Cuphead 1.3.3 — macOS

The current version, 1.3.3, is mostly a DLC fix, so the core game remains what it has been: a run-and-gun affair built around screen-filling boss fights. If you enjoy learning attack patterns, swapping weapons, and pulling off special moves, Cuphead for MacBook will keep you busy for a while.

For the patient player

Each boss has distinct phases, and you'll die often before you find the rhythm. If that sounds like fun, the watercolor backgrounds and original jazz recordings make the repetition easy on the eyes and ears.

For the cooperative crowd

You can play alone or with a friend in local co-op. Having a second player doesn't make it easy, but it does make the struggle more entertaining. It's a good fit if you want a shared challenge rather than a casual evening.

Not for those seeking relaxed gameplay

If you prefer relaxed games without steep difficulty curves, this probably isn't for you. The game is short on exploration and heavy on precision. It supports single-player only if you're solo, and the 1930s cartoon style, while charming, isn't for everyone.

I have seen a few similar Mac games over the years. Hollow Knight shares the hand-drawn look and tough boss fights, but it leans into exploration and map navigation. Cuphead keeps you in one room with a boss until you win. Dead Cells is faster and randomized, more about building a loadout on the fly, while Cuphead gives you fixed upgrades between fights. The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile also has demanding combat, but its art is comic-book style, not 1930s rubber-hose animation. None of them have the jazz soundtrack or watercolor backgrounds that Cuphead brings. Each game has its own rhythm. Cuphead’s appeal is that every fight is a short, intense performance you replay until you get it right.

A typical boss fight workflow

Here is how a boss attempt usually goes from the moment you load in, start to finish.

1. Pick your weapons. Before the fight, you choose your shot type and your special move. I tend to start with the spread shot for close damage and the chaser for homing hits. You can change these between attempts if one approach is not working.
2. Study the telegraph. The first ten seconds of any boss show you what the tells look like. A flash of light, a wind-up animation, or a change in the background pattern signals an attack. Do not attack much here. Just watch.
3. Parry or dodge. Most attacks can be parried by jumping into them at the right moment. Pink projectiles are parryable. Blue ones are not. Learn which is which. If you parry, you get a short invincibility window you can use to reposition.
4. Damage in the openings. After an attack pattern ends, the boss usually pauses. That is when you unload your shot. If you have a special move charged, use it here for extra damage.
5. Survive the phase change. When a boss health bar drops past a threshold, the arena changes or new attacks appear. The second phase of any boss is harder. You will likely die the first time you see it. That is normal.
6. Repeat until clear. Each attempt is under three minutes. You restart instantly. Over an hour or two, you build muscle memory for the tells and the timing.

If you are playing local co-op, one player can focus on dodging while the other attacks. Swap roles if one of you is better at reading patterns. Communication helps, but it is not required.

Troubleshooting performance and crashes

You cannot get past the first run-and-gun level

This happens often. The run-and-gun segments between bosses have platforming and random enemies. If you are stuck, slow down. Use the dash move to cross gaps. Parry the pink pellets from the little mushroom enemies. You do not have to kill everything. Sometimes it is better to sprint past most of it. Save your special move for the tougher enemies at the end of the segment.

You keep dying on the same boss phase

Record the phase in your head. Most bosses have three phases. When you reach a new phase, stop attacking and spend the entire attempt just dodging. Once you survive for thirty seconds without taking damage, you have learned the pattern. Then you add your attacks back in. This approach works for every boss in the game.

Co-op partner keeps getting hit

In local co-op, you share the same screen. If one player is struggling, that player should focus entirely on staying alive. Let the other player deal damage. You can also swap controllers for a few attempts to see if the other person finds the pattern easier. There is no penalty for switching roles mid-session.

The game seems too short

Cuphead for Mac is built around replaying fights until you master them. If you finish the main game, try The Delicious Last Course DLC content included in this version. It adds several new bosses and a new playable character, Ms. Chalice. You can also try speedrunning individual bosses or doing a no-hit run for the bragging rights achievement.

Performance on a 2017 iMac

This version is built for 64-bit Intel Macs running macOS Catalina or later. It was tested on a 2017 iMac with a Retina 4K display. That machine is not new by any standard, and it handled the game fine. If your Mac is from 2017 or newer and runs Catalina, you should be in good shape. That means the game feels the same on a lower-end Mac as it does on a faster one. The watercolor backgrounds are static images for the most part, so they do not strain the system much. The jazz soundtrack is pre-recorded, not generated live, so audio processing is minimal.

This is a console-style port. The menus are simple. You set the resolution and the quality preset, then you play. The DRM-Free build means you do not need an online check to start the game. That is a nice convenience if you are on a machine that does not always have internet access.

One small note: the game is designed for a controller. A keyboard works, but the controls feel more natural with a gamepad. If you have a USB or Bluetooth controller, plug it in before launching the game. The game recognizes it automatically. If you only have a keyboard, you can remap the keys in the settings, but you will want to find a layout that lets you jump, dash, shoot, and parry without stretching your fingers too much.

• DLC fix.

• macOS Catalina
• Intel processor