This is a weekly column where I spotlight games that are available for $20 or less (regular price, not currently on sale) and are not Free to Play.
When Cuphead was announced back in E3 of 2013, the game blew minds with its 1930s Disney inspired look. It took a while for the development to finish, but it was worth the wait. Don’t let the cartoon aestethic fool you, this game is one of the most intense run-and-gun games this side of Contra! Playing as the titular Cuphead (and his buddy Mugman if playing 2-player co-op), you set out to pay back your debt to the devil by taking on several fearsome bosses and collecting their debts. Most of the levels are either run-and-gun platforming stages, or one on one boss battles. It’s all about recognizing patterns, but the stages can be extremely tough. L:uckily, you can purchase new weapons and upgrades to help you out, and you’ll need all the help you can get. This game recently released on the Nintendo Switch, so now you can take the action on the go. The Xbox One and Windows store version is a Play Anywhere title, so if you buy it on one system you’ll have it for the other, and you can transfer save data between the two. However you choose to experience Cuphead, you should do yourself a favor and check it out. It’s old school in more ways than one, and the game is challenging enough to keep you coming back without making you give up in frustration.
