Cuphead E3 Preview

The tiny brown mouse sneaks up to the fridge, collects the delicious looking cheese (I think it might be vintage cheddar) and retreats slowly from whence he came. The cat, aware of the mouse’s every movement, disguises himself among the living room furniture, his mouth salivating at the thought of the little brown rodent displaying a momentary lapse of concentration. Small in size but big in brain, the mouse is wiser than he seems, and, as always, he emerges victorious. The cat finds himself on the end of yet another berating from his master; his plans foiled and his stomach devoid of nutrition.

I, like many generations before me, grew up with Tom and Jerry. The tale of cat and mouse has been told since time immemorial, and, along with other seminal cartoons of its era, it ushered in a form of programme that continues to thrive. Visit the house of any eight year old (not without permission of course) and find Ben 10 (I’m assuming that’s what’s ‘hip’) dominating the TV screen. However, Ben is not offered without a large helping of Bugs, Scooby or Dexter (the child scientist, not the serial killer).

Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, two brothers from Canada, share an incredible fondness for the cartoons of yesteryear. Born out of this love of cartoons comes Cuphead. View Cuphead in passing and you’d be forgiven for thinking it a niche cartoon of the past 80 years that managed to slip under the radar. The authentic look, superb animations and jazzy soundtrack pay an incredibly faithful homage to the classics of the genre.

But, despite its unmistakable aesthetic, a cartoon this is not. Coming to Xbox One and PC, Cuphead is described as a “run and gun” platformer; the latest trailer at E3 showed us exactly what that meant. Cuphead, along with his trusty companion Mugman, are indebted to the devil after a gamble that didn’t exactly pay off. There’s certainly a story to be told as to how a cup and mug find themselves acquainted with the antichrist himself, but scientific accuracy is not of Cuphead’s concern. Losing an unknown gamble with the devil leads to potentially lethal repercussions, as you might expect. Thankfully, the Moldenhauer’s rendition of Beelzebub is merciful, and Cuphead and Mugman are spared…so long as they do his bidding.

God. Jesus. Dante. This Satan has a far more pressing list of enemies at hand: mermaids, pirates, carrots and the portable fan. Obviously. Cuphead and Mugman are seen on moving locomotives, vast oceans and Olympian skies, in order to dispatch this eclectic group of foes. Avoiding the many fireballs, bombs and a variety of other weapons is of course critical, and Cuphead looks to engender the feeling of sweaty palm gameplay, with the player required to juggle intricate platforming and a steady aim to successfully progress.

From the beautifully hand-drawn visuals to the authentic 1930’s animations, Cuphead could be mistaken for being style over substance, but doing so would be a fault on the part of the viewer. The game is more than just a faithful love letter to its inspirers, embracing the weirdness of its genre which has resulted in an incredible variety of locations and enemies. It may be a little while away, but Cuphead promises to be as fun as it is beautiful.