Cuphead

Cuphead is a running, jumping and shooting game that looks like an old Mickey Mouse cartoon. You play on your own or with someone else and work across the screen, jumping gaps, shooting enemies and avoiding projectiles.

CONTENT RATING

Fear,

Violence

PLATFORMS

Xbox One

PC

Nintendo Switch

PlayStation 4

Mac

Android

POSITIVE GAMEPLAY

Good Challenge

Quick Reactions

Resilience

Good Timing

Patience

1-5 min Rounds

PLAY STYLE

Co-Op Local

Join/Leave Anytime

Along the way, you meet larger bosses to fight, each of which has its own patterns of attack. You have infinite lives, but the game is very hard and dying sends you back to the start of the level. At the end of each level, you get a grade based on the time taken to defeat a boss, damage avoided, and the number of parried attacks.

The result is a really tough challenge that reveals not only in its 1930s visuals but walks the line between impossibility and fun. If you have the dedication and time to try and try again, it's a game that is hugely satisfying to get through -- partly because not every family will manage it.

GAMEPLAY TRAILER

Good to know

Insights to ensure your child's gaming experience remains safe and enjoyable

Review difficulty level

Some children might feel frustrated with different game levels or obstacles. Talk to them about recognising when it's time to take a break and turn their attention somewhere else. Often, when they come back relaxed, they're more likely to find success.

Master skills together

Some platform games require a lot of skill and combination movements, which can be frustrating to master. For younger players, set time aside to help them learn and practise the skills.

Build resilience

Platform games can promote perseverance. Encourage children to "try, try again" until they succeed while taking regular breaks.

Skill level age

Suggested by Family Gaming Database

10+

Although it looks like a little kid's game, it actually requires a large amount of quick reaction and timing skill. But more than that, you need huge amounts of resilience and patience to keep trying and slowly improving.

Content rating

Rated PEGI 7 for Fear and Violence. This game features combat between human-like and fantasy characters. In both cases, the characters are very cartoon-like. For instance, human-like characters have unrealistic proportions and features. The violence itself is also unrealistic, as are reactions to it. Characters flash when hit and disappear in puffs of smoke when defeated. Reactions are exaggerated and comical. The cartoon-like visual style makes the violence less disturbing. Boss fights are a major aspect of gameplay and the player is often pitted against huge, somewhat menacing creatures. The most notable is the final boss fight, which pits the player against the Devil himself. This boss fight features designs and animation that are more menacing than those found in other parts of the game and this boss fight in particular may scare younger children.

PEGI rating explained?