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Play OverviewPlay Overview

Cuphead (2017) is a running, jumping and shooting game that looks like an old Mickey Mouse cartoon. You play on your own or with someone else and work across the screen, jumping gaps, shooting enemies and avoiding projectiles.

Along the way, you meet larger bosses to fight, each of which has its own patterns of attack. You have infinite lives, but the game is very hard and dying sends you back to the start of the level. At the end of each level, you get a grade based on the time taken to defeat a boss, damage avoided, and the number of parried attacks.

The result is a really tough challenge that reveals not only in its 1930s visuals but walks the line between impossibility and fun. If you have the dedication and time to try and try again, it's a game that is hugely satisfying to get through -- partly because not every family will manage it.

Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Cuphead 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 2 weeks ago.
Too complex for your family? There are lots of games similar to Cuphead. Here are some easier younger-rated games:

Play StylePlay Style

This is an Action and Platform game with Traversal elements. You can play with 1 to 2 players in the same room or as a 2-player online game.

 
You can play this game in the following styles:

DurationDuration

Play Time: It takes between 1 minute and 5 minutes to play a round of this game. Each level can take around 5 minutes to complete, but this may require many many tries to get there, resulting in sessions of over an hour.

Age RatingsAge Ratings

Content Rating

Rated PEGI 7 for non-realistic violence in a child-friendly setting or context, violence that lacks any apparent harm or injury to fantasy or mythical beings, and creatures and pictures or sounds likely to be scary to younger children. This game features combat between human-like and fantasy characters. In both cases, the characters are very cartoon-like. For instance, human-like characters have unrealistic proportions and features. The violence itself is also unrealistic, as are reactions to it. Characters flash when hit and disappear in puffs of smoke when defeated. Reactions are exaggerated and comical. The cartoon-like visual style makes the violence less disturbing. Boss fights are a major aspect of gameplay and the player is often pitted against huge, somewhat menacing creatures. The most notable is the final boss fight, which pits the player against the Devil himself. This boss fight features designs and animation that are more menacing than those found in other parts of the game and this boss fight in particular may scare younger children.
 
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.

Depicted in cartoon Tom and Jerry style, but there are melting faces, exploding bodies and eyeballs popping out as you can see in this example.

Skill Level

10+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Although it looks like a little kid's game, it actually requires a large amount of quick reaction and timing skill. But more than that, you need huge amounts of resilience and patience to keep trying and slowly improving.

Account Rating

  • You need be 18-years-old to to subscribe to Xbox Live Gold for online play, but can then configure family accounts for younger players to play online with Xbox One.
  • You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to Nintendo Online, but can then create accounts for children of any age to play online with Nintendo Switch.
  • You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to PlayStation Plus for online play, but can create sub-accounts for younger players of 7-years or older to play online with PlayStation 4.

CostsCosts

Cuphead usually costs £6.49 to £22.99. 

Cuphead

XBox Store Xbox One £16.74
PlayStation Store PS4 £15.99
Steam StoreSALE PC £14.99 £10.49 until 21/03/2024
Switch Store Switch £16.99
Steam StoreSALE Mac £14.99 £10.49 until 21/03/2024

Cuphead & The Delicious Last Course

XBox Store Xbox One £22.99
PlayStation Store PS4 £21.99

Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course

PlayStation Store PS4 £6.49
Switch Store Switch £6.79
There are the following additional costs associated with this game:
  • You need a subscription to play online:
    • You need to purchase a Nintendo Online subscription to play online with Nintendo Switch.
    • You need to purchase a PlayStation Plus subscription to play online with PlayStation 4.
    • You need to purchase a Xbox Live Gold subscription to play online with Xbox One.
 
You can purchase additional content. The Delicious Last course adds new levels, bosses and story along with a female playable character called Ms. Chalice. 
 
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
 

DetailsGame Details

Release Date: 29/09/2017, updated in 2019

Price: 30% off

Out Now: Mac, PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Players: 1-2 (2 online)

Genres: Action, Platform and Traversal

Accessibility: 22 features

Components: 2D Side-On, Cartoon and Hand-Made

Developer: Studio MDHR (@StudioMDHR)


Taming Gaming Book Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships.

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