Description: 

A run and gun shooting game first released for the Xbox One, it emulates the rubber hose animation art style of cartoons of the 30s. Not only did it emulate the artstyle of the 30s, it also mimicked the development with the animation being drawn by hand. The game runs at 60 frames per second, allowing for fluid and precise animation, despite the animations themselves being drawn at 24 frames per second.

Essay: 

Cuphead reflects the most earnest years of animation. During the 1930s, animations were finally becoming successful. During previous years, animation tried to emulate real life, with little success. But with the success of characters like Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto, animations instead went the opposite direction. Instead of fluid and clear animation, characters were now animated in a bombastic and hilarious way. They wanted to show themselves off, as they were a new fashion. They presented themselves in a surreal fashion, with living teacups, boats, and mermaids. They had running gags to entertain their audience. However, as time went on, animation in the West became more for children, and so we see things like bombastic and over type animation as childish and immature. Cuphead channels the artstyle and animation of the 1930s and runs with it. Cuphead uses the same tools used to create early cartoons, which meant drawing the animation by hand and inking it, with only the coloring being a digital process. It had mostly static backgrounds, in order to bring attention to the animations themselves. They used designs reminiscent of old cartoons, with the titular character being a good example. It also harkens back to the much darker tones of old cartoons, with the Devil being the main antagonist. Cuphead entertains those who watch it by showing an animation style that hasn’t been in use in more than 50 years, showing why the style was so popular. It’s a testament to the cartoons of Walt Disney and Fleischer Studios, and stands on their shoulders to show the world that cartoons are more than just for children.