Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
Paid expansion to innovative indie game adds female hero.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this game.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is a paid downloadable expansion to Cuphead, a "run and gun" game for Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PCs, and Switch. It adds a new story arc to the game, as well as a female playable character called Ms. Chalice -- a first for the game. Most of the action is focused on combat, which includes a wide range of imaginative implements ranging from swords and cannons to energy blasts shot from the hero's fingertips. That said, the animated presentation draws heavily from old cartoons from the 1930s, shows no blood or gore, and has an upbeat, comedic vibe. A couple of mild references to alcohol -- including an oak barrel character with three Xs on its side -- pop up in some boss fights. Parents should be aware that this expansion, like the original, is extremely challenging, rewarding players who demonstrate persistence, but potentially frustrating others.
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What’s It About?
CUPHEAD: THE DELICIOUS LAST COURSE is a paid expansion to Cuphead, a run and gun action game with beautiful hand-animated cartoon visuals that draws heavily from 1930s cartoons. It transforms one of the side characters from the original game -- the Legendary Chalice -- from a spirit entity into a playable character called Ms. Chalice. She plays similarly to the two original heroes, Cuphead and Mugman, and brings some fresh moves to the game -- including the ability to roll and dodge, which basically makes her invincible for a second or so. The story focuses on freeing Ms. Chalice from the Astral Plane and bringing her permanently back to the land of the living. She can be brought back for brief spells by having Cuphead or Mugman eat a magic cookie to swap places with her, but to make her corporeal form last, the group must track down ingredients for a wondertart -- which are, of course, in possession of (and guarded by) a series of new bosses. Defeating these bosses requires players to once again master their protagonist's collection of running, jumping, dodging, and shooting moves while analyzing the attacks and movements of each boss in order to precisely predict them. It doesn't take long to finish -- no more than four or five hours, tops -- but players can replay each of the bosses on harder difficulty for an extra challenge.
Is It Any Good?
Short and savory. That's the best way to describe Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course. While its brief play time may be a little disappointing for fans who waited years for its arrival, it's clear that passion and care was put into every beautifully hand-animated frame. The imaginative boss scenarios -- which include a cow named Esther Winchester who lives in a saloon on wheels and the mountain-sized Glumstone the Giant, who controls a flock of geese piloted by gnomes -- come to chaotic life with joyful zeal. And The King's Leap bosses, which are cleverly designed parrying challenges that feel almost more like action puzzles than battles, give returning players a chance to remaster their potentially rusty platforming skills.
The real treat, though, is Ms. Chalice. The first playable female character in the game -- activated by having Mugman and Cuphead equip the new Magic Cookie charm -- isn't just adorably drawn and animated, she has her own set of moves that meaningfully alter how players attack certain types of challenges. She automatically parries when dashing, and can perform a crouching roll to dodge any attack. Plus, she has four hit points (instead of her pals' measly three), and can perform a super art that gives her a hit-point saving shield, making her capable of withstanding a substantial beating. In fact, it could be argued that she makes this very difficult game a smidgeon easier -- which could come in handy for anyone still struggling with the base game, since you can use her to play through the main campaign as well. It's a shame the expansion doesn't last a little longer, but the small serving size given in Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is undeniably delectable.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about screen time. Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is fairly short -- just a few hours, so would you rather gobble it all up as quickly as you can, or make it last by spreading play out over a few sessions?
This $8 expansion doesn't last long, but can be replayed multiple times at different difficulty levels, so how do you judge whether a game or DLC warrants its price? Is the amount of time it lasts the only factor, or are there other considerations?
Game Details
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows
- Pricing structure: Paid ($7.99)
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Studio MDHR
- Release date: June 30, 2022
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship
- ESRB rating: E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
- Last updated: July 9, 2022
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