You have just been killed, once again, but you decide to press the continue button, and with restored morale, try again. That’s Cuphead during the several hours it will take you to complete it, one satisfaction after another that will take you down a forgotten path: that of those arcade platforms and action that have not been seen for a long time. We tell you about it in our Cuphead for Nintendo Switch review.
The key to Cuphead is how he handles his high degree of difficulty . As in the games of yore, it tests you over and over again, prompting you to try again, until you finally succeed and a comforting sense of achievement floods you. Creating a video game in which this is achieved is not easy, because you have to think a lot about the user, whether he will get tired of repeating, or if there will come a time when he ends up unhinged.
Of course, the difficulty is somewhat subjective, although it is also true that there are many design solutions that can avoid such frustration, or at least try to embrace a larger number of users ( Cuphead sold 3 million copies ). The game has a few techniques. It has character improvements, the ability to play in easy mode, but I would highlight one in particular, one that might seem stupid, simple, but is actually very effective. It’s that simple progress bar that appears at the end of each failed level, indicating how far you’ve come … and how much you have left to complete a level. The game, while cruel in defiance, always pats you on the back to keep you trying. With that graph he shows you that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
We already told you in the Cuphead analysis a few years ago why it was so great. Now that it’s coming to the Nintendo Switch we wanted to remember it. And no, it is not only because of its fabulous cartoon aesthetics from the 30s, but because it is a splendid tribute to the platforms and shooting games of the 80s and 90s, those arcade games where you left your weekly pay. We tell you what the version for Switch is like, while we review the indie greatness of a production that has become one of the most beloved within its genre.
The Cuphead styleThe premise is Cuphead is simple. Our protagonists have gambled everything in the casino, and they have lost their souls to the devil himself. It is not a way of speaking, and in fact our adventure is based on paying off those debts. How? Facing all those who were spared to give up their souls. And it’s funny, because the game was going to be based exclusively on these encounters. Finally, the main developers (brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer) decided to include some additional passages, to add variety to the gameplay.
One of the best aspects is the animation, done in the traditional style. A real treat to see Cuphead in motion.
Right decision. The bosses are varied enough among themselves, but integrating side scrolling phases enriches the proposal even more. In addition, although the game is heavily supported by jumps, there are also aviation parts that are reminiscent of the classic shoot ’em up. Therefore, aesthetically it could be considered as a tribute to the cartoons of the early Disney, although playably it is an ode to the arcades of the late twentieth century .
The game is thus based on a series of challenges of increasing difficulty. Short tests, a couple of minutes long, but challenging enough for you to drop and try countless times. The scheme is based on enemies of predefined patterns that we must memorize to overcome them. It is a game of not letting go of the thumb of the fire button, but also of jumping at the precise moments. A very frequent style two or three decades ago, but already somewhat forgotten. So much so that it is not uncommon to see the use of the expression “Cuphead style”. Without going any further, we recently used it in the analysis of Mechstermination Force .
Beyond its fantastic aesthetics and boss design, the best thing about the game lies in its accessibilityHowever, I think that the best thing about the game, beyond the aesthetics or the fantastic design of its bosses, lies in the accessibility . If a phase chokes you, you always have an alternative. It could be about leaving that particular level to try another, or going to the store to get a weapon that suits your play style. There is even an easy mode , something that allows you to advance, but not reach the end of the game. That is to say, a magnificent solution, because in the end what is done is offering multiple alternatives so that players do not end up frustrated too soon.
A great challenge for SwitchThe video game incorporates cooperative for two users in local mode, another option that supports accessibility, and that is especially good in the case of Nintendo Switch, given its concept as a console. Unfortunately, the controller did not convince me with the Joy-Con. I consider Cuphead to offer the best crosshead experience , and these drivers don’t provide as accurate a response. If you are to play with an analog stick, you will have no problem, but if you are like me, then your best alternative will be the D-Pad of the Switch Pro Controller.
You should take this into account, since the control issue will affect you more or less if you usually play in portable mode or in television mode. Whatever your case, the port work that has been done is excellent. Fluidity without problems, and with the same visual results as in the rest of the platforms. A graphic finish that stands out for those cartoon-style animations , which by the way were made one by one, in a handcrafted process reminiscent of the process of making traditional cartoons. It should be noted that it looks splendid in both television and laptop mode, the latter treating the colors sensationally.
Replayability is based on exceeding scores, and we assure you that it is not easy to obtain the maximum decoration.
There is no specific news for the version of Cuphead for Nintendo Switch , but there is an update for all platforms on which Cuphead has appeared (it will be available from launch: April 18). What does it consist of? The Mugman character can be selected by the first player. The intros are fully animated. The texts have been localized to Spanish … and then a lot of adjustments have been made on animations, eliminating programming errors in the process.
That is, CupHead comes to Switch in the best possible way, and also with the original Xbox Live brand achievement system , although the integration is pending. It is a big step, in addition to a great video game that is fortunately available on the Nintendo platform (exclusively digital for about 20 euros). For those who could not enjoy it in their day, this is a great time to do so.
“Magnificent”
Cuphead
10
Readers
(1)
Cuphead comes to Nintendo Switch in a very careful port, with all the attributes of the original video game. Perhaps the biggest problem is the control with the Joy-Con, which does not quite convince, but for everything else it is a surprising action platform, with a very tight challenge level. If that of experiencing the vintage flavor of turn-of-the-century arcades calls you, with an audiovisual section that emulates cartoons from the thirties, this is undoubtedly an unbeatable opportunity.
- Very good conversion for Nintendo Switch, keeping the attributes of the original
- Excellent difficulty setting, which encourages you to improve yourself with each game
- A marvel on a conceptual and visual level, imitating the cartoons of the 30s
- Very imaginative bosses, with a high variety of situations
- Cooperative for two players …
- … although it would have been great if the coop was also online
- On Switch, Joy-Con control can be done uphill
