<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
is	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Studio	B-Application
MDHR	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
follows	O
Cuphead	B-Application
,	O
a	O
small	O
,	O
anthropomorphic	O
cup	O
who	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
deal	O
with	O
the	O
Devil	O
after	O
losing	O
a	O
game	O
at	O
the	O
Devil	O
's	O
casino	O
,	O
is	O
sent	O
on	O
a	O
quest	O
to	O
repossess	O
the	O
souls	O
of	O
runaway	O
debtors	O
as	O
payment	O
for	O
Cuphead	B-Application
's	O
loss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
up	O
to	O
two	O
players	O
control	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and/or	O
his	O
brother	O
Mugman	O
to	O
fight	O
through	O
several	O
levels	O
and	O
boss	O
fights	O
;	O
the	O
game	O
does	O
not	O
have	O
a	O
rigid	O
narrative	O
structure	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reminiscent	O
of	O
the	O
'	O
30s	O
aesthetics	O
and	O
Jazz	B-Device
Age	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
noted	O
for	O
its	O
animation	O
and	O
soundtrack	O
:	O
all	O
in-game	O
assets	O
used	O
hand-drawn	O
animation	O
with	O
deliberate	O
human	O
imperfections	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
was	O
written	O
for	O
and	O
recorded	O
with	O
a	O
full	O
jazz	B-Device
ensemble	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
was	O
announced	O
in	O
2010	O
,	O
had	O
a	O
preview	O
at	O
E3	O
2014	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2017	O
as	O
a	O
timed-exclusive	O
for	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Windows	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
with	O
ports	O
to	O
other	O
systems	O
subsequently	O
added	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
received	O
widespread	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
,	O
with	O
praises	O
for	O
its	O
art	O
style	O
,	O
gameplay	O
,	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
and	O
difficulty	O
;	O
the	O
latter	O
was	O
singled	O
out	O
for	O
scrutiny	O
,	O
with	O
multiple	O
outlets	O
naming	O
Cuphead	B-Application
one	O
of	O
the	O
hardest	O
video	O
games	O
ever	O
created	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
entitled	O
Cuphead	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Delicious	I-Application
Last	I-Application
Course	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
30	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Netflix	O
animated	O
series	O
based	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
The	O
Cuphead	B-Application
Show	O
!,	O
premiered	O
in	O
February	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cupheads	B-Application
gameplay	O
is	O
centered	O
on	O
continual	O
boss	O
fights	O
,	O
interspersed	O
with	O
run-and-gun	O
levels	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Three	O
Super	O
Arts	O
are	O
available	O
,	O
one	O
in	O
each	O
of	O
the	O
first	O
three	O
worlds	O
;	O
to	O
earn	O
each	O
one	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
enter	O
a	O
mausoleum	O
and	O
parry	O
a	O
horde	O
of	O
ghosts	O
to	O
stop	O
them	O
from	O
reaching	O
an	O
urn	B-Protocol
at	O
the	O
center	O
of	O
the	O
screen	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
's	O
brother	O
,	O
Mugman	O
,	O
acts	O
as	O
an	O
alternative	O
skin	O
and	O
potential	O
co-op	O
partner	O
within	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
Delicious	O
Last	O
Course	O
,	O
adds	O
a	O
new	O
area	O
with	O
its	O
own	O
campaign	O
,	O
including	O
new	O
bosses	O
,	O
weapons	O
,	O
and	O
Charms	O
;	O
a	O
third	O
playable	O
character	O
is	O
also	O
added	O
,	O
Ms.	O
Chalice	O
,	O
who	O
replaces	O
either	O
Cuphead	B-Application
or	O
Mugman	O
when	O
equipped	O
with	O
the	O
Astral	O
Cookie	O
Charm	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
Inkwell	O
Isle	O
,	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
his	O
brother	O
,	O
Mugman	O
,	O
are	O
two	O
fun-loving	O
children	O
who	O
live	O
under	O
the	O
watchful	O
eye	O
of	O
Elder	B-Application
Kettle	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
Elder	B-Application
Kettle	I-Application
's	O
warnings	O
,	O
the	O
brothers	O
wander	O
off	O
to	O
the	O
Devil	O
's	O
Casino	O
and	O
begin	O
playing	O
craps	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
accepts	O
the	O
offer	O
and	O
loses	O
by	O
rolling	O
snake	O
eyes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
Mugman	O
return	O
to	O
Elder	B-Application
Kettle	I-Application
,	O
who	O
gives	O
them	O
a	O
magic	O
potion	O
that	O
allows	O
them	O
to	O
fire	O
blasts	O
of	O
energy	O
from	O
their	O
fingers	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
warns	O
them	O
that	O
the	O
debtors	O
may	O
not	O
turn	O
in	O
their	O
soul	O
contracts	O
willingly	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
they	O
enter	O
the	O
second	O
Isle	O
,	O
Elder	B-Application
Kettle	I-Application
notices	O
that	O
the	O
duo	O
are	O
getting	O
stronger	O
from	O
their	O
battles	O
,	O
and	O
urges	O
them	O
to	O
"	O
do	O
the	O
right	O
thing	O
"	O
when	O
they	O
meet	O
the	O
Devil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
Mugman	O
enter	O
the	O
third	O
Isle	O
,	O
King	O
Dice	O
,	O
the	O
casino	O
's	O
manager	O
,	O
reports	O
the	O
cup	O
brothers	O
 '	O
progress	O
to	O
the	O
Devil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
the	O
player	O
chooses	O
to	O
turn	O
them	O
over	O
,	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
Mugman	O
are	O
brainwashed	O
into	O
becoming	O
the	O
Devil	O
's	O
demonic	O
lackeys	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
ends	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
Mugman	O
defeat	O
the	O
Devil	O
,	O
forcing	O
him	O
to	O
surrender	O
,	O
burn	O
the	O
contracts	O
,	O
and	O
return	O
home	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
freeing	O
a	O
soul	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Legendary	O
Chalice	O
from	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
main	O
game	O
's	O
mausoleums	O
,	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
Mugman	O
receive	O
a	O
summons	O
from	O
her	O
to	O
visit	O
a	O
distant	O
fourth	O
Inkwell	O
Isle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unwilling	O
to	O
let	O
anyone	O
else	O
give	O
up	O
their	O
soul	O
for	O
her	O
benefit	O
,	O
Chalice	O
decides	O
to	O
remain	O
a	O
spirit	O
and	O
continue	O
searching	O
for	O
a	O
way	O
to	O
return	O
to	O
life	O
,	O
while	O
offering	O
to	O
continue	O
helping	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
Mugman	O
when	O
they	O
need	O
it	O
via	O
the	O
Astral	O
Cookie	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
is	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
by	O
Studio	B-Application
MDHR	I-Application
,	O
a	O
Canadian	O
indie	O
game	O
development	O
studio	O
founded	O
by	O
brothers	O
Chad	O
and	O
Jared	O
Moldenhauer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
development	O
began	O
in	O
2010	O
using	O
the	O
Unity	B-Application
game	I-Application
engine	I-Application
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
developed	O
from	O
the	O
brothers	O
 '	O
homes	O
in	O
Oakville	O
,	O
Ontario	O
and	O
Regina	O
,	O
Saskatchewan	O
,	O
respectively	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
attempted	O
a	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
Cuphead	B-Application
in	O
2000	O
,	O
but	O
lacked	O
the	O
tools	O
to	O
continue	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
brothers	O
decided	O
to	O
try	O
again	O
following	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
indie	O
game	O
Super	B-Application
Meat	I-Application
Boy	I-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
character	O
that	O
became	O
Cuphead	B-Application
descended	O
from	O
a	O
1936	O
Japanese	O
propaganda	O
animated	O
film	O
featuring	O
a	O
character	O
with	O
a	O
teacup	O
for	O
a	O
head	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Before	O
settling	O
on	O
him	O
as	O
the	O
main	O
character	O
,	O
the	O
brothers	O
had	O
created	O
around	O
one	O
hundred	O
fifty	O
different	O
character	O
designs	O
,	O
including	O
a	O
kappa	O
wearing	O
a	O
tophat	B-Application
and	O
characters	O
with	O
a	O
plate	O
or	O
fork	O
for	O
a	O
head	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Chad	O
Moldenhauer	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
in	O
graphic	O
design	O
,	O
hand-drew	O
the	O
animations	O
and	O
painted	O
the	O
backgrounds	O
using	O
watercolors	O
,	O
colorizing	O
them	O
in	O
Photoshop	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
studio	O
hired	O
a	O
Romanian	O
developer	O
,	O
a	O
Brooklyn	O
animator	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
Ontario	O
jazz	B-Device
musician	O
for	O
the	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
score	O
was	O
composed	O
by	O
Kristofer	O
Maddigan	O
and	O
consists	O
of	O
fifty	O
one	O
tracks	O
performed	O
by	O
jazz	B-Device
and	O
big	O
band	O
musicians	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Moldenhauers	O
described	O
Cuphead	B-Application
as	O
having	O
a	O
difficult	O
,	O
"	O
retro	O
game	O
"	O
core	O
for	O
its	O
emphasis	O
on	O
gameplay	O
over	O
plot	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kill	O
Screen	O
described	O
the	O
developers	O
as	O
"	O
obsessed	O
"	O
with	O
run-and-gun	O
fundamentals	O
of	O
"	O
animations	O
and	O
exploits	O
and	O
hitboxes	B-Protocol
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
planned	O
multiple	O
difficulty	O
levels	O
and	O
chose	O
to	O
abandon	O
a	O
typical	O
damsel	O
in	O
distress	O
plot	O
for	O
one	O
where	O
Cuphead	B-Application
perpetually	O
creates	O
trouble	O
for	O
himself	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
planned	O
to	O
surpass	O
the	O
Guinness	O
World	O
Record	O
for	O
number	O
of	O
boss	O
battles	O
in	O
a	O
run-and-gun	O
game	O
by	O
having	O
more	O
than	O
30	O
,	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
record	O
's	O
25	O
in	O
Alien	B-Application
Soldier	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
implementation	O
and	O
visual	O
design	O
,	O
combined	O
with	O
the	O
limited	O
number	O
of	O
staff	O
,	O
was	O
Studio	B-Application
MDHR	I-Application
's	O
biggest	O
challenge	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
such	O
the	O
Moldenhauers	O
went	O
to	O
great	O
lengths	O
to	O
complete	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
even	O
remortgaging	O
their	O
house	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
finance	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
shown	O
during	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
press	O
event	O
of	O
Electronic	O
Entertainment	O
Expo	O
2014	O
to	O
audience	O
approval	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
available	O
to	O
play	O
and	O
was	O
estimated	O
to	O
be	O
40	O
percent	O
complete	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
expected	O
to	O
be	O
extended	O
via	O
expansion	O
packs	O
with	O
10	O
to	O
15	O
bosses	O
each	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
how	O
Sonic	B-Application
&	I-Application
Knuckles	I-Application
added	O
atop	O
the	O
Sonic	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
September	O
29	O
,	O
2017	O
for	O
Windows	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
and	O
it	O
supports	O
Xbox	B-Device
Play	O
Anywhere	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
The	O
Delicious	O
Last	O
Course	O
,	O
which	O
adds	O
a	O
new	O
island	O
,	O
boss	O
encounters	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
third	O
playable	O
character	O
(	O
Ms.	O
Chalice	O
)	O
,	O
was	O
revealed	O
at	O
E3	O
2018	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
of	O
Cuphead	B-Application
for	O
macOS	B-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
October	O
19	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
and	O
advertised	O
with	O
an	O
animated	O
short	O
titled	O
Crisp	O
Apples	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
April	O
18	O
,	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
port	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
28	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
June	O
2019	O
,	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
Tesla	O
,	O
Inc.	O
'	O
s	O
Linux-based	O
operating	O
system	O
for	O
some	O
of	O
its	O
cars	O
was	O
announced	O
by	O
Tesla	O
CEO	O
Elon	O
Musk	O
,	O
who	O
expressed	O
his	O
appreciation	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ben	O
Kuchera	O
of	O
Polygon	O
wrote	O
that	O
Cuphead	B-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
five	O
most	O
interesting	O
reveals	O
at	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
E3	O
2014	O
press	O
conference	O
,	O
even	O
though	O
he	O
knew	O
little	O
about	O
the	O
game	O
apart	O
from	O
its	O
aesthetic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
won	O
the	O
IGN	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
game	O
at	O
E3	O
award	O
in	O
2015	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Indie	O
Game	O
"	O
at	O
the	O
Gamescom	O
2015	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Praising	O
the	O
1930s	O
aesthetics	O
as	O
cohesive	O
,	O
he	O
found	O
the	O
jazz-based	O
soundtrack	O
to	O
be	O
"	O
similarly	O
fabulous	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
he	O
saw	O
"	O
the	O
fear	O
of	O
the	O
unexpected	O
"	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Cupheads	B-Application
thrill	O
,	O
he	O
disparaged	O
its	O
failure	O
to	O
identify	O
progress	O
and	O
capability	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lucas	O
Sullivan	O
at	O
GamesRadar+	O
wrote	O
that	O
Cuphead	B-Application
"	O
stands	O
tall	O
among	O
the	O
best	O
2D	O
shooters	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
the	O
gameplay	O
demands	O
patient	O
pattern	O
recognition	O
,	O
but	O
which	O
is	O
not	O
frustrating	O
and	O
would	O
reward	O
players	O
"	O
tenfold	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
found	O
the	O
battles	O
rewarding	O
and	O
"	O
one	O
of	O
Cupheads	B-Application
greatest	O
strengths	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Colm	O
Ahern	O
of	O
VideoGamer.com	O
wrote	O
,	O
"	O
Cuphead	B-Application
will	O
best	O
most	O
games	O
in	O
how	O
it	O
looks	O
and	O
sounds	O
,	O
and	O
defeating	O
that	O
boss	O
that	O
you	O
once	O
deemed	O
unbeatable	O
is	O
glorious.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
criticized	O
the	O
final	O
bosses	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
challenge	O
was	O
"	O
a	O
step	O
too	O
far	O
"	O
.Unwinnable	O
writer	O
Yussef	O
Cole	O
wrote	O
an	O
essay	O
titled	O
"	O
Cuphead	B-Application
and	O
the	O
Racist	O
Spectre	O
of	O
Fleischer	O
Animation	O
"	O
,	O
arguing	O
that	O
by	O
using	O
the	O
rubber	O
hose	O
animation	O
style	O
,	O
Studio	B-Application
MDHR	I-Application
also	O
brought	O
up	O
the	O
"	O
bigotry	O
and	O
prejudice	O
"	O
that	O
had	O
a	O
strong	O
influence	O
on	O
early	O
animation	O
,	O
claiming	O
that	O
Studio	B-Application
MDHR	I-Application
ignored	O
the	O
context	O
and	O
history	O
of	O
the	O
aesthetic	O
it	O
"	O
so	O
faithfully	O
"	O
replicated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cole	O
states	O
that	O
much	O
of	O
the	O
imagery	O
that	O
Studio	B-Application
MDHR	I-Application
took	O
from	O
the	O
Fleischer	O
style	O
effectively	O
carried	O
the	O
racial	O
stereotypes	O
of	O
the	O
1930s	O
Harlem	O
and	O
minstrel	O
shows	O
that	O
the	O
animation	O
style	O
was	O
built	O
on	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
two	O
first	O
weeks	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
more	O
than	O
one	O
million	O
copies	O
of	O
Cuphead	B-Application
were	O
sold	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
the	O
time	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
in	O
July	O
2020	O
,	O
it	O
had	O
reached	O
6	O
million	O
sales	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cuphead	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Delicious	I-Application
Last	I-Application
Course	I-Application
accumulated	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
one	O
million	O
sales	O
within	O
less	O
than	O
two	O
weeks	O
of	O
its	O
launch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
AwardsEntertainment	O
Weekly	O
placed	O
Cuphead	B-Application
fifth	O
on	O
the	O
list	O
of	O
its	O
"	O
Best	O
Games	O
of	O
2017	O
"	O
,	O
GamesRadar+	O
ranked	O
it	O
ninth	O
on	O
its	O
list	O
of	O
the	O
25	O
Best	O
Games	O
of	O
2017	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
Polygon	O
ranked	O
it	O
14th	O
on	O
its	O
list	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
50	O
best	O
games	O
of	O
2017	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Verge	O
named	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
its	O
15	O
best	O
video	O
games	O
of	O
2017.Cuphead	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
"	O
Breakout	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
in	O
PC	O
Gamers	O
2017	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
Awards	O
,	O
and	O
won	O
the	O
award	O
for	O
"	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
Game	O
"	O
in	O
Destructoids	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
Awards	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
won	O
"	O
Best	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
Game	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Art	O
Direction	O
"	O
in	O
IGN	O
's	O
Best	O
of	O
2017	O
Awards	O
,	O
whereas	O
its	O
other	O
nominations	O
were	O
for	O
"	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Best	O
PC	O
Game	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Best	O
Platformer	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Best	O
Original	O
Music	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Multiplayer	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
week	O
of	O
September	O
14	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
the	O
album	O
Selected	O
Tunes	O
from	O
Cuphead	B-Application
topped	O
the	O
Jazz	B-Device
Albums	O
Billboard	O
charts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
Cuphead	B-Application
Mii	O
Fighter	O
costume	O
was	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
2018	O
fighting	O
game	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Ultimate	O
via	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
in	O
January	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Four	O
Cuphead-themed	O
"	O
spirits	O
"	O
were	O
added	O
to	O
Super	B-Application
Smash	I-Application
Bros	I-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
A	O
tabletop	O
game	O
,	O
Cuphead	B-Application
:	O
Fast	O
Rolling	O
Dice	O
Game	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
2021	O
,	O
featuring	O
a	O
companion	O
app	O
for	O
iOS	O
and	O
Android	O
that	O
plays	O
music	O
and	O
calculates	O
the	O
score	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Cuphead	B-Application
Show	O
!	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Cuphead	B-Application
Show	O
!	O
</s>
