Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 420 sampled Steam reviews (391 positive / 29 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Visuals & art8% mention it
- Music & audio7% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
- Controls & UI10% mention it
- Grind & repetition10% mention it
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
91%
69 reviews
5-15h
88%
118 reviews
15-40h
95%
136 reviews
40-100h
99%
70 reviews
100h+
96%
27 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 88 | 32 |
| Creator reviews (6 tracked) | – | 91 | 2 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 91 | 1343 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 90 | 120 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 94% | 88 | 866 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 300 reviews sampled · 2475 total reviews in window · weighted 242.6 up / 15.7 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (207)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 80
“I certainly don't regret my time spent with Cuphead, but also I don't know when I'll pick up the game again. There's too much rinse and repeat and rote memorization of bosses to be fun for me after a while. That being said, if you're looking for a steep challenge, Cuphead will certainly satisfy. The game is definitely a huge accomplishment–I just wish it was more universally accessible and fun for everyone.”
read full review ↗ - 90
- 90
“Cuphead is the best reincarnation of Contra and Megaman, which one could only imagine. And given that this is the studio's debut project, we can't help wondering if StudioMDHR Entertainment is involved in the deal with the Devil ...”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cuphead is a hot news of the indie scene. Atypical animated graphics attract many players, but it has a catch. It is directly extraterrestrial hardcore. More than Dark Souls? Hardly, yet it bothers you enough. However, if you overcome the difficulty, you will get exactly what you bought: a trip to a completely unique game.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Cuphead faced real risk of being stuck in development limbo, but after seven years it emerged as one of the most visually impressive and addictive boss battle platformers. Extremely good and captivating gameplay wrapped up in gorgeous 30's cartoons-styled visuals, you just can't resist this combo.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Studio MDHR’s game is an arcane spell that raises Ub Iwerks and Max and Dave Fleischer from the dead to take over your screen with a psychotropic vengeance, right down to its glorious down-and-dirty ragtime score.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Cuphead is undeniably an original and well-crafted game overall, and not just within its own genre. The game’s setting, inspired by 1930s cartoons and slapstick comedies, is both original and very elegant. While this visual style may not be to everyone’s taste, it lends a unique charm to the story and the fantastic characters that is sure to captivate players. Cuphead is definitely not for everyone. The game clearly targets a specific group of players who enjoy demanding challenges and overcoming obstacles. The icing on the cake is the gameplay and the fantastic soundtrack, which further enhances the atmosphere and enjoyment of the game.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Although unchanged since 2017, thankfully Cuphead's unique strengths have not been dulled by time. This long awaited PS4 port deserves to find a new audience with its charming character designs and frantic onscreen action.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“If you enjoy challenging games, you will love Cuphead. It has all the elements of a great shoot 'em up, fun music, great level design, nice collection of weapons, and a rewarding difficulty curve. Long loading times aside, Cuphead gets pretty much everything right.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Cuphead was an absolute masterpiece when it launched on Xbox 18 months ago and nothing has been sacrificed in its move to the Switch. It's the same visually jaw-dropping, aurally delightful, knuckle-whiteningly difficult game it was on Microsoft's console and the Switch's library is all the better for its presence. Its focus on intense boss battles won't be to everyone's tastes, but as long as you know what you're getting yourself into we can't recommend it enough.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Ultimately the game provides too much nostalgic satisfaction for me to be upset by its conventions, no matter how punishing or familiar they may be. Style may not always offer substance, but in the case of Cuphead, I'm satisfied.”
read full review ↗ - 95
“I can say without a doubt that Cuphead leaves an indelible mark on gamers, particularly due to its distinctive style and combat system. Every game mechanic is meticulously crafted, giving players full freedom, although they must work hard to find the ideal equipment to reach the end credits. In my humble opinion, Cuphead is certainly one of the most successful indie games ever, but it does not achieve absolute excellence due to some excessively chaotic gameplay phases and a longevity that is sufficient but not exceptional.”
read full review ↗
Pure Nintendo
Fintendo
GameMAG
INDIANTVCZ
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Gaming Professors
Jump Dash Roll
Gadgets 360
Nintendo Life
Paste Magazine
Indie Games Devel…and 195 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Swap Your Title Screen…with patch 1.3.4!!Aug 19, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Improve your DLC…with Patch 1.3.3 !!Jul 19, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Prepare for Cuphead DLC with Cupdate 1.3.2!Jun 29, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Cupdate - Hotfix 1.2.3Apr 26, 2019
- Golly! A Swell Free Content Update is Available Now in Cuphead 1.2Apr 18, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- Cupdate - Mac Hotfix 1.1.5Jan 9, 2019
- Cupdate - Hotfix v1.1.4Dec 20, 2017
- Cupdate - Hotfix v1.1.4Dec 20, 2017
- Cupdate - Patch v1.1.3Dec 1, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Cupdate - Patch v1.1.3Dec 1, 2017significant · resets scoring window