Cuphead

 Switch
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 488 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 407 out of 488
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 488
  3. Negative: 43 out of 488

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  1. leetl1
    Apr 18, 2019
    10
    Cuphead is still as great as ever, and now you can play it on the go. Any old school gamers will be pleased. Just be prepared for a challenge.
  2. SamWidge
    Jun 2, 2020
    10
    The art style is superb. The game is challenging yet enjoyable. It’s an original and fantastic debut game from Studio MDHR and I enjoyed every running, gunning moment.
  3. Jtrapdoor1
    Apr 19, 2019
    9
    A fantastic game so colorful and with amazing animation. The effort by the creators is evident in every part of the game. Incredibly difficult but in the way that makes you want to beat it more. Highly recommend it
  4. dharma
    Jun 2, 2019
    8
    Let's get this out of the way. I am a big retro game fan. Cuphead on its surface is a 'reskinned' Contra game. Despite its beautiful graphic, done in a style reminiscent of toons form the 30's, it is an old school game at its heart. Herein lies its biggest problem. I could not imagine why reviewers put this as the '2nd coming' and game of the year material. It is not. I have played soLet's get this out of the way. I am a big retro game fan. Cuphead on its surface is a 'reskinned' Contra game. Despite its beautiful graphic, done in a style reminiscent of toons form the 30's, it is an old school game at its heart. Herein lies its biggest problem. I could not imagine why reviewers put this as the '2nd coming' and game of the year material. It is not. I have played so many run and gun games over the year and I can assure you, it is not even close to 'Contra 3: The Alien Wars'. It is also a studio that revels that old Nintendo style magic; akin to hair pulling but addictive offerings like Donkey Kong Country. Cuphead strives for it but never really striking that 'sweet spot'. There is a sense of repetitiveness on the way you handled the beautifully animated bosses. Power up are locked away for the 'hardcore fan' and you ended up using a 'stupid' pea shooter throughout most of the game. The parry system which was essential, was not explained 'clearly'. Heck, I even have to look up in you tube how to use the super special. Yeah, a lot of users may say..wow..'Dharma you noob', but Cuphead feels like a game that purposely punish the players. Well, I seemed to be harsh here but this is due to the lofty expectations I had because of the reviews. As it is, a great offering from an Indie studio, which has incredible potential, but not a '9' or even a '10'. As it is on the Switch, it pales in comparison with regard to Nintendo's own games.… Expand
  5. GameHunter
    Apr 24, 2019
    6
    I didn’t do much research and just bought the game based on all the rave reviews. I’m not going to say it’s crap, because it’s a well-made game. But I found the atmosphere rang far more hollow than I expected. And I’m not going to lie; the difficulty basically turned this into an expensive rental that I’ll probably never play again. I don’t have time or energy to drive myself this crazyI didn’t do much research and just bought the game based on all the rave reviews. I’m not going to say it’s crap, because it’s a well-made game. But I found the atmosphere rang far more hollow than I expected. And I’m not going to lie; the difficulty basically turned this into an expensive rental that I’ll probably never play again. I don’t have time or energy to drive myself this crazy anymore.
    It’s a solidly built platform shooter. Structurally I have no complaints. But the retro style look did not feel genuine in my opinion and like I also said earlier; the difficulty just takes all the fun away. So it wasn’t really for my tastes, but I do see how others may enjoy it.    … Expand
  6. jojohamy
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    A phenominal acheivment that deserves to be played. I can't say enough good thing about this game.
    .
  7. kojiwulf
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    Absolutely fantastic homage to cartoons of old! Has a nice difficulty curve that anyone that bothers to put in at least a small effort can get the hang of.
  8. Lobo_Nocturno
    Apr 21, 2019
    9
    Cuphead is a really fabulous game!!

    ......"Great day for a swell battle"..... Visuals 100/100 Everything in this game was created following the old cartoon art, and it looks great. All bosses are a delight for the eye, the world map is very catchy. The only drawback is when you are fighting, there are lots of colorful things on the screen and may confuse you. Music 80/100    Cuphead is a really fabulous game!!

    ......"Great day for a swell battle".....

    Visuals 100/100
    Everything in this game was created following the old cartoon art, and it looks great. All bosses are a delight for the eye, the world map is very catchy. The only drawback is when you are fighting, there are lots of colorful things on the screen and may confuse you.

    Music 80/100
    Old jazz music was selected for this game and that was an excellent decision, just to match the old cartoon style. But sometimes it feels too loud or too fast, it should have mixed up with some low tempo songs.

    Story 80/100
    Very simple story, just a problem to solve: not letting the devil devour your soul. It may sound like no story at all, but hey... Mario games or platforms not oriented to gameplay have a deep, meaningful story?

    Gameplay 90/100
    Gameplay may be simple at first, but takes time to master. Shooting, dashing and jumping must be done at the right moments to minimize the risk of being hit. Even if you have mastered the gameplay, it may take several attempts to really beat bosses. Sometimes you take control of an airplane, but manipulating it is similar to walking. As long as you progress through the game and collect coins, you can acquire abilities that can be used to face bosses, making levels a bit easier.

    Length and difficulty. 90/100
    The game is really short, but all those attempts took some time. Most of the time you are fighting bosses, but I wish you could do more platform missions. The difficulty is hard, really hard, but that is not a drawback, real platform players who seek a challenge, they will really have fun with this game. This is challenging and not suited for everyone (easily frustrating people).

    Overall 90/100
    It is really a fun game, beautifully made to the eye and the music is jazzy, which is perfect. It offers a real challenge because of its difficulty, but it is something that gives soul to the game, the feeling of beating a tough enemy is great.    … Expand
  9. Sepps
    May 15, 2019
    0
    Visually fantastic and dripping with detail. The game runs perfectly on Switch and comes with extra visual filters to help the player capture the aesthetic of the old-timey cartoons it so lovingly replicates.

    The gameplay is a bit of a bullet-hell run and gun with emphasis on evasive play and customizable characters which allow the player to tweak the game to match their playstyle as    Visually fantastic and dripping with detail. The game runs perfectly on Switch and comes with extra visual filters to help the player capture the aesthetic of the old-timey cartoons it so lovingly replicates.

    The gameplay is a bit of a bullet-hell run and gun with emphasis on evasive play and customizable characters which allow the player to tweak the game to match their playstyle as they go on. It's quite difficult but rarely feels frustrating or unfair. The game rewards players for being observant, taking risks and exploring the boundaries of what they can do. It's not a game one can simply rush through as each boss will take some time to learn to beat, but the challenge never feels like a roadblock as it might in some other, less carefully crafted high-difficulty games.    … Expand
  10. bulger_paul
    Apr 26, 2019
    9
    That was fun, I can’t wait to never play it again.

    Seriously though, people weren’t joking about this game’s difficulty. It’s a rough and often frustrating challenge. And I can’t count how many times my jaw would drop after I’d finally get to the end of a difficult level, and the game would show me the time it took to get through that level, only to find it only took like two minutes or    That was fun, I can’t wait to never play it again.

    Seriously though, people weren’t joking about this game’s difficulty. It’s a rough and often frustrating challenge. And I can’t count how many times my jaw would drop after I’d finally get to the end of a difficult level, and the game would show me the time it took to get through that level, only to find it only took like two minutes or less. This game is so frantic and stressful it makes you feel like you’ve been playing for an hour after ten minutes.

    I only have one major complaint, and it’s that sometimes taking damage or dying really does feel cheap. Most of the time, when you take damage or die, it’s immediately apparent what you should’ve done differently or that your reflexes simply weren’t quick enough, but sometimes, the screen will be so chaotic and cluttered that I’ll die and have no idea what I could’ve done to avoid taking damage, but that doesn’t happen so often that it tarnished the experience. This is a really fun and visually brilliant game.    … Expand
  11. Vitalares
    Apr 21, 2019
    1
    Мне игра не понравилась. Первая такая игра в моей жизни и то не очень впечатлила.
  12. bladenight247
    Apr 22, 2019
    2
    Just No why this matter that game is good?
    Art 4/10
    Music 4/10
    Story Meh 0/10
    Development 0/10
    Gameplay 3/10
    Boss 1/10
    Overrall 2/10
    Cuphead may be weakest toons that no points care about them
  13. deathsoul067
    Apr 20, 2019
    0
    This a full of army of little kid-teen playing this game and ruined the old Cartoon Communities
    Really Cuphead? What was Studio MDHR Thinking?
    Since after 2 days later is already Most controversial outside the Internet. The New toons is just Disgusting, Horrible fanbase, cancerous fandom, Ocs, Too many Crossover, Fan Game, Rule 34, Younger Kids and the rest. Our Childhood are been    This a full of army of little kid-teen playing this game and ruined the old Cartoon Communities
    Really Cuphead? What was Studio MDHR Thinking?
    Since after 2 days later is already Most controversial outside the Internet.

    The New toons is just Disgusting, Horrible fanbase, cancerous fandom, Ocs, Too many Crossover, Fan Game, Rule 34, Younger Kids and the rest.

    Our Childhood are been ruined by mostly Indie game Fandom.
    most of the fandom are evil, why they doing this, they not iconic enough to like them.
    What a big duel of Indie game from of the first place
    Amino can tell how many people are there with any franchise such as Cartoon Characters, Video Game Character, Anime and other thing like that.
    Just avoid the popular Indie game it killed you and it make the other fan unhappy.    … Expand
  14. AngelStarr
    Jun 16, 2019
    4
    Oh god! if there was EVER a bloatingly overrated game, ever, in the full 4 decade history of videogames - cuphead is the one.
    Please, do NOT buy into the overrated exaggerations, this game is built on one simple element: give the player lousy controls, and thwart the player by creating levels at impossible angles - just downright annoying every step of the way!
    You will encounter a game    Oh god! if there was EVER a bloatingly overrated game, ever, in the full 4 decade history of videogames - cuphead is the one.
    Please, do NOT buy into the overrated exaggerations, this game is built on one simple element: give the player lousy controls, and thwart the player by creating levels at impossible angles - just downright annoying every step of the way!
    You will encounter a game that is extremely difficult, and the only reason is that, as I mentioned, the player's controls are hindered on purpose.
    I trusted all those amazing user reviews and bought the game, and every time I tried to give it a go, I wad annoyed and disappointed again, and again, and again.
    What on over-hyped, historical, outdated game. Like many things nowadays, it's the HYPE ALONE that makes people "like" this - just like, hypster beards: does anyone really believe it's just a coincidence that 85% of people all of a sudden like beards? They don't. They say they do, because others have them. They "go with the flow".
    Don't "go with the flow", this game is worthless. In fact, I'm betting if it had 16 color graphics, like for example (a true masterpiece) undertale - its popularity would plummet. Because other than a funky retro style - there is NOTHING on offer here.
    I can't believe I bought this. Don't do it. Waste of money.    … Expand
  15. godwars027
    Apr 20, 2019
    0
    A Terrible chose creating this game for first that Inspired by the cartoons of the 1930s.
    Say I Disagree with this game.
    We had Sonic, Animanics, BATIM and Now Cuphead. all them mostly been used to the Classic Cartoon to give them pouplar and newer to the fan To milking the Franchise and Fandom.
    This game is just not that good.
    i say not recommended that stay away.
  16. warclanw
    Apr 20, 2019
    0
    Old Cartoon was Awesome but the new toons is kinda ruined for everyone.

    -Weak character
    -Too Overrated
    -No Plot, No Depevoment
    -Bad Characters
    -The Story Suck
    -Fandom (Indie Game)
    -Insulted to the Classic Cartoon

    Not Recommended
  17. QuacksonjaMeme
    Apr 20, 2019
    10
    My second favorite game is finally comming to my favorite console. Its a must have for all Switch owners. I bought this game for the 3rd time now. Everything about this game is fantastic. I hope that everyone gets this masterpiece.

    10/10
  18. swordman0027
    Apr 21, 2019
    0
    This Game is failed for many level.
    - Character are Uncreative
    - Not even fun at all. - Main Characters are useless plot, personally and Non-Animal Type - Cheap Rip off Change my mind Studio MDHR shouldn't make another game that from the 1930's. Indie Gamer Company want to milking more and more and hurting their fanbase Cuphead and Bendy were created as Both Company is highly    This Game is failed for many level.
    - Character are Uncreative
    - Not even fun at all.
    - Main Characters are useless plot, personally and Non-Animal Type
    - Cheap Rip off

    Change my mind Studio MDHR shouldn't make another game that from the 1930's.

    Indie Gamer Company want to milking more and more and hurting their fanbase
    Cuphead and Bendy were created as Both Company is highly backslash to the old Cartoon.
    That they do they made too many crossover, Ocs, Shipping that highly annoying and ruining for me.
    There many game better then this.    … Expand
  19. Person4reviews
    May 18, 2019
    9
    Absolutely amazing from the art style to the gameplay. Definitely worth 20$
  20. chrisvacc
    Nov 2, 2019
    1
    This game's difficulty is infuriating, not fun. The graphics are beautiful but by the first level you'll find yourself pisspummeled by bulls--t that you can rarely escape from. Like the first boss battle is a huge Bubble that take up about 1/3rd of the screen then backs you into a corner and punches you in the face leaving you no room to escape. The enemies attacks are cheap and nearlyThis game's difficulty is infuriating, not fun. The graphics are beautiful but by the first level you'll find yourself pisspummeled by bulls--t that you can rarely escape from. Like the first boss battle is a huge Bubble that take up about 1/3rd of the screen then backs you into a corner and punches you in the face leaving you no room to escape. The enemies attacks are cheap and nearly impossible to dodge. This game was obviously developed around the graphics, with almost not thought to the gameplay. I'd much rather play a game that's actually fun with crap graphics than this game that's not fun at all but beautiful. Getting a refund on this. I'll just play Super Metroid or something.… Expand
  21. sonicsonic039
    Apr 20, 2019
    0
    Too Hard, Awful Characters, not fan to play. No plot, Development at all.
    That Terrible copy paste to old Cartoon.
    The Indie Fandom is Disgusting alone side of BATIM.
  22. Hexed
    Apr 21, 2019
    10
    Lo probé por primera vez en PC, pero para mi gusto, la versión paraSwitch es la definitiva. La oportunidad de jugarlo en modo portatil y multiplayer sin accesorios demás, con la misma calidad que en las otras versiones no tiene comparación. Con mi novia lo compramos de lanzamiento en la switch, y llevamos horas riendo, peleando y divirtiendonos con este jueguito, gracias a los amigos deLo probé por primera vez en PC, pero para mi gusto, la versión paraSwitch es la definitiva. La oportunidad de jugarlo en modo portatil y multiplayer sin accesorios demás, con la misma calidad que en las otras versiones no tiene comparación. Con mi novia lo compramos de lanzamiento en la switch, y llevamos horas riendo, peleando y divirtiendonos con este jueguito, gracias a los amigos de microsoft por compartirlo. Hablando ya del juego, las mecánicas clásicas de un juego de este género con un toque de dificultad que se agradece, te invita a superarte a ti mismo, memorizar patrones, adaptarte a los imprevistos y ejecutar todo sin fallos para lograr superar el nivel, te lleva de viaje a la buena epoca de los videojuegos. Finalmente, en apartado gráfico es increible, realmente se disfruta cada fotograma animado, cada personaje, fondo e ilustración esta animado a la perfección y junto a la música, te hace vivir nuevamente los comienzos de la animación.
    Si te gustan los desafios, 100% recomendado.    … Expand
  23. juanuxsape
    May 6, 2019
    10
    Great animation. Gameplay, music, and overall you can see the enormous quantity of effort and pasion the developers put in this product
  24. Loo_oo
    Apr 23, 2019
    10
    Un must have ! Un portage parfait sans concession, identique à la version originale. Le jeu est beau, fluide, et d'une difficulté bien relevée. Bref, vous en aurez pour votre argent ! Bien entendu, il n'est pas recommandée pour les personnes sans expérience ;-)
  25. Jopper
    May 7, 2019
    8
    Any gamer looking for a challenge can't go wrong with purchasing Cuphead. Difficult boss fights and animations that pay perfect homage to old cartoons are the heart and soul of this game. Honestly, I would have been disappointed if it didn't take me over 200 deaths to complete this game.
  26. DaRedToad
    Apr 30, 2019
    8
    The bosses are memorable, and require you to learn their attacks. The art style is pretty appealing. Just all around fun. Can't wait for the DLC.
  27. Jrb9207
    Apr 26, 2019
    9
    Cuphead is a beautiful throwback to a time much simpler then today. The graphics being hand drawn are a wonderful edition with the 1930's filter adding that homemade touch. over all if you want to play a great game that's only 20 dollars and will give you hours of enjoyment, look no further than cuphead on the switch!
  28. AdrPayne
    May 2, 2019
    9
    TBH this is my first time touching this game and i gotta say it's hard and really adictive. characters are **** awesome, the old cartoon atmosphere is perfect, so colorful, very good fluid gameplay and the MUSIC is simply PHENOMENAL ... The Switch version is amazing. Just one tip, for better experience use the pro controller because play with the joycons is sometimes awful when you'reTBH this is my first time touching this game and i gotta say it's hard and really adictive. characters are **** awesome, the old cartoon atmosphere is perfect, so colorful, very good fluid gameplay and the MUSIC is simply PHENOMENAL ... The Switch version is amazing. Just one tip, for better experience use the pro controller because play with the joycons is sometimes awful when you're fighting the bosses !!!… Expand
  29. vervain
    May 23, 2019
    8
    Cuphead's aesthetic is nothing short of truly wonderful. The gameplay is good but heavily favors playing with a partner, as going it alone will send even seasoned gamers into volcanic bouts of rage at its near-absurd unforgiving level of difficulty.
  30. rosnk30
    Aug 9, 2019
    8
    I haven't words to say about it. This games turns back the cartoon style with a challenger gameplay.
    I cant remember when the last time that I saw something like that. In fact, CupHead has a style did with whim. The
    only issue's the game itself is too much little....so, you needed a few hours to complete it.

    08/10
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Awards & Rankings

8
#8 Best Switch Game of 2019
13
#13 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2019
21
#21 Most Shared Switch Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 40 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 40
  3. Negative: 0 out of 40
  1. Nintendo Force Magazine
    Feb 27, 2020
    95
    Cuphead is such a masterclass in style and control that the few errant ink blots vanish in a Technicolor wonderland! [Issue #40 – July/August 2019, p. 30]
  2. Cubed3
    May 21, 2019
    90
    Visually stunning and difficult in all the right ways, Cuphead is a testament to the importance of thought out game design. Every facet of the run and gun parts is built around giving the audience an experience unique to the videogame medium. Although this borrows quite heavily from a very specific era of animation history, its aesthetic goes beyond homage, coupling masterfully with gameplay that encourages mastery on every level. With some of the best designed boss fights this generation, a beautifully rich animation style, and impeccably fine-tuned controls, Cuphead stands out as not only one of the best indie titles on the Nintendo Switch, but one of strongest releases this generation, period.
    Read full review
  3. Gaming Age
    May 13, 2019
    91
    That Studio MDHR were able to make an aesthetic that’s nearly a century old seem fresh and new at the same time as they made an enjoyable game is just a bonus.
    Read full review
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