GAME · 2017

Cuphead

Developer

Studio MDHR

Publisher

Studio MDHR

Platforms

Microsoft Windows, macOS

28 archived facts · 5 topics · 2 sources · Last reviewed Sep 2026

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13 Interesting Facts About Cuphead

1. #001

   Unlike many video games, the characters, items and other sprites were drawn using traditional cel and ink animation methods, then colored using Photoshop. The backgrounds were hand-painted using watercolors (just as cartoons were made in the 1930s) and then scanned.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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2. #003

   It was originally planned for release in 2015, but was moved to 2017 to avoid competing with other games that year.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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3. #007

   Cuphead's and Mugman's gloves are usually seen as white. However, when the player receives results, the brothers' gloves are yellow.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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4. #011

   The game has since been ported to Tesla cars.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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5. #012

   Chad Moldenhauer described Max Fleischer's work as the 'magnetic north' of his art style. He also stated that he wanted to imitate the 'subversive and surrealist' nature of Fleischer's work.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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6. #014

   The Moldenhauer Brothers drew inspiration primarily from the work of Walt Disney and Max Fleischer, including Mickey Mouse and Oswald Rabbit (Cuphead's and Mugman's designs were inspired by these characters), Betty Boop (Cala Maria is based on her figure) and Popeye (Captain Brineybeard, a boss in the game, was inspired by Bluto's appearance in the 1936 Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor).

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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7. #016

   King Properties Syndicate holds the sales rights to the game. Coincidentally, they are also the publishers of the original Popeye comics that formed the basis of Fleischer's 1930s cartoons.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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8. #018

   Some early concept drawings of Djimmi the Great depicted the character as a woman at first.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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9. #020

   Cuphead's in-game music features live jazz and big band music recorded by a 17-piece orchestra, enhancing the vintage feel.

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   1. IMDb — IMDb

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10. #021

    The bosses in Cuphead are some of the most challenging aspects, and each was designed with unique attack patterns inspired by classic games and cartoons.

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    1. IMDb — IMDb

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11. #023

    The game's development took more than seven years; a small team of about a dozen people worked tirelessly to perfect the visuals and gameplay.

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    1. IMDb — IMDb

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12. #025

    Cuphead's art style is largely inspired by 1930s Fleischer and Disney cartoons, and all the animations were hand-drawn on paper, then scanned and digitally colored.

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    1. IMDb — IMDb

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13. #027

    The character Cuphead was initially designed to have a cigar in his mouth as a tribute to the style of the earliest cartoons, but this was later removed to keep the game family-friendly.

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    Sources (1)

    1. IMDb — IMDb

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