Cuphead is Studio MDHR's hand inked run and gun built around 19 base game boss fights, six run and gun stages and three mausoleum challenges across three Inkwell Isles and Inkwell Hell. Every frame was drawn and painted by hand in a 1930s cartoon style, with a soundtrack recorded by a live jazz band. You get three hit points, no checkpoints inside a fight, and a letter grade at the end of every level.
These tips go beyond the basics. They're the strategies experienced players use to play more efficiently, the hidden mechanics most people miss, and the optimizations that compound over a full playthrough. If you're just starting, check our beginner's guide first.
Essential Tips
1. Parry the first pink object of every fight even when you do not need the card
Parry the first pink object of every fight even when you do not need the card. Building the habit early means you reach five cards before the phase where a Super Art actually saves the run.
2. Swap weapons between phases rather than committing to one
Swap weapons between phases rather than committing to one. Spread for a phase you can stand next to, Charge for a phase that pushes you to the far wall, on the same attempt.
3. Hold a full super meter into the final phase of a long boss
Hold a full super meter into the final phase of a long boss. Invincibility carries you through a pattern you have not learned, and Energy Beam often removes the last health bar outright.
4. In Cuphead the difficulty setting gates progress: Simple mode boss fights do not award soul contracts, so a Simple clear teaches the pattern but does not advance you toward Inkwell Hell
In Cuphead the difficulty setting gates progress: Simple mode boss fights do not award soul contracts, so a Simple clear teaches the pattern but does not advance you toward Inkwell Hell.
5. For S ranks, remember the grade is capped by difficulty
For S ranks, remember the grade is capped by difficulty. Only Expert can produce an S, and it needs a no damage clear with at least three parries and heavy super usage on top.
6. The Pacifist achievement wants P ranks on the run and gun stages, meaning you finish without shooting a single enemy
The Pacifist achievement wants P ranks on the run and gun stages, meaning you finish without shooting a single enemy. Parry and jump past everything and take the coins on the way.
7. Every run and gun stage hides five coins, and more sit on the isle map itself
Every run and gun stage hides five coins, and more sit on the isle map itself. Sweeping them before the second isle pays for a second weapon plus a charm.
8. Ms
Ms. Chalice is a full moveset swap, not a skin. Her dash parry, double jump, invincible roll and fourth hit point cost you the charm slot permanently, so compare her against Smoke Bomb rather than against Cuphead.
9. Learn boss phase order rather than reacting
Learn boss phase order rather than reacting. Most fights follow a fixed sequence, so once you know phase three follows a specific tell you can pre-position instead of dodging late.
10. Grim Matchstick's cloud platforms and Dr
Grim Matchstick's cloud platforms and Dr. Kahl's Robot both punish greed hardest. On those two, drop to Chaser or Peashooter and take the slower kill in exchange for keeping full attention on movement.
Advanced Strategies
Role Optimization
The difference between an average build and an optimized one is massive. See our builds guide for full breakdowns.
For Cuphead (A-Tier):
- Focus on Three hit points and no checkpoints combinations for maximum output.
- Core gear: Peashooter
- Stat priority: Offensive stats first
For Mugman (A-Tier):
- Versatile approach that handles any situation.
- Core gear: Spread
- Stat priority: Balanced stats
Mechanic Interactions
Understanding how Cuphead's systems interact is where the real optimization lives. Our combat guide covers this in detail.
Three hit points and no checkpoints + Pink parry: Cuphead and Mugman start each fight with three hit points, and a boss level has no mid fight save, so dying in phase four sends you back to the opening. Combined with Pink parry, anything flashing pink can be slapped in mid air for a parry, which bounces you upward and awards a super meter card.
Super meter cards + Two weapon loadout with one charm: Damage dealt and parries fill cards up to a maximum of five. When paired with Two weapon loadout with one charm, you carry two weapons and one charm at a time, bought from porkrind's emporium with coins, and weapons can be swapped mid fight with a single button.
Letter grade scoring scaling: Levels grade from D up to A Plus on time taken, hit points left, parries performed and super meter used. An S rank needs Expert difficulty, zero damage taken, at least three parries and heavy super usage.
Weapons Efficiency
| Weapon | Best Use Case | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Peashooter | Long range phases and anyone still learning a pattern | The starting weapon, with straight forward shots, unlimited range and the most reliable damage per second at distance. |
| Spread | Big stationary bosses you can safely hug | Fires a short cone that hits for far more than Peashooter if every pellet lands, which means standing next to the boss. |
| Chaser | Erratic flying bosses and pattern learning runs | Homes in on targets automatically with the lowest damage in the set, so it frees your attention entirely for movement. |
| Lobber | Grounded bosses behind obstacles | Throws slow arcing projectiles that pass over low cover and deal solid damage per hit. |
| Charge | S rank attempts and dodge heavy phases | Holds fire to build one heavy shot that hits harder than several seconds of Peashooter fire. |
Location Efficiency
Inkwell Isle One (Opening isle, 3 hit points, no upgrades): Five bosses: The Root Pack, Goopy Le Grande, Hilda Berg, Cagney Carnation and Ribby and Croaks, plus the run and gun stages Forest Follies and Treetop Trouble. Mausoleum I here awards the Energy Beam Super Art.
Inkwell Isle Two (Mid game, expect two or three weapons owned): Baroness Von Bon Bon, Beppi The Clown, Djimmi The Great, Grim Matchstick and Wally Warbles, with the carnival themed Funfair Fever and Funhouse Frazzle run and gun stages. Mausoleum II holds the Invincibility Super Art.
Inkwell Isle Three (Late game, full weapon and charm access): The longest isle with seven bosses including Rumor Honeybottoms, Captain Brineybeard, Sally Stageplay, Werner Werman, Dr. Kahl's Robot, Cala Maria and Phantom Express. Rugged Ridge and Perilous Piers are the run and gun stages.
Inkwell Hell (Endgame, requires all soul contracts): King Dice makes you clear a board of nine mini bosses before he fights you himself, then The Devil closes the base game in four phases. Contracts from all three isles are the entry fee.
Inkwell Isle Four (DLC content, playable at any point after the tutorial): The Delicious Last Course island, home to Glumstone the Giant, Mortimer Freeze, The Howling Aces, Moonshine Mob and Esther Winchester before Chef Saltbaker's four phase finale. It also adds the King's Leap parry only chess fights.
Mistakes Even Veterans Make
- Sticking with one weapon for an entire fight when phases demand different ranges.
- Spending super meter cards on EX moves and never reaching a full five card Super Art.
- Grinding a boss on Simple and wondering why the soul contract never appears.
- Ignoring pink parry objects, which are both a health free super source and a second jump.
- Buying the Heart charm early and then wondering why every fight takes twice as long.
Pro Quick Tips
- Parry the first pink object of every fight even when you do not need the card. Building the habit early means you reach five cards before the phase where a Super Art actually saves the run.
- Swap weapons between phases rather than committing to one. Spread for a phase you can stand next to, Charge for a phase that pushes you to the far wall, on the same attempt.
- Hold a full super meter into the final phase of a long boss. Invincibility carries you through a pattern you have not learned, and Energy Beam often removes the last health bar outright.
- Start with Mugman, switch to Cuphead when ready
- Invest in Peashooter above everything else
- Clear areas in order: Inkwell Isle One → Inkwell Isle Two → Inkwell Isle Three → Inkwell Hell → Inkwell Isle Four. See our maps guide
- Three hit points and no checkpoints + Pink parry together are stronger than either alone
More Cuphead Guides
- Cuphead Cuphead Overview
- Cuphead Best Builds
- Cuphead Tier List
- Cuphead Walkthrough
- Cuphead Beginner's Guide
- Cuphead Weapons Guide
- Cuphead Combat Guide
- Cuphead Boss Guide
- Cuphead Maps & Locations
- Cuphead Crafting Guide
- Cuphead Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Cuphead, check out these related guides:
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- Black Myth: Wukong Tips & Tricks: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Tips & Tricks: action game with similar mechanics
