Cuphead Premise
Cuphead is an indie platform shooter developed by Studio MDHR and released in 2017. The game centers around Cuphead and Mugman as they travel around islands collecting contracts for the Devil. Each contract is a boss fight that the duo must defeat before moving on to the next one. People revere the game for its difficulty, boss fights, musical score, and animation style inspired by 1950s cartoons.
Along the way, players collect coins used to buy power-ups and different bullets. After collecting each contract, Cuphead and Mugman can choose to join the Devil. Refusing enters them into the final boss fight while accepting ends the game with the duo turning evil. The game is highly acclaimed among fans and the gaming community, while some critics have had difficulty with the tutorial. It is the winner of multiple awards, including Best Independent Game and Best Game Expansion.
Cuphead DLC
Cuphead features one additional DLC for players to download, The Delicious Last Course. Fans highly anticipated the expansion in 2018 until its release in June 2022, despite numerous delays. Players can purchase The Delicious Last Course for $7.99 in the store on their platform of choice. To play the DLC, players have to complete the first Run and Gun level in the game “Forest Follies.” Then walk to the first mausoleum on the right of the Isle. After beating that stage, a man will appear with a boat. Talk to him, and he will take you to the fourth DLC Isle of the game.
The DLC tells a separate story from the main game, first by introducing the new character Chalice. Ms. Chalice, a soul found in each mausoleum, yearns for a physical body. The trio meets with Chef Saltbaker, who reveals a recipe to give Chalice her body. The trio travels around the Isle defeating bosses and collecting ingredients for the Chef.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course Checklist
The Delicious Last Course features new items and bosses never seen before. The expansion gives players a fresh take on battles with new arena mechanics while maintaining the hand-drawn animation that made the game famous. While completing the DLC is important to check out new weapons and abilities to help defeat every single enemy, including the secret boss.
- Chef Saltbaker – Chef Saltbaker is the final boss of the DLC and generally agreed to be the hardest boss in the expansion. In his fight, players must finish all three phases at once. So if you fail at the third phase, you’ll have to start the battle from the beginning of phase one. Players will use everything they have learned from the previous battles to defeat the evil Chef.
- Angel and Demon – Angel and Demon are the secret boss fight in The Delicious Last Course. Players will need to obtain the Broken Relic and talk to the competitors in the climbing competition. Inputting their commands on the graveyard tombstones will unlock the fight. Devil is the only character that can be attacked in the fight and is always be in front of the player, with Angel always behind.
- Mortimer Freeze – Mortimer Freeze is a three-phase boss fighting in an ice palace arena. He owns Icy Sugar Cubes and can be found in the Icy Tundra. His final phase can be challenging for players with difficulty platforming while fighting.
- The King’s Leap – The King’s Leap is a series of challenges hosted by the King of Games. You’ll have to find ladders scattered around the map to access the challenge. Players will take on five bosses in their own minigame. However, the twist is that you can only parry during the fights. Once all five are defeated, the King of Games will grant you access to The Gauntlet, which is defeating all five in one go.
- Glumstone The Giant – Glumstone is a three-phase giant and the keep of Gnome Berries. Players will have to be careful of where they are standing, as traps are on the floor for the majority of the fight.
- Moonshine Mob – The Moonshine Mob is a four-phase boss inspired by prohibition-era gangs. They are the keepers of the Distillery Dough. Each phase consists of different enemies, including Charlie Left Legs, Light Bug, Anteater, and Announcer Snail. Generally, people consider them one of the easier boss battles in the DLC.
- The Howling Aces – The Howling Aces are a three-phase boss fight and keepers of the Pineapple Mint. The fight is aviation-themed, with the player stuck on a plane platform the whole fight. Each phase features a different boss, including Canteen Hughes, Yankee Yippers, and Sergeant O’Fera. The third phase can also feature a secret phase, including the Sergeant and Yankee Yippers.
- Esther Winchester – Esther is a four-phase boss and the keeper of the Desert Limes. She is the only shoot-’em-up boss in the DLC, meaning players will be in a plane.
Is Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course Worth the Money?
Yes, The Delicious Last Course is worth every cent for fans of the game. The DLC adds new bosses that expand on the new features, like Chalice, while providing the same fun and challenging gameplay from the base game. The animations are smoother, with bosses feeling unique without involving any unfair attacks. At $7.99, the expansion is one of the cheapest DLCs and helps support Studio MDHR, who have shown their dedication and passion for the franchise. The Delicious Last Course is everything a DLC should be. It’s an expansion that builds upon the base game and provides its own engaging story and characters, adding a unique charm to the Isle.
I recommend players getting Cuphead for the first time avoid the DLC until they have a feel for the game or until they defeat the final boss. The reason is that the game can be very difficult for some players, and the DLC would not be worth it if they run up against a wall or quit due to bosses being too hard. While there are difficulty options, some players may not be up for the challenge and time it takes to learn the boss mechanics, especially on a first playthrough.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course Tips and Tricks
While Cuphead can be challenging, there are a number of options available to make the game easier. In the DLC, Ms. Chalice becomes available to play. Her abilities allow her to automatically parry by dashing, double-jump, land an extra hit-point, and roll to dodge attacks.
Also, since the DLC features a lot of platforming and dealing with multiple targets at once, the Chaser weapon can be beneficial for players who’ve hit a wall. The Chaser will automatically hit the nearest target without having to aim. While it does less damage than the Peashooter, players can focus more on platforming and avoiding projectiles.
And finally, playing on Simple Mode will make boss fights a lot easier. While taking hits does the same amount of damage, attacks are slower and have fewer projectiles. The screen will not be as chaotic and provides a good introduction to learning the boss mechanics. For players who want to prove that they can win on Regular or Expert, watching YouTube tutorials to learn mechanics will be beneficial before starting fights.