Cuphead features an original soundtrack by Kristofer Maddigan. There are 56 tracks, with an abundance of accompanying instruments. This ranges from brass to string, to even tap dancing. There are a lot of people responsible for the soundtrack, and that love and care are well heard considering how much people love Cuphead, the music accompanying it, and now, the DLC, The Delicious Last Course.
The soundtrack for Cuphead features almost 3 hours’ worth of music. Each piece is original and created specifically for Cuphead. The game has a plethora of jazz, early big band, and ragtime music. Each song features live musicians, but only some tracks can be the very best.
11 Railroad Wrath
Railroad Wrath immediately enthralls listeners with the loud brass instrument introduction. The way the song perfectly pairs itself with the level itself, with an abundance of trains, adds to the high-speed level that players of Cuphead are embarking on. The song itself is jazzy, fun, and quick.
The musical onomatopoeia features a plethora of drum snares for the train engine, and brass trumpets for the train whistle. It’s a great track, and very clever with its innovative use of ‘CHOO CHOO’ being brass rather than a train whistle. The use of a saxophone creates a wailing sound, as if someone is singing, rather than an intensely talented instrument.
10 Shootin’ N’ Lootin’
This song is first heard in the mission of the same name, Shootin’ N’ Lootin’. The player fights a no-good pirate aboard his angry sea vessel, all whilst dodging barrels and hungry sharks. The ship itself even shoots lasers toward the end. The boss fight, paired with the song of the same name, adds to an intense and fast-paced battle.
The track follows the gameplay, with the fight becoming more and more intense and chaotic. As the song goes on, more instruments are added, and it makes the listener feel like they are in a juggling act with the amount of jazz that they are listening to.
9 The King’s Court
One of the most fun tracks in the soundtrack, The King’s Court is a great piece of music to listen to both in and outside of Cuphead. It’s an embodiment of jazz and an intensely fun score. It makes that ‘Game Over’ screen feel less frustrating, knowing that this familiar piece of music gets a demanded replay.
Throughout the song, drum solos are featured, which adds a heavy intensity to the game, through the loud and vigorous thumping of drum work, but an intensely head-bopping theme to follow along with. Parts of the brass work also mimic the lyrics heard in Die House.
8 High Sea Hi-Jinx
This intense boss fight against the giant mermaid, Clara Maria, is paired up with High Sea Hi-Jinx. During the boss fight, this highly catchy song seems to even affect the boss, who once entering the Gorgon form, seems to dance to the beat in her animations.
The usual brass instruments are heard in this song, but what stands out is the great and snazzy piano solo, which feels like fingers tapping at the skin in a unique and fun dance to move and groove to.
7 Carnival Kerfuffle
Featuring Beppi the Clown, Carnival Kerfuffle is a wild ride throughout. The snares throughout the song are bouncy, with a great jazz rhythm. The layering twists of the song are felt throughout the boss fight, who when injured, goes off-topic and deviates into a bizarre fight.
Even with these deviations, it just makes for a more exciting track, with so much heart within the instruments. The trumpet solo takes center stage for a lot of the song, and blends into the blues for a seamless transition, and satisfying track.
6 Die House
The entire game of Cuphead features fascinating characters. One of the side villains, Mr. King Dice, has his theme, which he sings himself to Cuphead and Mugman. The song features vocals as he explains himself and his mission against the characters. What’s greatly appealing is the song being performed by the voice actress for the character, Alana Bridgewater.
The lyrics are great, and the vocals are perfect. The vocal range Bridgewater is nothing short of insanely talented. The song is slow, yet foot-tappingly fun. The song is hard to end, considering how catchy it is.
5 Dramatic Fanatic
The song itself is interesting and fun for its use of saxophones and trombones, but what takes the cake to the center is the use of tap dancing that is heard throughout the song. The intense clicking of shoes to the floor makes for a real tune for anyone to enjoy.
The song matches with the scene in the game, where it plays as a somber play, and then things get wilder as the song progresses. It’s a dance where each partner takes turns in their solo and fits perfectly in the game.
4 Pyramid Peril
Battling Djimmi the Great, this boss track takes center stage. It features whining brass instruments and floating tunes that homage to Egyptian music. It’s a greatly intense song for the boss fight, and the featured whistles are almost like sly and floating movements.
The wild solos, and complex harmonies, really elevate this song for the Cuphead soundtrack. It’s an entirely smooth track that segments into a whirlwind, and a wonderous finish.
3 Floral Fury
Fighting the Cagney Carnation, players will be battling a rather sly-looking flower with long fingers. The song features less of a jazzy vibe and more of a Brazilian Carnival track. It’s hard to focus on the boss fight ahead when this amazing track is enjoying being heard.
The song is snappy, loud, and a lot of fun. It’s one of the most memorable songs in the game and shows no signs of stopping or even slowing down. The fact that the flowers dance makes it all the better for this Samba piece.
2 Murine Corps
The long-snouted brown rat, operating a dented tin soup can has one of the best tracks in the game. Werner Werman is an engaging boss fight, which is only strengthened by the track that can be heard throughout. Background elements sway their heads to this song, as do the player whilst trying to focus on the intense fight.
The repeating and overlapping chords are perfect to sway to. Murine Corps features a great addictive sound of a powerful and catchy beat, assisted by the brass, drums, and other instruments that dance in this song.
1 Aviary Action
From the introduction of floating instruments, that seem to be swaying downward, to the immediate upbeat instruments that pick the player back up off the ground. This track truly has the characters feel like they are flying, which they are for the mission to this track.
The musical details in this track are intensely rewarding for the ears. The descending notes give the sensation of falling, and the homage to Wilhelm Richard Wagner’s Flight of the Valkyries is brief, but exciting, alongside the invasive clarinet.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is available now, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.