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Cuphead is where it belongs on the Nintendo Switch.

Cuphead on the Nintendo Switch is one the most frustratingly satisfying titles you will ever play. Cuphead and Mugman have made a deal with the Devil, and it’s up to you to get them out of this predicament.

Side-scrolling action at its best.

Cuphead takes a few pages out of some classic side-scrolling shooters like Contra or Metal Slug. If you have ever played Contra, you know why the Konami code was a thing. Thankfully, with Cuphead you have as many lives as you need, so you can focus on learning the patterns of the current stage. Cuphead is all about patterns with a few instances of RNG thrown in the mix. I played one boss battle for two hours and it took me one minute and thirty-nine seconds for my final run. I am pretty sure I now have carpal tunnel thanks to that dragon.

I have been playing with a day one pro controller and honestly the d-pad hasn’t been much of an issue. I was expecting much worse, but it hasn’t been bad. I’ve also played handheld with the Hori D-pad which has worked great. Even playing with the analog stick doable if it’s your only option. If you are like me and you’re using a d-pad, extended play sessions will lead to some severe Nintendo thumb. You know, that sore spot that’s all red? Having Nintendo thumb on a Monday morning is a sign that you had a great weekend of gaming. When I hit that three-hour mark is when I started to notice Nintendo thumb setting in. My left thumb was busy on the d-pad, and my right thumb never let up from the X button. Cuphead will have you continually firing your finger gun while you run, jump, and dodge your way through each level.

Running and gunning aren’t all you will do, on some levels you will find yourself piloting plane. Mixing up the run and gun with some flying stages adds welcomed variety after being stuck on some levels for long periods of time.

The difficulty may deter some, and I understand that. I enjoy the challenge of learning the patterns and seeing my progress even when it means dying a lot in the process. I believe one of the reasons so many have said: “Cuphead belongs on the Switch” is because of the old school difficulty. If you have played Contra or Super C you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Cuphead on the Switch looks and runs amazing.

It is impossible to look at Cuphead and not think about classic Mickey Mouse cartoons. The art style and animations are something to behold. The background and foreground look like paintings while the characters and enemies keep that classic cartoon look. There are times that I look at this game and forget that it’s a game because I am playing a cartoon. That is part of the draw to keep going I want to see what the next level will look like or the next boss. Cuphead runs at a smooth 60 FPS docked and handheld and I haven’t noticed any slow down in the six-plus hours I have played. The music in this game is also from the same era and it fits so perfectly! I love hearing the sax, trombone, and trumpet just singing along with the upright bass. Below is a video of the band recording Floral Fury.

Should you pick up Cuphead for the Switch?

If you can handle the difficulty then Cuphead is a must own on the Switch. The art, the music, and gameplay come together to give you a difficult but satisfying adventure.

The Pros

Beautiful art style

Great gameplay and controls

Amazing soundtrack

Sense of satisfaction from completing stages

The Cons

Frustrating and very difficult at times

Final Score: 9/10 Power Gloves