Those who have purchased Cuphead on Xbox or PC will get access to an exclusive (and somewhat confusingly named) "Xbox Anniversary Update" featuring a wealth of behind-the-scenes content including unused art, the game’s soundtrack, and concepts that never made it into the final game. The update is set to release on September 29 and is meant to celebrate Cuphead’s sixth anniversary.

“Knowing that we wanted to give our thanks to the Xbox community that has shown us love from day 1, we really thought about the kinds of things we would want to see as fans of Cuphead,�said Studio MDHR’s Chad Moldenhauer. “The goal was to make this update feel like a real peek behind the scenes at what went into bringing the game to life, across all parts of development!�/p>

This update is the first time fans will have a place to listen to the entire soundtrack, as previous releases have been more of a selection of iconic tracks. Now, the Xbox Anniversary Update will feature a whopping total of 86 music tracks by composer Kris Maddigan to listen to at will. Also, there will be a menu theme that has never been? heard before to look forward to, as well.

At the end of the day, it would seem this update is really a celebration of Cuphead’s legacy, according to Maja Moldenhauer, studio director at Studio MDHR. “It’s not a stretch to say that without the ID@Xbox program, Cuphead would not be the game it is, or have become the success it has,�said Maja. “From their very first outreach through to today, the ID team has been in our corner all these many years with resources, advice, and support. I’ve said this before, but it bears repeating that I really believe ID@Xbox is the blueprint for how modern developer support can and should be done �a team full of genuine, passionate people who want nothing more than for the teams they work with to make the best games possible.�/p>

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It's time to d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-duel

A list of the most challenging boss fights ever is necessarily flawed. I, of course, have not played every video game, and I have not encountered every boss fight in the video games that I have? played. I am also only one person, and I can only speak for my own experiences. I have watched other players blitz through boss fights that took me hours and vice versa. By its very nature, this list is subjective and very personal.

Still, I've played an awful lot of video games, and I've bumped up against an awful lot of bosses. I may not be able to compile an objective, definitive list, but I think I can offer a pretty good one. With ??that in mind, I'd like to take a trip down memory lane to revisit some of the most frustrating big bads I've ever had the displeasure of fighting.

10. 50/20 - Ultimate Custom Night

Ultimate Custom Night acts as something of a digestif for the Scott Cawthon-helmed era of Five Nights at Freddy's. The game features a grand total of 50 discreet enemies whose behavior can be tweaked by the player. Setting all 50 enemies to level 20, their maximum level of aggression, allows you to try out 50/20, the most demanding single night in Five Nights at Freddy's history. It's pretty tough.

FNaF, at its best, is a series about balancing spinning plates, and playing through 50/20 means balancing a truly incredible ?number of plates. All 50 foes require different reactions, an??d it's nearly impossible to keep up with each of them at their most aggressive. It's a nontraditional "boss fight," but a truly challenging one.

9. Thunderblight Ganon - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I'm not a big fan of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's combat. The game is a wonderful physics sandbox,?? but I've always found it a bit lacking as an action RPG. My distaste for the game's so-so fighting is at its peak ?in the ridiculously frustrating Thunderblight Ganon fight. The other three Divine Beast Ganon fights are reasonably forgettable, but this one is memorable for its controller-smashing difficulty.

Thunderblight Ganon is incredibly quick and incredibly strong. Getting shocked in its first phase is basically a death sentence, which means dodging and flurry-rushing is just about the only viable strategy. Later phases are even mo??re irritating and gimmicky. This is one of those boss fights that's both very tough and very annoying.

8. Sephiroth - Kingdom Hearts

Speaking of tough and annoying...

Kingdom Hearts is anoth??er action RPG with combat that I?? just don't jive with. The movement is subpar and the camera is utterly miserable. It's generally not too tough to push past those issues in the main game, but the optional bosses are downright irritating. Sephiroth is easily the most difficult of these, demanding that the player learn every intricacy of a distressingly inelegant combat system.

7. Starscourge Radahn - Elden Ring

Yes, of course FromSoftware is on this list. Not to spoil too much, but FromSoftware is actually on this list a few times. The studio's most recent game, Elden Ring, is littered with obscenely difficult boss encounters. Many will no doubt wonder how I could leave off legendarily tough battles with characters like Malenia, Blade of Miquel??la or the ??Elden Beast.

Truth be told, I can't include those fights on this list because I never got to them. I got stuck on Starscourge Radahn, who likes to obliterate my beloved horse without a second thought. I'm sure there are tougher boss fights in Elden Ring, but I'm not sure when (or if) I'll ever e???ncounter them. So Radahn gets the spot.

6. King Dice - Cuphead

There are plenty of ultra-tough boss fights in Cuphead, but the penultimate challenger, King Dice, has to be the hardest. Tha?t's because King Dice isn't just one deliriously challenging enemy - he's somewhere between four and ten.

The King Dice battle is actually a boss rush comprised of randomly selected mini-bosses. There's an outside chance that you might get lucky and only face easy enemies during this fight, but you're much more likely to get wiped out over and over again, forcing you to start over from the beginning. The final battle in Cuphead is pretty tough, but this second-to-last fig??ht is the one that truly tests you on the skills you've developed to this poi??nt.

5. Genocide Sans - Undertale

There are a few optional bosses on this list, enemies that you must seek out for yourself. Few bosses are quite as optional as Sans, though. In order to face Sans, you have to kill every single enemy in Undertale, undertaking the "Genocide Run," a route that is significantly more challenging (in terms of both gameplay and emotion) than anything else in Undertale.

The capstone to that incredibly difficult run is one last incredibly difficult fight. Genocide Sans is notoriously tough. If the philosophical weight of wiping out every charming character in Undertale isn't enough to deter you from a Genocide Run, Sans might be. Undertale's "combat" is mostly about dodging, and Sans throws an incre??dible number of obstacles your way at an incredibly high speed.

4. Ornstein and Smough - Dark Souls

I told you FromSoftware would be back. "Dark Souls" is practically synonymous with "tough boss fights," and the double-header that is Ornstein and Smough might be the toughest boss?? fight in the entire series. In the first phase, you'll challenge two absurd powerhouses at once. After you bring down one of them, the fight gets even harder, since the surviving enemy becomes ultra-powerful in the second phase.

Ornstein and Smough is one of many choke points in Dark Souls. It's where tons of players bounce off simply because they can't progress (I'm happy to announce that, unlike Starscourge Radahn, I actually have beaten these two). Once you get past this point, though, you are truly ready for anything Dark Souls can throw at you.

3. Yozora - Kingdom Hearts 3

I promise the outsized presence of Kingdom Hearts on this list isn't just a consequence of my fondness for the series. Some of these boss fights really are astonishingly difficult. Yozora, the final boss of the Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Mind DLC, is one such duel.

The original Kingdom Hearts 3 is laughably easy. Th??e game's impressive combat system is held back by the fact that there are very few compelling fights in the campaign. Thankfully, the post-launch DLC offers up plen?ty of excellent opportunities to flex your Keyblade mastery. Yozora is lightning-fast and his crossbow attacks deal a ton of damage, making this one of the most challenging boss fights ever. Also, he's voiced by Dylan Sprouse in English. Kinda weird.

2. Gabriel, Judge of Hell - Ultrakill

Ultrakill, the super-fast, super-violent indie darling FPS, has plenty of memorable fights. The most memorable, though, has to be Gabriel, Judge of Hell, th??e final boss of Act II. Gabriel is yet another super-quick high damage dealer who demand??s that you make the most of your toolkit.

Thankfully, your toolkit in Ultrakill is immense. Bringing down Gabriel by making the most of the weapons at your disposal is extremely satisfying - but you really need to know what you're doing to get to that poi?nt.

1. Isshin, the Sword Saint - Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Bring it in for FromSoftware's third and final appearance on this list! Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice might be FromSoft's most difficult game ever, and the final boss, Isshin, the Sword Saint, is the perfect culmination of the game. Sekiro really asks that you meet it on its terms, a??nd Isshin exemplifies that philosophy expertly.

This fight demands a comprehensive understanding of Sekiro's combat, from parries to Mikiri Counters to lightni??ng reversals. It is what all good final boss fights should be: a?? test to see what the player has learned. Remember: hesitation is defeat.

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There are some strings on me

??Ever wanted a living Cuphead for your very own? Well, merchandiser iam8bit has the next best thing, opening pre-orders on a special Collector's Edition of Studio MDHR's excel?lent 2017 platformer.

The Cuphead Collector's Edition offers up a boxed physical copy of Cuphead �complete with its Delicious Last Course DLC �on PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch, alongside several suitably old-school goodies. These include a membership card for The Cuphead Club; six art cards or newspaper-style "funnies"; a sweet, hand-cranked music box; a map of the Inkwell Islands, and an exclusive outer sleeve for your game case, all of which are in keeping with Cuphead's classic cartoon style.

The centerpiece of the collector's edition, however, is an utterly delightful marionette of old crockery skull himself. Standing eight inches in height and sporting a weathered design, the super cute puppet will allow Cuphead fans to entertain/frighten their frien??ds and family members with fun ??little performances... Or just hang him on the back of your bedroom door. Whatever works for you.

As a fun additional touch, the collector's edition box doubles as a stage, complete with an "asbestos curtain", so you have a charming little ramshackle display case for your new string-based pal. The marionette was designed by legendary Prague studio Rici Marionettes, with the t?eam's lovin??g attention to detail reflected in the model's authentic look and turn-of-the-century build.

It's good day for a great pre-order, and if you want in, then you can bag the Cuphead Collector's Edition over on the iam8bit website right now, priced at $199.99 USD. The box set is expected to ship in the first quarter of 2023. For those of you who are simply looking for the game itself, then standard boxed editions of Cuphead will launch on PS4, X??box One, and Nintendo Switch on Dece??mber 6.

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Switch, PS4, and Xbox One editions announced

You might've already dipped in, but if not �or if you're fine doubling up �then it's good to know that a physical edition of Cuphead is on the way from iam8bit and Studio MDHR.

As shared on Twitter, the Cuphead physical edition is "coming soon" to Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. The DLC, The Delicious Last Course, will be included on the disc,?? which isn't always the case but would've been egregious in this situation �it's so crucial.

As for regional releases, "Cuphead will come to retail with ESRB, PEGI, USK, and ACB versions," according to iam8bit.

//twitter.com/iam8bit/status/1575470762235875329

The distributor is taking "keep me in the loop" email sign-ups today �but no word on release timing yet. With how widespread the Cuphead brand has become, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to snag a physical copy at a reason??able price.

An eventual spiffy collector's edition would be great to see as well �there's so much art to consider �but an all-inclusive standard physical release is a good step.

It's truly one of my favorite games of the l??ast decade, and for many of us, even folks who have moved mostly to digital, it's worth adding to the physical collection.

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After updating the game, look for "Original" and "DLC" title screen options under Visuals

"Well Cuphead?? and his pal Mugm?an, they like to roll the dice..."

If you're feeling nostalgic for the original Cuphead title screen, there's now a way to go back �a recent patch added a sneaky toggle, allowing Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course players to swap betw??een the newer Ms. Chalice opener and the duo's classic tune.

To change the title screen music, go to the Options menu in Cuphead ??and look for a newly-added title screen setting in the Visuals section.

The original Cuphead title screen and song

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLBRO5AdqAM

The new title screen for The Delicious Last Course

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_QKJpAplNA

Both songs are great in their own way, but I have? a soft spot for the original qu?artet vibe.

Patch 1.3.4 also cleans up minor issues

After seeing a notification, I was curious what was patched �that's ?the main?? inclusion.

That said, Studio MDHR also cleaned up som??e? outstanding issues:

• Fixed rare issue with Boatman dialogue being triggered after fast traveling.
• Added ability to undo wishes.
• Fixed localization issues.
• Fixed minor animation issues.
• Fixed minor audio issues.

Every so often, I see people post about glitches on Reddit, so they're out there. Aside from one or two animati??on hiccups (that never show??ed up again), I've been lucky so far.

Cuphead is one of those games I w??ish I could zap from my (admittedly feeble) memory so that I could go through it? again, all fresh and ready for punishment.

The post There’s a way to swap back to the original Cuphead title screen and song appeared first on Destructoid.

Making the most of Ms. Chalice

There are significantly harder challenges to topple in Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course than the Pawns, but for such a seemingly simple f??ight, I sure struggled with these leaping maniacs. Just... parry their heads?? 'til they fall off. How hard could it be? Well, it's a frantic scene, doubly so in co-op when you're trying to stay on the same page amid the chaos.

As it turns out, there's a faster (and potentially easier) way to beat the Pawns in Cuphead, and it would've been nice to know before I took on the all-in-one-go King's Gauntlet.

The strat: Playing as Ms. Chalice, it's possible to double-jump, bounce off a falling pawn's head with her forward-dashing parry, then gain enough height to reach the top of the screen and continue the parry co?mbo until it's checkmate, better luck next time.

//www?.reddit.com/r/Cuphead/comments/w1lt6r/beat_the_rooks_without_touching_the_ground/

Here's a demonstration from Reddit user ERROR1010101010 (ignore the mislabel; they were "tired"), as well as a similar 10-second clear from Sarojam ??on YouTube. Again, you'll want to be Ms.? Chalice �she's got an aerial advantage over Cuphead and Mugman.

I tested out the method, and sure enough, it's pretty slick. It took a handful of attempts to pull off �I struggled to keep track of Ms. Chalice up top �but it can work, and when it does, it's a supe??r-fast clear. Wi?th practice and good positioning, it's repeatable.

It's been fun to talk about facing Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, yet I feel like the King's Leap bosses haven't been discussed as much. Did y'all steamroll them? The chaotic Pawns and the just-?get-on-with-?it-already Knight were the hardest of the pack for me.

By the way, did you rebind the controls? I could never finish Cuphead with the (pretty baffling) default dash/dodge input. I need that to b?e R1 or else.

The post There’s a better way to beat the Pawns in Cuphead, and I wish I would’ve known appeared first on Destructoid.

'We challenged ourselves every step of the way'

Not even two weeks after launch, Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course has topped one million sales across PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch, according to Studio MDHR.

Considering the usual adoption rate of DLC and expansions �even for popular, beloved games with a wide reach �that's great! Admittedly, the Cuphead DLC had a long time to simmer,?? and it's a continuation of everything that made the origin??al game such a blast.

"This marks an even quicker timeline than it took for the original game to achieve this momentous feat, and we are just beside ourselves with joy and appreciation," studio director and executive producer Maja Moldenhauer said of the sales milestone. "These words certainly do not encompass how grateful we are, but to the amazing Cuphead players worldwide we say nonetheless: th?ank you fr??om the bottom of our hearts."

"From start to finish, The Delicious Last Course was a true labor of love. We challenged ourselves every step of the way to? deliver the most ambitious design, animation, and music we had ever created to tell the stor??y of Ms. Chalice, and craft a fitting conclusion to this part of Cuphead and Mugman’s journey."

[caption id="attachment_334549" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The new island is great, but the DLC also elevates the original bosses with Ms. Chalice and new items.}[/caption]

One of the year's best

I didn't necessarily expect to say this, but halfway through the gaming year, Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is one of my favo??rites, and I don't fo?resee it slipping.

It's been wonderful revisiting this cartoon world �not just with an island of tough new bosses, but also with a new character to freshen up the original experience. The sn??appy nail-biting action is a house favorite, and co-op support only sweeten?s the deal. No matter how many times we were "just one second away!" from beating a boss, we never lost the drive to try again. And, goodness, that final DLC fiend �what a showdown.

Funny enough, I was here five years ago sharing the (eerily similar) news that Cuphead had sold a million copies shortly after its 2017 release. Props to thi??s team.

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A not-so-horrible night to have a curse

One of the tricky optional goals in Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is to "obtain great power," and it's tied to a mysterious Cursed Relic that puts a tough new spin on the boss-battling format. While I struggled a bunch with this challenge, in the end, it ended up being one of the highlights of the DLC, and really, the entire base game. It makes you work.

Before I g?o into too many specifics, it's worth taking a broader approach for anyone who's intrigued but will ultimately still want to figure things out on their own. I'll ??ease you in.

[caption id="attachment_334159" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{It's neat to see this island model again after finishing the DLC.}[/caption]

The cursed challenge

With an item called the Cursed Relic, you'll only have one HP when you enter a boss fight, and your weapons are randomized, so you have to be adaptable. Your goal is to beat a certain number of bosses �either from the DLC, the base game, or both �to upgrade the item into something with less... ??drawbacks. It's a trip. A frustrating, satisfying trip.

Much like how Ms. Chalice is a fun (arguably overpowered) excuse to revisit the original Cuphead content, the Cursed ?Relic is a fittingly hard shake-up for seasoned players.

It's one thing to return to Isle I and make a fool out of the Root Pack and Goopy Le Grande, and if you've earned S ranks in Cuphead before, you know that no-hit runs are within your rea??ch. But when you can't rely? on your ideal loadout, the pressure is on �and it builds.

Despite having random weapons with the Cursed Relic, you'll have some control �you can let go of the "fire" button to cycle through the list. So long as you keep shooting, your weapon will stay the same; but if you ever let go, for any reason, including a dash, the shot type will shift to something else. With this setup, I often frantically tapped the button until I landed on the homing Crackshot, my one true savior, and then refused to let go.

[caption id="attachment_334156" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Beppi's horseshoes always mess me up.}[/caption]

How well do you know these bosses?

To lift the curse, you'll have to take out more than just the beginner bosses �the bigger the threa?t, the more behind-the-?scenes points you'll earn.

As you progress, the eye icon for the C?ursed Relic will change, and it'll get some new perks, including a faster Sup?er meter charge, more consistent Smoke Bomb dashes, and (oh thank goodness!) an easier time regenerating some HP by parrying. A safety net!

(The wiki has a breakdown of how many curse-lifting points each boss is worth, and how the Cursed Relic tiers vary, if you're curious. Do not play on Simple mode. It won't count.)

[caption id="attachment_334153" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{I wouldn't recommend fighting the DLC bosses with the Cursed Relic unless you're feeling bold.}[/caption]

The payoff for the Paladin achievement

In the end, after clearing a handful of bosses, the Cursed Relic will become the Divine Relic. I had to wipe out most of the Isle I and?? Isle II bosses on R??egular difficulty.

The D?ivine Relic is the same concept �randomized shot types that you can cycle through mid-fight�but it keeps your health pool at a much more comfortable 3 HP.

It's not exactly something I'll use by choice, but in the right hands, it can be very powerful and versatile. More than anythin?g, I valued this journey more than the destination.

[caption id="attachment_334142" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The eye is fully open.}[/caption]

Getting started with the Cursed Relic

You can access the Broken Relic early into the Cuphead DLC �it only costs one coin at the shop. It's best saved until you're sufficiently warmed up. With this item equipped, you'll solve a puzzle in a cemetery, conjuring a fierce secret boss fight. If you beat it, the Broken Relic will m?orph into a Cursed Relic. And that's where the true fun begins.

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is just great. It not o??nly has fantastic bosses �some of my favorites yet �but it also freshens up?? the original crew with new charms.

Even if this sounds like a pain in the ass, I'd encourage you to give it a shot. As dicey as things got with the Cursed Relic, it was a wonderful final challenge to end Cuphead on.

I'm sure I'll be back, but I'm so excit?ed to see what's next for Studio MDHR.

_{[Header image credit: packattack04082]}

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The things we'll do for an alternate skin

After a few tense nights of battling bosses, I'm satisfied with the quantity and quality of Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course. While the all-new fights are the main attraction, Studio MDHR has given us a reason to revisit the entire game with a distinct-feeling new playable character. Ms. Chalice is nimble yet powerful, and some of the new weapons �Crackshot is my new ride or die, followed closely by Converge �are just ridiculous.

If you've gotten straight As (or didn't stop unt??il you hit the DLC's 100% completion rate with all S ranks), there might still be a lingering quest to mop up. Have you chatted with the cactus girl in a while? I was so preoccupied with the trophies, I almost forgot.

The goal: to beat every boss in Cuphead, inc?luding the base game and DLC, as Ms. Chalice.

[caption id="attachment_333369" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{The cactus will drop clues about which Cuphead bosses you still need to fight.}[/caption]

You might not want to face every boss "in order" �at least, I sure didn't. And that's fine?. You can hop around randomly and save your per??sonal brick walls for last, if needed.

When ?you talk to the cactus girl again, she'll give you a (sometimes blatant) clue about your next target. In the screenshot above, the "tale of how the bird got his wings clipped" is a reference to the feather-flinging Wally Warbles. Just keep checking them off your list.

It's worth noting that you can get the "beat every boss as Ms. Chalice" reward while playing on Simple mode whenever that's available. That said, the beefier bosses like King Dice and the Devil only let you choose ??Regular and Expert difficulty. On the plus side, the marching cards are not as stringent as they look (in terms of Ms. Chalice's horizontal ??parry compared to Cuphead's), and her invincible roll can dominate the Devil's first phase.

[caption id="attachment_333370" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Ms. Chalice's gold skin is activated with the "Chalice" filter.}[/caption]

After you've beaten every boss in the base game and DLC island as Ms. Chalice, return to the cactus character and you'll ?unlock a "spiffy new look" for your effort.

To activate the costume, pause Cuphead and look for the Filter option in the m??enus �one of them is called "Chalice." Unlike the original game's Black & White and 2-Strip filters (which impact the whole?? screen), this DLC filter gives Ms. Chalice a new gold skin.

Is it worth the trouble?? Well, I had an inherently fun time replaying everything as Ms. Chalice (and even prefer her playst??yle). But yes, the reward itself looks great.

I mean just look at this!

[caption id="attachment_333371" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{Glumstone is easily my favorite boss of the new bunch.}[/caption]

Do it for her.

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Stand by the entrance and hold down the triggers

Cuphead is built upon the fun of replaying and mastering boss fights, and that also goes for the new DLC, The Delicious Last Course. With that said, the three mausoleum levels in the original g?ame �and a secret boss in the DLC �are seemingly set up as one-time hurdles. Is there any way to replay this content? Turns out, yes?. With a hidden input.

Without spoiling anything, if you ever want to replay the DLC's secret boss (or just try the ghost-busting mausoleums again for the heck of it), here's how: stand facing the level entrance on Cuphead's overworld and hold the L+R triggers until it opens back up.

I saw the tip on Reddit and tr??ied it on PS4 using L1+R1, and sure enough, it all works. In the case of the secret boss, you'll see a blue light. For the mausoleums, they'll still be destroyed, but a button prompt will appear after you hold?? the triggers long enough.

It's unclear if there is a way to replay the secret boss or mausoleum levels in Cuphead using only a key?board, but I'll update this article if anyone crac?ks the case.

**Spoilers below**

[caption id="attachment_333324" align="alignnone" width="1920"] _{If you've beaten the secret boss in Inkwell Isle IV, stand here in the cemetery and hold L+R to play it again.}[/caption]

Here's a visual? aid if? you can't quite remember where you fought the secret boss.

How to unlock the secret fight the first time

If you're not at that point yet but you're still reading this article anyway out of curiosity, WELCOME. I'm t??rying to be vague. To reach this fight the first time, you'll need to:

• Buy the Broken Relic from Porkrind's shop for one coin, then equip it.
• Begin the graveyard puzzle by listening to the three competitors at the top of the map; they'll share clues like "down," "right," or "downright."
• Complete the puzzle by interacting with three headstones in the correct order based on the (randomized) clues the NPCs share.
• If you did it right, you'll see a glowing blue light â€?that's the secret boss entrance.

There's no other fight like this in Cuphead, and I'm sure players will want to revisit it. The first time through, ??I was just glad? to make it out alive; everything was a blur.

As for replaying the mausoleums, maybe you want ??to practi??ce your parries? Or maybe you just want to experience them again without doing a new save file. Options are good!

After a long weekend with the game, you might have burned through everything. That's where I'm at after finally, finally getting through the wonderfully overwhelming final bout, which felt like a perfect note to end on. Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course will go down as one of m?y favorite gaming experiences of 2022, easily. Top-shelf co-op memories.

The post There’s a way to replay Cuphead’s mausoleum levels and secret boss appeared first on Destructoid.

You might have an easier time with it, too

Fans are flying through Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course, and I don't blame them �it's been a long time coming, and the new bosses are an audio-visual treat, as expected. The urge to burn through the gauntlet and circl??e b??ack around to improve the grades is high.

That said, it pays to take it slow and appreciate the finer details. One of them, a secret alternate boss phase in the Cuphead D?LC, is low-key blowing my mind for a few reason??s.

First off, it's been a while; I forgot that alternate boss patterns were even on the menu for Cuphead. Naturally, Studio MDHR would carry it forward for The Delicious Last Course, right?

While I'm not sure what else is lurking out there (I've seen... some stuff, but I'm sure there's more), players have discovered at least one neat secret that I never would've found on my o??????????????????????????wn. Even if you know ?how to trigger it, it's a little tricky to pull off.

**Spoilers below**

The boss in question is The Howling Aces in "Doggone Dogfight."

Rather than pilot a plane (like in the shmup bosses), ??you fight on top of ??one.

Here's how the boss fight normally goes:

• In the first phase, dogs throw tennis balls, bones, and even heat-seeking hydrants at you while you take pot-shots at the bulldog in charge.
• Then, in the second phase, four jetpack-wearing pooches swirl around your plane, chucking projectile "B," "O," and "W" letters at you.
• In the final phase, the ring leader brings out the big guns and even flips the screen on its side and upside-down. It's... a lot. I have to physically tilt my head to keep up.

As it turns out, there's a secret third phase for this Cuphead DLC boss.

Here's how to activate it

In the second phase, instead of unceremo??niously gunning down the jetpack dogs, you can whittle down their health until they'r??e all nearly knocked out. The keyword: nearly.

The trick is to shoot the dogs just enough so that their smoke trails turn from white to gray �but if you push it too fa?r, they'll spiral off ?the screen. I have a tip.

I've had the best results with the Charge shot. Try to fully power up your shots and hit each of the jetpack dogs once, then hit them all again with a single weaker, non-charged shot. That shoul?d do just enough damage to tur??n the exhaust gray without overdoing it.

There's a lot of chaos, ??so it's ideal to know precisely how many shots y??ou need to take.

The Howling Aces' secret alternate phase

Thanks to your extra effort in the second phase, instead of dealing w??ith lasers and screen-flipping?? shenanigans in the final round, you'll have a (comparatively) calmer time.

With the alternate phase, you mostly just have to worry about pineapples (??try not to shoot them!) while you focus your shots on the ring leader, who pops up in different spots.

If you can play methodically, it's easier ?than the default path. Neat game!

The post One of the Cuphead DLC bosses has a secret phase appeared first on Destructoid.

Yep, it's delicious

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is finally here as a DLC sendoff for the indie darling �and the good news is that it's more Cuphead.

Enough said. Mostly!

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course (PC [reviewed], PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X)
Developer: Studio MDHR
Publisher: Studio MDHR
Released: June 30, 2022
MSRP: $7.99

To make it ea??sier to convey what this expansion-like DLC entails, we'??ll break things down into two main categories.

A new character (Chalice) and some items

So one big part of the DLC is the addition of items (mostly in the form of charms), and the character of Chalice: a third playable cha??racter that's essent?ially an extension of the charm system.

To be clear, you can "morph" into Chalice as one of the two main characters (Cuphead or Mugman) by equipping a special charm. While it does take up the charm slot, Chalice comes with her own set of skills, including a parry dash (literally it's a parry doubling as a dash, more on that in a second), a double jump (like, a passive double jump, no big deal), and a dodge roll (that has invincibility, or iFrames). As you can imagine, it's kind of a huge deal and changes the way you approach every single boss in the game �old content include??d.

Chalice actually ended up being one of the most significant things about The Delicious Last Course for me when all was said and done. While the developers stopped short of calling her an "easy mode" when I talked to them pre-launch, she's definitely going to feel that way to some people. Making her a charm that can be swapped out at any time if it gets to be too much is a smart move, but Chalice is a ton of fun in any context and I'm glad she's in the game as-is. Full stop, I enjoyed the run & gun platforming stages (which the DLC has none of, to be clear) immensely more using her.

The new shop items, like the Heart Ring charm, where you gain health after specific successful parry intervals, continue to inject more viable strategies into Cuphead as a whole. A few of them seem insignificant, but when combined with certain strategies and playstyles, they allow more options to blossom �which is really the core of Cuphead, figuring out puzzles in unique ways.

The meat of the meal: new bosses

Suffice to say it's really hard to openly talk about the specifics of a lot of bosses without outright ruining them. It's Cuphead. That's kind of the whole thing. So I won't!

But I will say that the bosses themselves are fantastic, and true to form to how the game was built to this point from a mechanical standpoint. From a raw aesthetic point of view, they're a straight-up step up. Se??veral of them have absolutely bizarre scene transitions that warranted an outright out-loud gasp or belly laugh. Given the surprises the original had up its sleeve years ago, it's nice to see that Studio MDHR still has the ability to ?surprise me.

One stage (featuring the "Moonshine Mob") really grew on me, with several very interesting phase transitions and an incredible marriage of music and visuals �even surpassing most of what the game had achieved thus far. You can really tell how the team put some extra seasoning on the visual style and t?he individual details for these new fights. Again, there are no run & gun platforming stages per se, but there is a set of "challenge rooms" that gets straight to the point, and will force you to master the parry system if you haven't already.

Last month, the team said that they want "every boss to feel like a final Cuphead boss," and that's kind of an overstatement. I wouldn't say that most of what the DLC has to offer is significantly harder than some of the later challenges in the base game; which is a good thing, as there's really no reason for that to be the case. Now, like any boss rush-focused project, some folks might disagree. But "somewhere in the latter half? of the original in terms of a challenge" is a sweet spot for me.

It was so easy to just get swept up into Cuphead again because of all ??of the love and care that was put into these bosses. None of t??hem felt phoned in.

You will need to be aware that not much has fundamentally changed when it comes to the framework of the game. Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course still has the "simple" difficulty (that you can select for each individual boss before? taking them on) that makes things easier, and ex??cises an entire boss phase. It's still great for learning the core concepts of a boss in a less intense setting. However, you will need to finish every boss on standard difficulty to see the ending �so if that was a turnoff, it's still present/unshakable.

After all these years there still isn't anything quite like Cuphead. I wish that we got more than a few hours' worth of stuff, but the nature of The Delicious Last Course augmenting the original game means that it'll impact every timeless future playthrough. If you hated the game before, the D??LC won't do much to change you?r mind. If you loved it, you should probably pick it up immediately.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course appeared first on Destructoid.

It's a very early unlock

A new DLC, a new Cuphead DLC island! While The Delicious Last Course adds a playable third character (Chalice) into the mix on top of additional equipment, the main draw is an extra DLC island with more bosses to fight??. The good news: it's really easy to unlock.

You just need to finish the first Mausoleum level

Since a lot of folks are likely starting up a new fresh save file for the DLC (or are buying the game for the first time), I figured it was worth pointing out how to get to the new i?sland.

In short: to access the DLC island in Cuphead, all you need to do is finish the first Mausoleum level. The shortest?? path involves beating the initial "Run & Gun" (platforming) stage, Forest Follies. It's denoted by a small diamond icon on the ground??. After completion (you don't need to get all the coins), a bridge will pop up to the east.

Head over i?t, then south, to get to the Mausoleum. This one is super easy to complete: you just need to parry (press the jump button while in the air with Cuphead or Mugman) the spirits before they reach the middle of the arena. They move slowly ??and there aren't that many to defeat.

After that, a ferry NPC appears that brings you to the new Cuphead DLC island

After completion the Mausoleum will crumble, denoting that it was conquered. An NPC will appear ??holding an oar, and their boat will take you to "Island IV," which is the locat?ion of the DLC.

If you load into an existing save file, the N??PC should be available to take you to the ?DLC without an extra step.

The post Here’s how to find the Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course DLC island appeared first on Destructoid.

"We still like to think of it as it works perfectly as a DLC piece"

Studio MDHR has been busy. Like, busy for the last five years or so, busy. Cuphead came out in September of 2017! From the original PC and Xbox One platforms it expanded to Switch in 2019, and PS4 in 2020. But it definitely feels like it came out recently, namely due to the airtight gameplay and evergreen aesthetic. If what we've seen of the Delicious Last Course DLC is representative of what's to come, odds are it'll be relevant for even longer. Here's our Cuphead DLC preview.

We had the chance to sit down and watch a hands-off presentation of the Cuphead DLC, hosted by Chad, Jared, and Maja Moldenhauer; as well as Studio MDHR producer Eli Cymet. Kicking things off Cymet framed the presentation by noting that this was a "d?epth expansion more than a breadth expansion," citing the need to "polish everything," including the soundtrack, which "plumbs the depths of the '30s and '40s."

The DLC will be accessible to playe??rs who have beaten at least one of the mausoleum stages, at which point you can start a "new adventure" on an additional island, which is "connected by not limited by" the first game. The DLC narrative involves bringi??ng newcomer Chalice back to life via the magical Wondertart, collecting ingredients from (you guessed it) more big bad boss fights.

Cymet says these are the "most challenging, big big bosses yet," and Jared expanded upon that notion: "So the first game was like, what if every boss was the last boss of another game. [With the DLC], what if every boss was the last boss from Cuphead? It's going to be...everyone should be super excited to see how much more we put into the Cuphead DLC itself."

We were able to see one new fight (something featured in the?? marketing material prior to the event, including the header image of this preview): Snow Cult Scuffle. It features a "crazed cultist and his minions," and seeing the entire thing in action, you can tell the animation and attention to detail is as impressive, if not better than the original release.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bskUa1jX0Gg

Chalice, however, will bring some tricks of her own into the mix. To actually summon her, you'll need to equip a charm (item) to do it, and she'll replace Cuphead or Mugman in the actual battle itself (bu??t not on the world map). Chalice has a double jump, an additional hit-point, and a two-in-one dash-parry. She can be used in the entire main game, and you can bring back all of the charms and items from the DLC into the core experience. Cymet excitedly added that it will "add new depth to speedruns."

The core experience doesn't seem to be changing that much, in case folks were worried. Jared elaborates when asked if more accessibility options were going to be present in the DLC, or if it would fundamentally warp the way the original plays: "difficu?lty options...we wanted to find a new way to balance and have more options [for] players. So having more options with weapons and charms and Chalice's move set alone will offset certain areas of difficulty. You can really kind of take advantage of these patterns...these weaknesses, and make the player much stronger in any given situation. I see Chalice as two different angles as to how you might play...she's advantageous in specific situations...she can't use the other set of charms, like extra HP. She kind of gets this amalgamation of a few different charms. They have a little bit of a give and take depending on what you choose. I wouldn't go so far as to say she's some form of easy mode, but some players might find it easier to control with a double jump."

He also added: "the main thing [the Cuphead DLC might change] is the access to the boatman...quicker access to the island itself...[but] we didn't want to make bigger changes to the game itself...it's more bringing back items from the DLC into the original game." When quizzed about why Delicious Last Course wasn't a standalone game, Chad clarified that the project has drastically cha?nged since the original announcement: "We may have announced DLC a little too early. We wanted to make a really cool sendoff...but it kind of blew up, and we had a little scope creep. When we see the final product it works beautifully as a DLC product...we still like to think of it as it works perfectly as a DLC piece." Interestingly, Chad outright confirmed "we don't have platforming stages anymore in the DLC," which is probably a smart move given that folks gravitated toward the boss fights �and that seems to be the clear focus of this sendoff.

When asked how long the Cuphead DLC is, Cymet gave a pretty lengthy answer that thankfully had a cold hard number in it: "If you hear reticence in my voice it's not that we're willing to put a number to it...this varies internally. I think you're going to have diehard speedrun quality Cuphead players and I can't speak to wh?at their ability level can do. The DLC...and I'm still enjoying it and playing it and using Chalice in the main game...the DLC experience ran me about three and four hours in gameplay. That's kind of a median answer I might give." A median answer is good!

And with that length comes a price: $7.99, which also seems like a good spot to be! Cymet clarified that the DLC will come to the original platforms (PC, PS4??, Switch, Xbox One), but will "run wonderfully on the newest generation of consoles," when asked about an Xbox Series X or PS5 release. Maja confirmed an eventual physical release, with news to come in "two to three months."

Even just literally "more Cuphead" was the bar I needed this DLC to clear, and our Cuphead DLC preview seemed to help put down any major fears. Eight bucks, and some improvements? That sounds like a pretty decent way to spend a weekend; and with the potential for all of the DLC items to rework the game, it could help solidify Cuphead's legacy as a whole.

So what's in store for the future beyond that? Chad gave us a little tease: "Now that the DLC is wrapped we're in a good space and other games we want to make, and other styles we want to ?pursu??e. We're going to keep working on the Studio MDHR style."

The post Cuphead DLC preview: “We wanted to make a really cool sendoff…it kind of blew up” appeared first on Destructoid.

"This match will get red hot!"

"Cuphead hot sauce" isn't something ??I thought I'd wake up to, but in this era of merchandise-heavy tie-ins, I should have known better.

Jade City Foods is partnering with the Netflix show line specifically for several products: three types of Cuphead coffee, and six types of hot sauce, which are detailed below and on their storefront. The latter is $16 a bottle, with the reaper/scorpion/ghost pepper omega trio bottle (appropri?ately bottled with the devil) coming in at a premium $18: you can also buy the six-pack for $90.

As someone who is currently subscribed to a hot sauce of the month club, I'm interested in a few of the habanero flavors in particular. Scorpion and ghost ?are so easy to mess up (although there are plenty of great mixes), but these days the habanero racket is pretty consistent in quality; with just the right amount of flavor and heat, even for hot-heads and non-hot-heads alike.

I'm still a ways away from realizing my dream of makin??g my own locally-bottled hot sauce (I think I've settled on a recipe, ??but need space to grow the peppers), but I'm getting there!

Cuphead Coffee:

• Cuphead "Looking For Fun"- Dark Roast Coffee
• Ms. Chalice "Sunshine Blend" - Medium Roast Coffee
• Mugman "Good Times Blend" - Light Roast Coffee

Cuphead Hot Sauce:

• Cuphead "Double Down" - Strawberry Habanero Hot Sauce
• Mugman "Quit While You're Ahead"- Blue Raspberry Habanero Hot Sauce
• Ms. Chalice "Nothin But Trouble"- Blueberry Habanero Hot Sauce
• The Devil "Soul Collector"- Carolina Reaper, Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
• King Dice "Roll the Dice"- Charcoal Habanero Hot Sauce
• Elder Kettle "Cozy Cottage"- Smoked Jalapeno Hot Sauce

The post Cuphead hot sauce? Sure I’ll bite appeared first on Destructoid.

Multitasking at its finest

When I'm exhausted, my goal with media is to help me shut my brain off so I can relax a bit. One of my favorite?? ways to do that, I've found, is to play games while listening to a podcast, show, or some music at the same time. Do I need to bombard myself with stimuli to shut my brain up so I can breathe for a minute? Who's to say, but I do know that I think it's a lot of fun.

At this point I feel like something of a gaming-while-also-listening-to-a-podcast connoisseur, and I've tried out a whole bunch of different titles so you don't have to. Witho?ut further ado, here is my list of the best games to play while you're also listening to some??thing else.

Slay the Spire

Recently, this game has had a chokehold on me. Slay the Spire is a combination of my two favorite sub-genres in games: deckbuilding and roguelikes. It's one of th??ose games where the more time you put in, the more you'll get out of it, because you get to know the decks really well and start maximizing your builds. Tur?n-based gameplay makes it perfect for picking up and putting down any time you want to, and this is also just a well-designed game full of fun surprises that more people need to know about.

Hades

So I have around 400 hours in this game, an??d while that's because it's a near-flawless action roguelike, it's always because it was the perfect activity to keep me engaged while I was listening to my podcast of choice. It's beyond worth it to play Hades the first time through with the sound on, trust me. Once you get a decent way into the post-game, though, you've pretty much heard everything there is to hear, and that's when a podcast ?is perfect. 

Stardew Valley

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. This is another game I've put way too many hours into, and for good reason. The gameplay might feel a bit repetitive to some after a while, but I find the routine relaxing, and the perfect way to keep myself occupied as I listen to, well, whatever I want to ??listen to. It's a modern classic of a simulator game, which is a genre that lends itself well to? listening to podcasts, music, or shows in the background.

Shadow of the Colossus

I definitely recommend playing this one the first time through with the sound on, because it's one of the most iconic soundtracks in all of gaming. In any subsequent playthroughs, though, this is a perfect game to use to pass the time. It has a much slower pace than more recent entries in the open-world action-adventure genre, which means it's a great option while you're trave??rsing its expansive world. You might need to pause and concentrate during the boss fights, though.

Mario Maker

A classic mistake wh??ile trying to ??beat an especially difficult Mario Maker level is to think too hard, or as my Southern grandma would have said, to work yourself into a la??ther. I find that listening to something else while I'm trying to beat a game that's giving me trouble can be really helpful, because it keeps me from overthinking things, and distracts me just enough to get the job done.

The Binding of Isaac

I honestly prefer to play Binding of Isaac this way, because I f??ind the sound design to be pretty grating. I know it's supposed to be like that, but that doesn't make it any more enjoyable. It's another roguelike, which means it can be played in perfect bite-sized bits, and isn't so overwhelming that you'll miss whatever your podcast hosts of choice are ta?lking about.

Forza

This goes for most racing games, but Forza can be a great ??way to keep yourself busy while listening to a podcast.?? Like a Hades or Cuphead, it's a ??real-time game so you're paying closer attention, and it's easy to get into a flow state. I've found that paying attention to someone talking actually helps me play better, because I'm not overthinking what I'm doing.

Civilization

Strategy games are another great option, because they require that same type of flow state, engaged-but-not-really kind of thing. You reach a point, too, where a lot?? of stuff is going on its own anyway, so it falls into just the right level of attention it requires from you. Civilization, and other like games, also don't real?ly require the average player to need the sound on, so it's fine to have any other audio you want going on? in the background.

Cuphead

The Mario Maker logic al??so applies here. I've been stu??ck on the same boss in Cuphead for weeks (again), and having something else to concentrate on helps keep me from getting too frustrated when I keep dying. At this point, it feels more like I need a podcast on to help get me through the game, rather than wanting to just have something on in th??e background. Either way, it works well for me.

The post Nine of ??the best games to play while you l??isten to a podcast appeared first on Destructoid.

Pour one out

(Update: Well, I guess that explains the fast turnaround I mentioned. Numerous tweets allege that the "renewed season" is merely the second run of episodes held back from season one. This, according to animation industry fans and workers, is a common tactic used to avoid production and animation studio payments from rolling over �technically meaning that the distributor bags two "seasons" of a sh??ow for the production price of one. For further reading, see "New Deal 4 Animation".)

Netflix has announced that its critically muddled animated series The Cuphead Show has officially been renewed for a second season. The cartoonish adaptation ??of Studio MDHR's excellent platformer launched on the streaming service mere weeks ago, but Netflix clearly sees a future in the property.

While the adventures of Cuphead, Mugman, King Dice, and friends are perfectly suited to the TV screen �the themes and style of the franchise being pulled from the classic Fleischer cartoons of the 1930s �it seems that critics and audiences were very tepid toward the show itself. While praise was heaped u??pon the slickness of its art, color, and animation, the show was criticized for its weak narratives, clumsy storytelling, and lack of legitimately funny, well-written ??comedy.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sel3fjl6uyo

Netflix notes that The Cuphead Show season two will be available on the streaming service as soon as this coming summer, w?hich somewhat suggests that the new episod?es were produced either at the same time �or at the very least back-to-back �as season one. As such, I wouldn't expect any major deviation from a stylistic or narrative standpoint.

Back in the digital world, Studio MDHR is busy beavering away at video game expansion Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course. The DLC has been in the works for almost two years now, (after all, it takes a helluva long time to hand draw and animate all of those awesome boss characters, but the add-on ??is scheduled to lau??nch June 30 on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. Can't wait!

//twitter.com/NetflixGeeked/stat??us/1499127411803361286???ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The post (Update) Netflix The Cuphead Show ‘renewed for second season’ appeared first on Destructoid.

Oh me, oh my

It feels like it makes sense that Cuphead would get a cartoon. After all, its style is directly lifted from the Golden Age of Animation. Cartoons that existed before the television sucked them ??all into Saturday mornings when they played in theatres before the actual feature. Or, more specifically, the VHS transfers of those cartoons, which is something I got to experience as a child.

That’s right, do you know who loves Golden Age cartoons? This gal. Do you know what only superficially resembles a Golden Age cartoon? The Cuphead Show.

The Cuphead Show is Netflix’s latest transfer of a game to their streaming service. Castlevania turned out great, and it was based on an NES game that told its story through a text crawl. The Cuphead game had more narrative than Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, showing Cuphead and his brother Mugman losing a bet with the devil. In order to retain their souls, they have to collect bounties on other souls throughout the ??Inkwell Islands.

That’s mostly dropped in the show. Cuphead does owe his soul to the Devil after flubbing a game of skeeball �a plot device that crops up in the occasional episodes �but rather than work off his debt, Cuphead does�very little at?? all. It’s a situational comedy. One week Cuphead and Mugman are babysitting and another they’re taking care of Elder Kettle’s garden. Both of those play out in predictable ways, which is the word I’d wrap the whole show in: "predictable."

The bosses from the games get tied into The Cuphead Show, albeit their roles are changed completely ??to the point where they just seem like token inclusions. There's the occasional song, and while they aren't annoying, they aren't parti??cularly memorable either.

[emb?ed]//www.you??tube.com/watch?v=Sel3fjl6uyo[/embed]

Could you have had a show based entirely around fighting bosses? Yes. A lot of Golden Age animation was exactly that. The first few years of Popeye cartoons was Bluto and P?opeye competing over everything and inevitably beating the tar out o??f each other.

No, instead, Cuphead and Mugman get into situations that we’ve seen before. There’s very little linking it to the love of old cartoons that the game thrived on. The animation is more akin to Ren & Stimpy or Spongebob Squarepants. It doesn’t seem to even reach for the visual language spoken in the old cinema days of cartoons. It will make ??references to it, sure, but usually these references are thing??s like having the flowers dance or having the devil pull his face in frustration.

Normally the humor leans closer to modern cartoons. While I don’t necessarily expect The Cuphead Show to throw a muffled filter over its sound and remove frames to make it look like an antique reel, what they chose to do instead just leaves it without its own personality. What does The Cuphead Show offer? Stop motion backgrounds, I guess, which it u??ses sparingly.

Part of the problem might be that it’s rated TV-Y7, which is a bit baffling to me. Golden Age cartoons were often quite violent by today’s standards, and I’m not sure many children play Cuphead. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe they have statistics that say children love it. I figured they were just playing, like, Roblox and Minecraft these days.

However, the result is that the jokes in The Cuphead Show aren’t very clever. I’m not sure I cracked a smile at any, but then, I am a humorless curmudgeon. The jokes are, to return to that old word, predictable. Maybe that’s because with The Cuphead Show being rated for children, throwing in a referenc??e to old cartoons will be fresh?? for them.

The Cuphead Show is just a missed opportunity. While the game is a tribute to the Golden Age of Animation, the show doesn’t have much of a perso??nality of its own. It’s not even caught between modern cartoons and pre-television ones, rather it only makes a token effort to reference what made the game special, and the rest is just ??packing peanuts.

I just don’t see any ambition here aside from “make Cuphead into a cartoon.�Even then, there seems to have been barely any interest in taking anything that made that game special and transferring it into the cartoon. I'm not sure where The Cuphead Show fits. I can't see any value here. It’s a cup half-full situation here, except the cup is filled with dishwater. At least we got something, but I still don’t want to drink it. You can have a taste if you want, as it premieres on Netflix on February 18, 2022.

The post The Cuphead Show certainly isn’t a wallop appeared first on Destructoid.

Cuphead and Mugman's adventures get underway on Netflix next month

It won't be long until the animated adventures of Cuphead and Mugman premiere. Netflix confirmed The Cuphead Show will start streaming on Feb. 18, and also put out a new trailer for the series.

The Cuphead Show is an animated series following Cuphead and Mugman, the protagonists of indie scrolling shoot-em-up Cuphead. Today's trailer gives us a good loo??k at what the tone of the show will be, which really seems to be a classic Saturday morning cartoon feel.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sel3fjl6uyo

Throughout the trailer, you can catch a whole bunch of the characters from the Cuphead game. Alongside chara??cters like the two protagonists and Ms. Chalice, there's King Dice and the Devil, and even the gruff shopkeeper. I'm personally happy that it looks like the fighting game frogs are back too, boxing gloves and all.

The Cuphead Show has been in production for a while, and it's fun to see that the antics of these two characters is just around the corner. Video game adaptations have been going pretty well on Netflix's platform, and Cuphead seems ripe for some good times.

On the video game side of Cuphead, its long-awaited DLC The Delicious Last Course is due to launch on June 30, 2022. It's been a long time coming, but it also looks like a pretty significant new chunk of Cuphead content, with new e??ncounters to face off against with Cuphead, Mugman, and Ms. Chalice.

The post The Cuphead Show gets a zany new trailer and premiere?? date appeared first on Destructoid.

Learning to love the grind

First and foremost, games are supposed to be fun. This was the argument I used to explain why I didn't like playing games that presented me with too much of a challenge, because I can tend to get a bit frustrated and give ??up. Something I failed to under?stand when I was first getting into games, though, was that there is more than one way to have fun playing a game. I certainly didn't predict that I would actually come to appreciate and enjoy other styles of play.

Because I was still getting into games, saying I wasn't a very good mechanical player would be a bit of an understatement. I thought of myself as someone who didn't like difficult gameplay because it wasn't something I enjoyed, not as someone who was struggling because she was still learning. Well, after being drawn into various games because of my interest in their storytelling or visuals or what have you, I gradually just got better mechanically. The real turning point, though, was when I started to enjoy challenging myself, which was at the time I really got into Hades.

Supergiant is genius in any number of ways, but something I really love that they do is their modular difficulty system. A feature they've included in all of their titles since the debut of Bastion in 2011, modular difficulty is a more elegant replacement for traditional difficulty settings, and allows you to customize exactly how you want to challenge yourself. You can switch on settings that make enemies hit harder, or ?give bosses more powerful abilities, or m?ake items in shops more expensive, etc.

Not only is your game catered to exactly how you want to play, but you're also able to see exactly how the game is getting harder as you progress, which makes beating it all the more satisfying. As someone who really didn't see the appeal of challenging myself, Hades' modular difficulty ??was exactly what I needed. I could see myself getting better, and it completely changed the way I think about an?d play games.

So since I got hooked, and finally understood the triumphant feeling of mastering a game's mechanics after the initial struggle, my taste in games has branched out a lot. That brings me to my current endeavor: Cuphead. It's a game that I? was drawn to since I first saw it �I love old cartoons and big band music, and seeing the combination of those two things, plus the love and dedication MDHR put into that game, it was always at the ??top of my list. However, the thought of having a screen that ominously reads "You Died!" staring back at me for most of my playthrough was enough to keep me away.

[caption id="attachment_303139" align="alignnone" width="1280"] _{[Image Source: Attack of the Fanboy]}[/caption]One day, I just said screw it, and bought Cuphead. I'm not gonna lie, there were a few times when I had to walk away, or make myself stop for the day, and yes, a controller has been slammed onto the desk more than I care to admit. But I am pleased to report that I have in fact made good progress through Cuphead �or that was, until I encountered the dragon.

His name is Grim Matchstick, he's the last boss I need to finish World 2, and I hate him. I hate his stupid green face and those stupid fireball guys and his stupid other heads that shoot flames at me. If this were Noelle from a year ago, I would give up from sheer frustration and shamefully stare at the Cuphead icon in my Switch librar??y for the rest of eternity. But this is the new Noelle. This is 2022 Noelle.

[caption id="attachment_303136" align="alignnone" width="1829"] _{[Image Source: Reddit user u/Correct Increase]}[/caption]I have been stuck on this goddamn dragon boss for over two weeks. I know nothing but these ever-??scrolling clouds. I see them when I close my eyes, taunting me.

But I refuse to give up. It's slow, but I can see myself making progress. Every day, the little red Cuphead silhouette gets a little closer to the end of the screen. Just the thought of the dopamine hit I'm going to get when I finally hear that announcer yell "Knockout!" is enough to keep me going. At this point, I'm not just trying to finish a game �I'm trying to prove something to the version of myself that didn'?t think I could ever do it. I used to roll my eyes when they'd say "git gud," but now I not only understand it, I embrace it.

So I wanna know: what's a game that you refuse to give up on? How long have you been at it, and did you have to walk away for a while? What are ?your strategies for keeping sane when you just keep hitting a wall?

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It genuinely looks to be worth the wait

Every so often, an announcement at The Game Awards 2021 cuts through the noise, and for me, it was Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course more than anything. It has taken Studio MDHR several years to get here, but the DLC just got a release date �and I think it's in the clear! It's coming to PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch on June 30, 2?022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=bskUa1jX0Gg

This is one of ?the best trailers of th??e night, by far. The craftsmanship is unreal.

Following up on (what I'd call) one of the greatest run-and-gun games ever made is no easy feat, and while it's too early to tell if Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course will hit all of the same marks, the new boss battle f??ootage today fills me with renewed confidence.

"Everyone really honed their craft during the course of development," Studio MDHR COO Maja Moldenhauer said in a press statement. "We're so proud of our talented team, and the meticulous care they put into every element of ?this expansion."

"There are individual phases of bosses in The Delicious Last Course that contain more frames of animation than entire bosses in the original Cuphead, and we think fans and newcomers alike will?? really appreciate the depth and detail on display!"

Speaking of the original game, Ms. Chalice will be playable on the new DLC island as well as on the orig?inal stages �that goes for new weapons and charms, too.

I'm ready to co-op the hell outta this.

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Literal King Dice

Fans of the Studio MDHR's Cuphead might be pleased to hear that the f?inger-gunning platformer has been adapted into a tabletop dice game by license-loving board game manufact??urers The Op: USAopoly.

Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game attempts to emulate the frenetic boss-battling action of the video game as players dish out cards and roll and re-roll dice in order to defeat the iconic enemies of heroes Cuphead and Mugman. The game features the wonderful 1930s artwork that made the 2??017 release such a head-turner, and features appearances from characters such as Elder Kettle, Ms. Chalice, and the shopkeeper. Sure King Dice is in the mix, the format is m??ade for him!

Cuphead: Fast Rolling Dice Game can be played by 1-4 players, and has a succinct average playtime of around 20 minutes, perfect for commutes, friendly get-togethers, and, naturally, tea-time. It is available to purchase right now at The Op online store and other board game retailers, priced at around $50 USD. Back in the digital realm, Studio MDHR continues its work on DLC for the original Cuphead release. We haven't heard from the team in some time, but given the game's adherence to gorgeous, hand-drawn animation �the wait for The Delicious Last Course is not unexpected.

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The devil is in the details

We're still waiting on Netflix's The Cuphead Show and Studio MDHR's Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course �but we've got a new clip of the former featuring King Dice (played by Wayne Brady!), and the latter is guaranteed to be?? excellent wheneve?r it's finished.

In other words, I still hold Cuphead nea??r and dear, and I'm feeling good about its future.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYmIRkitnnQ

The minute-long clip of The Cuphead Show was released as part of Netflix's gaming-centric Geeked Week, aka the reason you're seeing lots of new show announcements and tidbits spill onto Twitter. It's a window into the wider world of Cu??phead and Mugman outside of their boss-bashing exploits, and it's an adjustment, for sure, but not a huge one?.

While the show's animation doesn't perfectly capture the best-in-class look of the game or its inspirations, I t?hink it's pretty much there, tonally �at least based on this sneak peek of Wayne Brady doing his thing as the charismatic slimeball King Dice.

"This character-driven comedy follows the misadventures? of impulsive Cuphead and his cautious but easily-swayed brother Mugman," according to a summary from Netflix. "Whether it's angry mermaids, boxing frogs, or the Devil himself, the brothers often find themselves in hot water in their surreal home of Inkwell Isle."

I've skipped many, many Netflix adaptations of games I dig, but I'll turn up for this one. It'll be cool to see a new take on these characters, especially some of the bosses that really got under my skin. (That's a dig at you, Dr. Kahl. The grudge still stands.)

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Coming to a small screen near you

Netflix has announced that it intends to be a part of Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest spectacular. June 11 will see the streaming service dedicate a segment of its week-long "Netflix Geeked Week" celebrations to l??ooking ?at its upcoming movies & TV shows based on various game franchises.

Fans of the old boob tube can hope to see new information (and maybe some new footage) from shows such as Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, The Cuphead Show, and the long, long delayed second season of Netflix hit series, The Witcher. We also know that Netflix has previously tackled titles such as Castlevania and DOTA in well-received anime, so perhaps we'll see another popula??r franchise affo?rded an animated adaptation.

Away from gaming, Netflix Geeked Week will also be shining lights on other shows including The Umbrella Academy, Masters of the Universe, The Sandman, Cowboy Bebop, Lucifer, and Sweet Tooth. So if you're the type to binge seasons of shows into the wee hours, you have another stream to schedule. Keighley notes that the shows featured will be based on "your favorite games" so I'm certainly looking forward to the reveal of Lethal Enforcers: The Mini-Series.

Netflix Geeked Week runs June 7-11. The gaming segment will kick off June 11?? at 09:00PT / 12:00 ET / 17:00 BST.

//twitter.??com/geoffkeighley/status/1399742537183547393?s=20

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The crossover costumes will appear in the Fall Guys store on February 24 and Feb. 27, respectively

I'll take more Cuphead whenever and wherever I can – even if it's just a Fall Guys tie-in.

Costumes for Cuphead and Mugman are showing up this week in the mean bean machine, and you'll need ten crowns for each of them, as well as another five crowns for a Cuphead-inspired emote.

In collab with @StudioMDHR we'??re pleased to announce that Cuphead is th?e featured costume on Wednesday!

5x 👑 Top
5x 👑 Bottom

There's also an emote for 5x 👑!

...and of course, Mugman will arrive on Saturday!
5x 👑 Top
5x 👑 Bottom

Don't deal with the devil for the crowns 👀 pic.twitter.com/4xDbs1zSVy

— Fall Guys âš¡ï¸ Season 3.5 (@FallGuysGame) February 22, 2021

There's no beating Fortnite for the sheer breadth of its media-spanning crossovers, but Fall Guys is no slouch, either. If th??is keeps up, it'll end up being quite a cozy collection of video game cha?racters.

I said this the other day in passing, but I have three give-'em-to-me-now games floating around my brain, and they are Elden Ring, Resident Evil Village, and Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course.

After recently replaying Cuphead in co-op for the first time, I found the game to be as amazing now as it originally felt in 2017 – and I adored the game at launch. Last we heard from Studio MDHR (back in November 2020), The Delicious Last Course was delayed again without a replacement date in tow. I'm trying to be patient, but I'm so antsy to play the DLC. Are the Fall Guys costumes helping? Not really!

We??ird fun fact I just noticed: a lot of people are out here Googling Cuphead's age and parents.

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Cuphead is represented in the game, but only as a costume

Cuphead has become a phenomenon. Not only is it a fully-fledged world in its own right, but it also spurred a new generation of people to discover Fleischer Studios cartoons for the first time. While it has become colloquially known as the "Cuphead" style in many circles (which is fai?r), it also began life with the moniker "r??ubber hose."

Artist Daniel Cortes took that principle and ran with it. Over the course of several weeks, Cortes has been providing "Cuphead/Rubberhose/1930s cartoon" inspired drawings of various Super Smash Bros. Ultimate characters, and it's been an absolute treat following alo?ng.

They even list their inspirations, like Peter Pan influencing the Link design, as well as Pete from Mickey Mouse serving as the spark for Bowser. So far they've covered Mast?er Hand, Mr. Game & Watch, Pac-Man, Mario, Donkey Kong, Luigi, Little Mac, Duck Hunt, Ice Climbers, ROB, Piranha Plant, Peach, B??owser, Link, Zelda, Samus, Ridley, Simon Belmont, and Pit. 

Cortes says that they are "gonna draw every single Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character," so this is something to bookmark and look forward to. Despite the great effort so far, they have a long ways to go! Such is the power of the Ultimate roster.

As a reminder, a Cuphead outfit was added to Smash Ultimate back in January of 2020, with spirits to boot. So while it was officially?? acknowledged, this is the next best thing.

Daniel Cortes [Twitter]

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It's delicious, and we're hungry

Here's a development that won't shock many people, and probably would've been completely missed had the creator not provided an update: Cuphead's The Delicious Last Course expansion won't launch in 20??2??0 as previously planned.

Now, eleven-twelfths of the way through 2020 and without any recent roadmap to guide us, everyone had passively assumed Cuphead's DLC wasn't going to show up this year. Studio MDHR made it official by p??osting this on social media:

The last we had heard, Studio MDHR delayed The Delicious Last Course from 2019 and into 2020. The pandemic is the chief culprit for this postponement, but an even better reason might be that Cuphead has just always been developed at its own pace. It takes a long time to create and that's the history of Cuphead. 

We're left to assume that 2021 is the new target release date for The Delicious Last Course. Either it'll be ready next year and we're given a more narrow launch window, or it won't and we'll have to look toward 2022. Cuphead operates on its own schedule, and that formula worked wonders the first time 'round. No?? one expects Studio MDHR to rush the expansion out the door until it's 100 percent perfectly refined.

@StudioMDHR [Twitter]

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They've got more than just the meats

Sometimes the neatest promotions come to the places that you don't necessarily want to frequent. Cuphead continues on its march toward international conquest with a fast food crossover th??at'll leave? you remembering that, oh yeah, you actually love curly fries.

Arby's kids meals now come with Cuphead toys. The??y're extremely thematically appropriate too, as they feature heroes launchi??ng projectiles at the big bad bosses. Here's what it looks like in action: 

The all-cartoon sensation Cuphead is launching into an Arby’s near you, for a limited time only. Collect all four hero launcher tokens and four constructible boss papercrafts today. pic.twitter.com/ciwaRPitMU

— Arby's (@Arbys) September 14, 2020

Those look kind of fun!? If you're feeling bold and also secure in your employment, you can fire them at your real-life boss. Although, you should probably start viewing your boss as a leader and not as an obstacle you need to overcome. Video games have ruined you.

Studio MDHR weighed in with his gif of Cuphead holding a roast beef sandwich and sipping from a cup. Depending on your view of the situation, this is either equivalent to kissing, incest, or cannibalism. Kinda messed up! However??, Cuphead housing some 2 for $6 gyros is perfectly good and pure. 

It's a good day for a swell battle, as ??Cuphead comes to Arby's!

Bring the family to a participating location near you and enjoy all-new Cuphead toys with purchase of a Kids Meal. Make memories building and battling papercraft versions of the Inkwell Isle's fiercest bosses! pic.twitter.com/pCCIi1XC9r

— Studio MDHR (@StudioMDHR) September 14, 2020

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The bonuses runneth over

PlayStation 4 is getting an absolute gem of an indie game today. Nearly three years after launch, Cuphead is coming to PS4. That's not the end of the surprises.

Studio MDHR is working on a treat for Cuphead's earliest adopters. The Xbox version is getting free special update that includes a di??gital art gallery, behind-the-??scenes commentary, and a playable soundtrack. It's like the bonus features disc in a DVD box set.

The special update isn't imminent. The developer says it's in "the early planning stages." Also, Studio MDHR is probably prioritizing work on the Delicious Last Course add-on moreso than a free update. But, whenever it arrives, it'll be a nice little touch and a tip of the hat to the platform that most heavily promoted Cuphead.

Surprise!! Cuphead is Coming? to PlayStation 4...And It's Out Today! [Studio MDHR]

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Who's double sipping?

[Update: Today on Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest stream, Studio MDHR's Maja Moldenhauer confirmed that Cuphead will hit PS4 today. The Delicious Last Course DLC will eventually launch on "all platforms day one." You can read more about Cuphead's PS4 release on the PlayStation Blog.]

"Leak" mi??ght be an especially-fitting term when discussing a game about cups that are full of liquid. Or, maybe that's overthinking it and we should just relish an incredible indie game finally arriving on its final major platform.

An international PlayStation Store listing has popped up that outs a PS4 port of Cuphead. Coupled with that -- err, "cuppled?" -- is a tease from Geoff Keighley that promotes "a special update from one of our favorite indie game studios.??"

Cuphead may be coming to PS4, it's appearing on international PSN stores right now but game listing doesn't load yet pic.twitter.com/ME7oRLkSEM

— Wario64 (@Wario64) July 28, 2020

That update is supposed to be revealed during tomorrow morning's (July 28) Summer Game Fest stream at 8am Pacific. It seems entirely plausible that Studio MDHR has a PS4 Cuphead&nbs?p;announcement planne??d for Summer Game Fest and someone at PlayStation went live just a little too early.

Way back when, it was reported that Cuphead would stay an Xbox One console exclusive forever. But, then it was ported to Switch last year (and, unforgettably, Teslas) which means that a PS4 version is perfectly possible. It ?seems like we'll kno??w one way or the other in the morning.

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