Unlike many video games, the characters, objects and other graphics in Cuphead were drawn using traditional cel and ink animation methods, then colored in Photoshop. The backgrounds, meanwhile, were hand-painted in watercolor and scanned, as in 1930s cartoons.
The game was originally planned for release in 2015, but its release date was pushed back to 2017 to avoid competing with other titles that year.
The fights with Djimmi the Great and Grim Matchstick feature constantly rotating models of Egyptian ruins and a medieval tower, respectively, in the background. This is a nod to Fleischer Studios' 'Tabletop Process', in which cels were placed in front of a rotating model to create three-dimensional backgrounds.
Cuphead pays tribute to 1930s cartoon art, particularly its abstract and surreal styles.
Cuphead and Mugman's gloves usually appear white; however, when the player receives results, the brothers' gloves are yellow.
The Moldenhauer Brothers had the idea for a video game resembling Cuphead in the early 2000s, but at the time they lacked sufficient resources to produce it. By the 2010s, once they had access to the necessary technology, they brought the project to life.
The game was later adapted for Tesla cars as well.
Chad Moldenhauer described Max Fleischer's work as the 'magnetic north' of his art style and stated that he wanted to imitate the 'subversive and surreal' nature of Fleischer's work.
The Moldenhauer Brothers drew inspiration primarily from the work of Walt Disney and Max Fleischer. Characters such as Mickey Mouse and Oswald Rabbit (the designs of Cuphead and Mugman were inspired by these characters), Betty Boop (Cala Maria is based on her figure) and Popeye (Captain Brineybeard in the game is inspired by Bluto's appearance in the 1936 'Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor') are the main sources of inspiration.
The game's merchandising rights belong to King Features Syndicate. Coincidentally, this company is also the publisher of the original Popeye comics that formed the basis of Fleischer's 1930s cartoons.
Some early concept drawings of Djimmi the Great depicted the character as a woman initially.
Cuphead's in-game music consists of live jazz and big band pieces recorded by a 17-person orchestra, reinforcing the vintage atmosphere.
The bosses in Cuphead are among the game's most challenging elements; each was designed with unique attack patterns inspired by classic games and cartoons.
The game's development took more than seven years, and a small team of about a dozen people worked tirelessly to perfect the visuals and gameplay.
Cuphead's art style is largely inspired by 1930s Fleischer and Disney cartoons; all animations were hand-drawn on paper, then scanned and digitally colored.
The character Cuphead was planned to have a cigar in his mouth as a tribute to the old cartoon style, but the idea was abandoned to keep the game family-friendly.