Cuphead is a run around and shoot indie video game developed and released by StudioMDHR. As the character Cuphead, you run around killing a series of bosses in order to repay a debt you have with the devil. The game’s graphics and motion animation were inspired mainly by cartoons drawn in the 1930s. The game is available for both PC and Xbox One. You can find the game on Steam for $19.99. It was released September 29th, 2017 and has had some major success in the past few months, selling over two million copies by the end of 2017.

Controls and How to Play

The controls are simple and easy to learn. Cuphead can shoot in eight directions, as well as crouch, dash, jump, and perform a special attack to deal bonus damage. The game's tutorial teaches you how to apply those actions, and that's all you really need to know to complete the game; everything after that boils down to pattern recognition and practice.

Stages are divided into run-and-gun sections and boss fights. The levels resemble those in the classic 8- and 16-bit Contra games: you run from left to right, shooting down waves of spawning enemies and hazards, and jumping over pitfalls to reach the goal. Sadly, there are fewer run-and-gun stages than boss fights, but they are filled with unique enemies, and occasionally present interesting challenges to keep the formula fresh. One stage, for example, has you switch between walking on the ground and the ceiling to avoid enemies, while making precarious jumps. Another has you fleeing a giant Cyclops in a race to the goal. Yet another features a brutally difficult auto-scrolling section that bombards you with enemy attacks. None of these stages break new genre ground, but they are tough, enjoyable, and visually stunning.

Screenshots

In conclusion Cuphead is a very addictive game with challenging gameplay. I recommend this game to anyone who wants a fun game to kill some time with. Overall I give it a 8/10 for its graphics and unique gameplay experience.