Cuphead Review

The power of 2D

Cuphead has been in development for a long time. But the final release date matched the pop culture zeitgeist well: the return of 2D.

For years, the emphasis in both video games and film animation has been 3D – from CGI to polygons, it was all about creating fully realized three-dimensional spaces.

However, the recent explosion of indie games has helped remind players of just how fun 2D can be. And nostalgia-fueled products like the NES and SNES Classic systems helped bring that point home as players relive adventures with iconic characters like Mario and Link.

The end result is that Cuphead performs a very difficult balancing act. It helps evoke the best of yesterday’s games, while still adding lots of charm, style and design diversity.

Refined Run-and-Gun

So what kind of game is Cuphead? If I had to give it a single label, it would be a “run and shoot” style game. It’s similar to classics like Contra in that your character has to go from the beginning of a level to the end while dodging a seemingly endless series of enemies and traps.

However, there is also a hint of bullet hell games. Cuphead is a throwback in terms of difficulty as well as style: it’s very easy to die and the only way to do it is to keep playing a level until you have memorized everything sufficiently.

Cuphead also offers some of the world-exploring fun that comes with games like Super Mario Bros. 3 – your character wanders around a map of the outside world, allowing you to select the levels you want to play. And some of these stages allow you to take control of vehicles such as planes, adding a nice variety to the combat.

My favorite aspects of the game, though, are the pseudo-RPG elements. While the story is very subtle, you are given numerous opportunities to purchase better gear and accessories for your character, leading to a surprisingly deep game.