Players returning to the hit indie gameCuphead in 2022 and beyond are hopping back in thanks to the release of the game's first downloadable content, The Delicious Last Course. It provides Cuphead with a new playable character named Ms. Chalice, who is set to take on a new roster of formidable foes.
The bosses are tough and require the player to master the various new mechanics Ms. Chalice adds to the game. Each boss comes with its own set of weaknesses and strengths, but some stand above the rest as true headache-inducing animated nightmares.
8 The King's Leap
The bosses featured in The King's Leap all share the same chess theme, as well as the same mechanic needed to defeat them. There are five individual fights against The Pawns, The Knight, The Bishop, The Rook, and The Queen.
Players quickly come to realize they lose the use of any weapon or charm and must simply fight with their parrying skills in hand. What all of these fights lack in actual difficulty they make up for in terms of entertainment-based design, so though they're last on this list, they may be first in the hearts of the players.
7 Glumstone The Giant
In some ways, the Glumstone The Giant fight on Inkwell Isle Four feels like an amped-up version of the Cagney Carnation brawl players endured on the first island. Many of the mechanics used in the first phase of the fight are eerily similar as players must use platforms to avoid projectiles flying overhead, and objects sprouting from below them.
Players who struggle with parrying might consider this giant one of the game's toughest bosses though, as his third and final phase really comes down to how good an individual player is at parrying the skeleton living inside the giant's stomach.
6 Moonshine Mob
Thematically Moonshine Mob might be one of the cooler boss fights in the entirety of Cuphead as it sets the stage against a group of amazingly animated crooks. Players take on three unique bosses, with the first being a spider, the second a light bug, and the third a giant anteater.
The middle boss requires a lot of focus and attention as its sound wave attacks move in hard-to-track clockwise and counterclockwise patterns. Those who can get past her will likely come out victorious as the anteater trades in his tremendous size for a lack of real speed and difficulty. The most important thing to know is that this fight features a fake knockout, so keeping one's head on a swivel is key.
5 The Howling Aces
The Howling Aces are one of two plane-focused boss fights in The Delicious Last Course, and though it's a tough level when comparing it to the other plane-controlling boss fight called Esther Winchester, this by comparison is a walk in the park. This fight is pretty straightforward and manageable up until the player reaches the final phase.
The trick is that the screen will rotate 90 degrees in an attempt to throw off one's movement capabilities. Add in that lasers are being shot at an alarming rate and The Howling Aces become a boss fight that's ending can't come soon enough.
4 Mortimer Freeze
Mortimer Freeze has a name that makes it sound as if this fellow is a jolly comedic relief character in a Christmas movie. The reality is that this frozen horror belongs closer to Halloween than anything. Equipping a weapon that follows and automatically hits him is key as his phases are really focused on the player's ability to dodge.
Timing is critical in the second phase, as the Mortimer Freeze rolls towards the player as a newly evolved Ice Beast of some sort. Positioning takes over as the primary focus in his third phase which has players avoiding dozens of sporadic projectiles.
3 Esther Winchester
As the sole side-scrolling plane level in The Delicious Last Course, Esther Winchester doesn't disappoint. The fact that this fight is brutal from start to finish is in some ways comforting as it forces the player to stay focused and engaged throughout.
Spamming the plane's missile attack and timing dodges perfectly can make quick work of her surprisingly dark final phase, as the end of the most difficult cowboy-centric fight since Red Dead Redemption 2 comes to a close.
2 Devil And Angel
Now, having the secret fight against the Devil and the Angel this high may be a bit controversial. The fight itself is pretty straightforward and can be overcome with ease thanks to the use of the Crackshot weapon and using the cloud to avoid damage.
Unlocking the fight on the other hand is a tedious task that requires the player to complete a number of tasks that begins with purchasing the Broken Relic from Porkrind's Emporium. The fight only has one phase, so taking the time to learn enemy attack patterns and simply practicing the level will make quick work of it once everything clicks into place.
1 Chef Saltbaker
It should come as no surprise that the toughest boss in Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course happens to be the final challenge the expansion offers, albeit if one doesn't unlock the secret boss fight. Chef Saltbaker likes to lure players into a fall sense of security as those who manage to overcome the difficult barrage of attacks in his first phase, will not be bothered by the second and third phases.
Those have the player shooting pepper shakers and that's pretty much it. These are tricks, as they build the player's confidence leading into the cruel pit of Hell known as Chef Saltbaker's fourth and final phase. Players must navigate and traverse floating platforms while also parrying the Chef's floating heart. As with the base game, overcoming Chef Saltbaker is quite the adrenaline rush and will be worth all the blood, sweat, and tears sacrificed.
Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course is available on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.