Cuphead ALL Bosses Ranked from Worst to Best (DLC INCLUDED)

DISCORD / discord

[@BreezyCat128]

I 100% agree with your sentiment that this game doesn’t have any bad bosses. Sure, some aren’t as great as others, but they’re all at least good. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously (look at Werner), and the uniqueness of every single boss is what really makes this game shine. That, and the music and visuals.

[@theoverseer1775]

They straight up managed to sneak a N*zi rat into a game for younger audiences, legends.

[@BreezyCat128]

@@theoverseer1775 Well, no, Werner isn’t… that, but yes, he’s a German soldier rat. He’s goofy, and I love the blatant Tom and Jerry reference with his fight

[@JS-iu3ce]

@@theoverseer1775 it’s not a nazi rat though, the game is set in the 1930’s and it’s clearly a ww1 soldier instead

[@quote1207]

The only boss I’d say is terrible is Ester. Only because of the insane jump in difficulty.

[@paulrance5445]

@@theoverseer1775 *WW1 Not Nazi

[@watermel0ns119]

1:59 I love how he brought back the misnamed vegetables joke

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

Apples are probably my 2nd favorite vegetables, next only to hamsters.

[@liminalcriminal_]

Mortimer freeze has a really underrated design. The boss is well designed, with dynamic boss phases and a really cool background. The vibe and concept is unique too

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

I agree with cat that the snowlem phase is probably one of the best phases in the entire game, and the bgm really growed on me. I still can't wrap my head around how Kristofer Maddigan literally used a bgm that has parts that literally sound like generic hot desert tunes for a *snow* boss and somehow made it fkg work.

[@firstwaddledee9182]

He’s my favorite DLC boss

[@mikewebsters4119]

Not sure how much this is gonna make sense, but Mortimer’s fight intro feels the most rubberhose thing in this game.

[@AuraTheSoulBFFan]

Ah yes the Ice King

[@SquidMan122]

I agree tbh

[@banjo3029]

"Uh, you can parry the laser 🤓"

[@HMF_325]

"Uhmm ackshually the onion ish called weepy"🤓

[@whatnujgaming714]

Um actually the onion is called Ollie bulb 🤓🤓

[@mrgoopsrevenge]

“Uh, ackshully the nuns throw rulers 🤓”

[@zeke3620]

​@@mrgoopsrevenge "achhtually they throw crosses 🤓"

[@nayveejacks]

No according to my circulations of my calculations it is rulers

[@Muggerlol]

I feel like the waffle in Sugerland Shimmy is WAY easier to dodge in expert mode. Honestly don't know why they changed it.

[@YoNexen]

So true

[@bonedude1286]

In expert, he shoots 4 of his pieces first, then the other 4.

[@paulrance5445]

@@bonedude1286 yes, we know.

[@funfinyt]

@@paulrance5445 I didn’t know

[@paulrance5445]

@@funfinyt you didn’t comment, nor did i ask

[@SallyWillbanks]

32:49 Fun fact: the devil’s theme is actually just all the themes mixed together in one theme.

[@gdunknown4037]

Nice to see Glumstone finally getting some appreciation. I was under the impression that everyone hated that boss.

[@CuteLilEldritch1010]

I loved Glumstone! There’s just something so charming about him

[@yololthepikminenjoyer]

favorite dlc boss

[@nonproductiveproduction]

Yeah he's good and all in design wise, but gameplay wise he's just awful

[@gdunknown4037]

@@nonproductiveproduction It's the gameplay that I enjoy most tbh. The first phase in particular is so much fun. The second phase is the only slightly frustrating one to me.

[@SunshineProYT]

Glumstone Giant Is Cool I Personally Love Moonshine Mob More But He Is Cool

[@coytheboyy]

Putting aside Wally Warbles difficulty (regular or expert),his design of gameplay,music,and sequence of events are truly overlooked and amazing

[@hepic2874]

Wally warbles or werner werman (Thanks for elaborating my friend. I also like wally warbles, and think that he is the second best island 2 boss fight after djimmi.)

[@jocatorejenerico]

Totally agree...there's even the Ride of the Valkyries!

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

The riff when the boss switches from Wally to Willy Warbles is so good lol.

[@liminalcriminal_]

To me his gameplay is kinda bland and one of the ones i hate facing on pretty much any play through. Maybe S-ranking him jaded me, but yeah. The last phase is so obnoxious.

[@TheCharacterKid2011]

No they f***ing aren't.

[@PancakeKnightBIII]

This is random but Beating the DLC only with the lobber is almost impossible. I’d like to see you attempt it!

[@wipe93]

He is already making out a worst shot challenge for isle 4 so that should be similar

[@PancakeKnightBIII]

Well that’s the thing, lobber is the worst for all of then

[@ratedr7845]

@@PancakeKnightBIII Nak, it's actually good, the trajectory is kinda ew, but it's one of the stronger ones

[@MrHam-db8dg]

I just did this challenge in like an hour. The only tough boss was saltbaker because the 1st and last phases were tough to hit him, but that's it. Boot legger boogie was kinda tough because of the final phase but besides that it's not too bad.

[@nonproductiveproduction]

Oh crap lol just realized

[@margarethmichelina5146]

Tips: If you suck at parrying while battling King Dice, you can just hide behind his hands. So if the cards go left first, go hiding behind his right hand after the cards gone and after that go to the left and etc. But, sometimes the card can go random, so you have to be careful.

[@fnafplusmario8296]

@DarkCoreX facts

[@manpersonthehuman2681]

Lame.

[@littlelinda85]

I don’t like doing that bc it just feels cheap idk I don’t like cheese

[@FishyFishy_]

phantom express being smoother with chalice is actually really sweet. was already one of my favs

[@smugbowkid9919]

Crazy to see your opinions change and develop after all these years. Always love the videos. Also, I can already tell the worst shot challenge is gonna be… *fun.*

[@CalamitasCalliope]

I remember getting completely trolled by the Cuphead wiki where they insisted that if you push no buttons when Cali Maria uses her petrify beam you are safe. Literally had me trying it over and over again assuming I had messed up

[@DREAMREAL69]

“A cabbage an apple and a hamster” Me: that’s normal

[@donutmaxgaming9674]

Fun fact: Cagney’s last phase on simple is the same thing as his first phase on expert.

[@hopper8514]

Werner werman is one of my favorite bosses in the game, partly because of how goddamn fun the first two phases look, partly because of the music, and partly because of how cool (ha) the second phase is. The music fits perfectly - intense, frantic, keeping you on your toes as you keep track of every attack, every bottle cap moving on the screen (which I also find a cool mechanic). I love the flamethrowers and the fact that they’re animated slowly building up before firing (haha) and god its just so awesome. (I don’t really care much for the final phase though.) I also love Beppi and Brineybeard for the same reasons - intense, frantic, beautiful messes of a fight with so much to keep track of and so much creativity its amazing. Beppi has the superior theme though in my opinion. But I agree - there are no bad bosses in this game. They’re all awesome in their own unique, charming way, and I love it.

[@MachetesAreFun]

I'm actually one of the rare people who really likes Honeybottoms. I think the entire fight is really fun and the music is one of my favorite tracks in the game (favorite outside of DLC). When I fought her with my brother, it was the first time he ever seen her and he said "What the fuck is that?" There are a lot of things one might react to that way in the fight, but the funny thing is that he actually said it in response to me getting stuck against the top of the arena (off screen) while spam-parrying the sphere attack in her 2nd phase. I just mashed the button and got a juggle of probably about 10-15 parries, all rapid-fire, so the game was spamming the parry sound effect. My brother couldn't see what was happening so the weird sound effect spamming had him confused. Also, I laughed out loud really hard when you just casually said "she has seamen in her mouth" for Cala Maria and after the Sopranos clip. I haven't experienced Mortimer's 2nd phase yet despite beating him. I assume this will be patch-fixed eventually but he can be glitched in phase 1. I don't know how or why it happened, but something I did softlocked him and he just flew back and forth overhead without transitioning or attacking (kinda like how King Dice final phase could be softlocked during the card release animation initially) and eventually died without doing anything (it looked like he was trying to do his 2nd to 3rd phase transition animation, overlapped on his initial form, when the knockout occurred).

[@4.99dollarchickenstripbask7]

I really like Honeybottoms too. I always loved how she transformed into a plane. While it still holds up, my new favorite boss would have to be Howling Aces for the same reason, the aircraft. I'm an aviation enthusiast by the way.

[@nigerianlover8149]

i ain't reading allat 🤣

[@Greenlego2763]

@@nigerianlover8149 then dont

[@sparklingsora]

oh i got that glitch on mortimer too!! 2 times, actually. though for me, it didnt skip the 2nd phase, but he just stopped attacking near the end of phase 1 and let me land free hits, and then transitioned to phase 2

[@shtj6761]

One thing I notice is that quite a lot of bosses have a variety of small attacks in their first phase, but then they transform and only has one or two larger attacks throughout the phase. See: Grim Matchstick, Cala Maria, Cagney Carnation, Captain Brineybeard, almost all DLC bosses

[@JustoAllDay]

Man I am so glad you're doing Cuphead vids again! You were the inspiration behind my channel 3 years ago and It's great to see you back in the community!

[@gameswithpeachcord7498]

Lemons That’s all I got

[@bigmanager3599]

Justo??!!

[@SpexEdits]

Wow Justo was not expecting to see you here lol

[@littlelinda85]

Hi justo I’m a big fan 😊

[@8bitbystander586]

you should check out the in-studio making of Esther Winchester's theme if you haven't already, its amazing because you can see how much effort goes into this game first hand! i would attach a link but bots have made that impossible... but the title is, "The Music of Cuphead - The Delicious Last Course: Recording ‘High-Noon Hoopla’"

[@rocioosunabeltran9227]

thanks for the recommendation, it was truly an awesome video

[@8bitbystander586]

@@rocioosunabeltran9227 :)

[@nicholasgianakourosstudent2193]

Bro Mortimer freeze is sooooo good. The design of second phase is so cool and attacks look so fun to dodge, not to mention the INCREDIBLY SMOOTH ANIMATION

[@jackhamilton0215]

FunFact: The fireballs in grim matchstick phase three where originally gonna split in one of 4 direction’s But due to sloppy coding We got the fireball’s we have today

[@nate6519]

It’s actually either 2 vertically or 2 horizontally

[@tbagent8615]

What was that sally stageplay art? And what was the rumor one? The Cala Maria one was funny, with just the hair

[@resident_simon]

aw hell yea !! Esther at number 1 !! she’s my favorite boss my a long shot. i love how the gameplay is challenging but never unfair (unlike some other bosses where RNG screws you over & you just have to take a hit), High-Noon-Hoopla is easily my favorite soundtrack in the game & compliments the fight greatly, it’s consistent, the animation & Esther’s design are top tier, & the visual storytelling is implemented into the fight so seamlessly. i love how much personality Esther has & how you learn about her being corrupt cowgirl through the gameplay alone

[@l0nnerr]

8:02 the ‘satan’s tight asshole’ bit for some reason made me uncontrollably laugh

[@FrostyTheNightmare]

Two things I took away from the game 1- Every death is just another way to push me to beating a boss/ run and gun stage. And if I start getting stuck on something with a load out I’m using I can always switch it up when I die, just saves more time then having to leave the stage then go back in. 2- Screw birds.

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

Thank god we don't have living birds irl/s

[@cyboyentertainment92]

Sheriff Esther Winchester is my favorite boss definitely. I love her transformations and the music is super fitting for the boss. Fighting her in expert is harder but much more interesting

[@cringeysammy1551]

wonderfully constructed video, specially the tone. i watched this because it was nothing but positive vibes. you didn’t just sit and complain about bosses, but you’d still had the moments of pure anger that worked as comedy. calling Beppi a molester made me subscribe

[@burnttoast3925]

"Down into hell where furries belong" Your channel mascot (or at least the pfp idk this is the first vid ive watched of urs) is by definition a fursona, but go off ig

[@bigbriangaara7461]

The bosses are so good in this game. That you genuinely can’t call any of them bad. Except the angel and devil fight but that’s just me

[@morocuda2090]

Was the devil fight bad in an anticlimactic way or did you really just not enjoy it? Because I found it anticlimactic and was hoping for it to be WAY harder, but i didn't find it bad.

[@morocuda2090]

@DarkCoreX He edited the message bud.

[@Llama_Loca]

I don’t think the angel and demon fight is that bad, it’s not meant to be a super flashy fight or anything, it does it’s job as a dream and the unique stuff it changes, plus it’s possible lore implications

[@GottWaffe]

A well deserved first place,Esther is just perfect in every angle that you look at the boss fight,was excited to fight her since the trailer she appears.

[@Theking0fgg]

I can just imagine that salt baker wanted the third phase to be the show stopper, but then realized that it's salt and has literally zero durability.

[@memecards11]

I love all of the sarcasm with goopy

[@megadriveleo]

"And there is seamen in her mouth" 😳 I saw what you did there

[@mrchoochooguy4045]

Apparently the fire balls in phase 3 of Grim were meant to split Into two on one axis (y or x axis) but missing code or something causes all 4 to go at once

[@rpgfan1187]

Great video, Magicat! Have you ever played Gunstar Heroes? That game was probably the biggest inspiration behind Cuphead (from a gameplay standpoint). It's a Sega Genesis Run 'n Gun game that allows you to use various weapon combinations for different playstyles, and it can be played in either singleplayer or co-op mode. Unlike Cuphead, it's structured around regular Run 'n Gun stages rather than boss battles, although there are plenty of bosses featured across the game's seven stages. One of the stages is definitely the inspiration behind King Dice's Roulette Wheel, as it takes the form of a board game with a different mini-boss on each space. Granted, Gunstar Heroes is easier than Cuphead, as you're granted significantly more health, but it still offers a decent challenge and fun gameplay. It has since been re-released as part of the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) Classics Collection and as a standalone game on Steam, so I highly recommend it to fans of Cuphead and other Run 'n Gun games.

[@riyaseshadri4824]

Also Mangosteen (the 8-ball boss in the King Dice boss fight) is a straight up homage to one of Gunstar Heroes's more iconic bosses, Melon Bread. Melon Bread is a face with no body whose only attack is to shoot out a small projectile. Sound familiar? Melon Bread is considered to be one of the easiest bosses in video game history, and Mangosteen is made purposefully really easy to pay homage to that.

[@rpgfan1187]

@@riyaseshadri4824 Cool! I never realized that Mangosteen was intended as an homage to Melon Bread, but I can definitely see that now that you mention it. Thanks for the trivia!

[@aesiro1336]

If you're an RPG fan and you have some knowledge of Sega history, you ever played Shining Force?

[@rpgfan1187]

@@aesiro1336 Yeah, I've played the first two Shining Force games, and they're definitely among my favorite Sega Genesis titles, alongside Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium and Gunstar Heroes. FF Tactics (for the PS1 and PSP) is still far and away my favorite Strategy JRPG, but the Shining Force games are outstanding entries in the genre, as well.

[@aesiro1336]

@@rpgfan1187 Yeah, they're kind of a forgotten gem among the plethora of games Sega abandoned in favor of Sonic. Honestly, I just want to see a remake of them so bad. Like, I'd prefer a remake of the Shining Force games over Colors Ultimate. To be fair, Colors Ultimate was great, but Shining Force was honestly better story wise, and the more tactics like gameplay was far more memorable than "DRILL!".

[@drillbitz2816]

I love the snowman phase on Mortimer freeze. The animation is top notch and it is the transition to phase three is great.

[@YinAndJerry]

Ahhhh my favorite vegetable from the root pack. The Apple

[@superiortuba8219]

I’m so happy whenever I see your content, it makes my day as your commentary is always just gold, keep it up magicat!

[@magicat7356]

Thanks :)

[@superiortuba8219]

@@magicat7356 yw!

[@luumisk74]

great to see another glumestone first phase fan. i love gnome way out, all my homies love gnome way out

[@juantheone4431]

Doggone dogfight is a masterpice

[@jocatorejenerico]

I love the fight music, one of the best for me.

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

Doggone Dogfight very slaps

[@carlyskolnik296]

Best of dlc! I can agree

[@BeMoreBroadway]

The "I think Beppi is a fucking molester" comment took me so off guard, I nearly fell out of my seat-

[@dozer_crew1626]

Fun fact, if you camp in the top or bottom right in the last phase of the cow boss you will get the mini sausage cans from the last phase

[@electropan]

if you fly over esther winchester in her fourth phase (last phase), there will appear a flying can of beans in the corner

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

Hyped for the phase rankings! Also subbed

[@prestonandtom9337]

You know you can parry the laser that the ship shoots out.

[@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache]

Yes but have you heard that the name and appearance of Hilda's phase 2 and 4 transformations are actually based off of constellations?

[@ilovecontroversy6940]

Thank you for saying Djimmi the correct way, yes the D is silent.

[@froglin466]

“A cabbage, a apple, and a hamster” that had me laughing 😂

[@claudiusmaximus4088]

Nice list! I think Esther might be my favorite boss too, I never thought I'd really enjoy a plane boss but despite the struggle I really did

[@jakepeng9962]

I like how the announcer is replaced with the snail for the moonshine mob.

[@reah3367]

I used to watch your old videos religiously and you didn't talk in those so when I started this one I was like "Holy shit this man is talking to me-"

[@laurenberry7750]

Esther is still really fuckin hard for me so I can't say I really enjoy playing her battle, but I still love it. The design is awesome, it was so much fun watching her dark yet comical transformation from wanted cow to canned beef, and the music is definitely up in my top favorites. It's a fantastic fight even if I'm not very good at it yet. I think the bosses I have the most fun playing are Cagney, Wally, Djimmi, Grim (he's actually fun and easy if you use lobber), Brineybeard (cause parrying the octopus things is really satisfying), and Werner. I'm still getting my strategies down for the DLC but I love all the fights except maybe Moonshine Mob cause I find it kinda annoying personally

[@justabambiminion8684]

I havent watched your channel ever since i watched your older 4 year old videos of cuphead, Glad you are still active!

[@pastorofmuppets9346]

Crazy how this game got a dlc after so many years

[@aplasticcontainer]

It was announced in 2018

[@FlyingLine]

Really good video but man, the fact that you didn't mention Chef Saltbaker's soundtrack even once almost had me shouting at my screen lol, it's just way too good (or at least unique compared to the others) to be ignored like that

[@magicat7356]

I like it. There you go

[@SpeakerTerenus]

Gotta love those Djimmi faces.

[@parssr]

27:36 took me a second to get that

[@lavenderrose6496]

Ive always really liked your channel magicat. It’s definitely jarring to hear your voice though because I got so used to all of those fiery/angry texts at the bottom of the screen LOL. I love your voice, but I do miss the gremlin-like charm from just seeing the text and your reactions. Cant wait to see what you upload next :)💕

[@A_Swigg]

been waiting for this

[@baulvicork5199]

1:57 “cabbage, apple, and a hamster” why

[@batrongordeg]

A joke

[@andreww.1810]

HECK YEAH THIS IS WHAT I NEEDED.

[@grokas]

havent watched u in a while and damn ditching the silence subtitles combo was such a good choice

[@xboxfan1393]

Bro what da hell were some of those pictures you chose for the bosses

[@gamingwithjustin1721]

“A cabbage an apple and a hamster “ I died there lol

[@kingsantos3492]

Thank you so much this helped a lot!!!! You saved my life

[@friendthebarrel154]

You chose some...interesting art for some of the bosses.

[@kamilozo776]

Magicat... From what dephts of hell did you got that Sally image?!...

[@4thwallstudios]

This man has my style How the FUCK do only that much subscribers

[@skykrasher4475]

I’ll be honest, Hilda Berg is one of my favorites mostly because of the visuals. I’m a huge astronomy nerd so I loved the constellation references.

[@Whuza.]

oh how i missed you. more than glad to see you back on cuphead my friend. :)

[@mellow_fren]

I've pretty much said this in every Cuphead Boss ranking I've seen, but man, each ranking is wildly different from each other. Perhaps that just goes to show how good every boss is if there isn't always a definitive worst seen at the bottom of every list, and same goes for the best.

[@mrtophatguy]

“And she has sea men in her mouth.” I can’t tell if that was on purpose or not.

[@gdunknown4037]

Obviously it was.

[@danielireland6404]

Lol

[@epicwolves125]

Howling Aces boss says “Good” when it’s in the Great phrase

[@pacoramon9468]

The pictures you chose for the female bosses are... devious.

[@fredstephens9087]

brineybeard's music is severely underrated. people need to give it a chance before discarding it.

[@danielisgamer]

Cracked is pretty good, its like a combination of chaser and maybe spreader or peashot, and I see the potential of twister, so I'd say that converge or chaser is the worst shot in most cases

[@riffsix]

Mkay now I really wanna see an all phases ranking, but that sounds like a ridiculous undertaking honestly

[@Kosmicant]

Theres actually a sound cue before cala uses her laser, its a low volume shriek but its hard to notice

[@corywallen4137]

Nice video!

[@tbagent8615]

I can’t wait for you to rank the kings leap bosses

[@wilsonstan]

after hearing these sounds that he put at the beginning of each character ranking has scarred me for life.

[@professorbrainstorminmemef4779]

1:59 Magicat the Magical Cat the onion's name is Weepy 😑 If you don't get it, go to Magicat's Worst shot Challenge (Part 1) and skip to the second phase of Root Pack

[@liminalcriminal_]

You do commentary really well

[@Mausyboi]

1:13 haven't seen a Horah Loux meme outside of elden ring before, thank you it made my day

[@CX7thetherapist]

Honestly this is a good tier list. Someone’s still gonna get pissed off tho

[@rivertownproductions]

14:24 That noise killed me lmao

[@Sillyrat1029]

This video has what many ranking videos don't, humor. I love it. Also, what were Sally stageplay and rumor honeybottoms pictures? 📷

[@mario_fam8]

He could have put them on the description ngl

[@timothythesnail3599]

Moonshine mob is a masterpiece Fight me

[@ReeeMonke]

Winchester is my favorite too! It's just so cool the visuals everything! This is one of my favorites with the my second being any chess boss. It's absolutely genius.

[@Toaster334]

To be fair basically all of the bosses are amazing xd

[@grunkfussborees8027]

21:25 woof woof

[@souporwormgaming]

100% Agree with Esther, Cagney, and Grim.

[@jesusisking09]

You mentioned how much you like certain first phases a lot. Video Suggestion: All Cuphead First Phases ranked (including DLC)

[@GBIT06]

I only just realised the cans in sheriff Winchester's fight are beans and not mini sausages.

[@batrongordeg]

They are sausages, this boss entire idea is cooking a cow into a sausage when she gets sucked the vacumm Has "cooker" on it.

[@GBIT06]

@@batrongordeg it says beans on the flying cans.

[@batrongordeg]

@@GBIT06 oh ok. On closer look on third fase the beans look diffrent that sausages so only third fase. Still suprising thou.

[@SunnyBunny9621]

In its defense, the floating platform in bonbon is good for loading in lots of lobber shots to take out the mini bosses quicker

[@acebee46]

Hey! My comment! That's so cool, took me by surprise

[@galaxydog2245]

3:38 OH DEAR G-

[@pacifistichuman82649]

That epilogue picture looks AMAZING when coloured!

[@darby6588]

Esther has such a banging design and her fight is so visually amazing

[@billymcbobson1218]

“Then he turns into a Twitter user”