficulty, Cuphead boasts a cult following, owing to its immersive art style and sound design, along with its story.

The attention to detail in this game is what reels many players in and keeps them there. If you’re looking for a game that has a considerable amount of thought put into all areas, Cuphead is the game for you.

True to its vintage style, characters morph and stretch, transforming from cute cartoons to menacing and sometimes scary enemies, paying homage to the over-the-top expressionist cartoons of the 30’s. Each battle is set against beautifully hand-painted watercolor backgrounds, the same as you’d see in those old cartoons. True to the rubber hose aesthetic Cuphead replicates, the game has a beautiful crackly filter, imitating the film grain of old television. In addition to emulating rubber hose animations, the game’s developers hand-painted nearly every frame of the game, including backdrops, character designs, and animations. These are just some examples of the effort put into the smallest components of the game, which makes for a seamless and unforgettable experience.

As you make your way across Inkwell Isle, taking on all manner of foes, you are also greeted with a captivating soundtrack that makes you feel as though you’re listening to a jazz performance from long ago. One of my personal favorite details that the developers of Cuphead didn’t need to add but did anyway is the ‘© 1930’ that appears in the pause menu of the game. It’s a small detail that on the surface doesn’t seem to matter but really adds to the immersion.

It’s not every day that you play a game that makes you feel as though you’ve entered a portal to the past, but if any game has, this is one of them. For those who enjoy difficult but rewarding platformers that have love and care put into every feature and design choice, you can’t go wrong with Cuphead.