Studio MDHR’s run-and-gun video game Cuphead was released in 2017. The game’s protagonist, Cuphead, agrees to take on the debts of lost games at the Devil’s casino after losing one in order to repay his debt.

Gameplay

The game consists of up to two players controlling Cuphead and/or his brother Mugman as they progress through several stages and boss fights. Boss battles tend to usually occur on land, although some play like side-scrolling shoot ’em ups involving the player to pilot aeroplanes. As the game progresses, the protagonist gains more power and abilities until he threatens the Devil himself. Players, however, can only activate a limited number of these abilities at a time.

The game features role-playing elements and a branching level structure. Players may maintain all equipment between deaths by playing. Items and Charms, which are special abilities, can be purchased from Porkrind’s Emporium, an in-game shop, using coins found in levels and the overworld.

Story

Cuphead and his brother, Mugman, are two kids who have a lot of fun in Inkwell Isle and are under the close supervision of Elder Kettle. In spite of Elder Kettle’s caution, the brothers go off to the Devil’s Casino and start to play craps. When they start to gain success, the Devil comes out and suggests a deal; he will give them all the cash in the casino if they win the next roll, but will take their souls if they do not succeed. Cuphead accepts the offer and loses with double ones. As they plea for mercy, the Devil puts forward another arrangement: if they can obtain the “soul contracts” from his debtors by the following midnight, the siblings will be saved. Cuphead and Mugman go back to Elder Kettle, who gives them a magic potion that lets them shoot energy from their fingers, but also alerts them that the debtors may not give up their soul contracts easily.

How long is Cuphead?

When it comes to its main goals, Cuphead typically takes around 10 and a half hours to complete. However, if you’re a dedicated gamer who wants to explore every aspect of the game, it may take you approximately 25 hours to achieve 100% completion.

Reception

Cuphead received “generally positive” reviews. It was praised for its difficulty and for its boss battles’ imaginative and unique characteristics. The game was also praised for its 1930s aesthetics and its jazz-based soundtrack.

More than one million copies of Cuphead were sold in the first two weeks of release, and four million by the game’s second anniversary. It reached six million copies sold by the time it was released for the PlayStation 4 in July 2020. Its expansion; The Cuphead: Delicious Last Course accumulated one million sales in less than two weeks of its launch.