Why Cuphead Is Even Better on Nintendo Switch

In the best gaming news that's happened in forever, Cuphead is finally on the Switch. I've played it, and it's good.

This news doesn't mean much to Xbox owners, but for those like myself who spent days, if not weeks trying to play the beloved 2017 game on a Mac, it's huge. In fact, Cuphead on Switch means I might finally beat the insanely hard platformer.

Credit: Studio MDHR

(Image credit: Studio MDHR)

If all that sounds like another language, here's the short of it: anthropomorphized vessels Cuphead and Mugman are on a life-or-death quest to save their souls from a dice-headed casino magnate — by collecting debts from other gambling addicts.

In order to accomplish that, they blast tons of blips and beams out of their fingers and survive wave after wave of baddies and flying projectiles, which combine into a flurry of gaming commonly known as a Bullet Hell. Oh, and you only have three hits per life, so you're gonna be dodging a lot.

Gaming that's as superdifficult as this can get on your nerves, and it probably wouldn't have become one of the best games of 2017 — if it weren't for Cuphead's excellent style. This adventure looks like a classic hand-drawn cartoon come to life, and its superlively jazz soundtrack keeps your brain whirring so you can stay running and gunning, no matter how hopeless things feel.

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As I died, died and died again, I quickly realized that this version of Cuphead moves just as smoothly and lag free as the original version.

And after years of being an Xbox One and PC exclusive, Cuphead has finally landed on the Switch, and it's just as good as it ever was (and arguably better). As I died, died and died again, in both docked and in portable mode, I quickly realized that this version of Cuphead moves just as smoothly and lag free as the original version.

Credit: Studio MDHR

(Image credit: Studio MDHR)

Whether I was parry-jumping to get bonuses, or speed-dashing to move around the game's first boss, I was hampered only by my reflexes — and not by any flaw in the conversion from Xbox and Windows to the Switch. Eventually, my hands grew accustomed to the particularly speedy rhythms of the game and the buttons of the Switch Pro Controller.

And here's why I think Cuphead will be better on the Switch — or at least why I might finally make some progress in this game. The Switch and a Pro Controller are a much more portable pair than a whole laptop, and booting up the pair is faster, too. So, if you've got $20 and you've never experienced the joy of Cuphead — or just want to play this excellent platformer on the go — it's well worth it.

Credit: Tom's Guide

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.