10 Games Like Cuphead You Can Play in Your Browser
Cuphead is a contract with the Devil, a run of brutal bosses and some of the best hand-drawn animation in games. It is also a download-only game. These games like Cuphead fill the gap in a browser tab, from arcade run and gun games with gorgeous sprite work to cartoon shooters full of oversized bosses. Bring patience, because most of them are just as happy to kill you in one hit.
Key takeaways
- Cuphead is not a browser game, so every pick here is a browser-playable alternative.
- Metal Slug and Alien Hominid are the closest matches, with hand-drawn style and one-hit deaths.
- Galaga, 1942 and Fantasy Zone cover Cuphead’s plane stages.
- Most arcade picks play through the Internet Archive’s emulation, which works best on a desktop with a keyboard.
What makes a game feel like Cuphead
Cuphead is a 2017 game from Studio MDHR, the studio founded by brothers Chad and Jared Moldenhauer. Its art copies the rubber-hose style of 1930s cartoons, and almost every stage is a boss fight with several phases. You shoot, dash and parry pink objects, alone or with a second player as Mugman. It runs on PC and consoles, not in a browser.
A good Cuphead alternative needs at least two of these: run and gun action, big multi-phase bosses, punishing difficulty, or a cartoon art style. We also included shoot ’em ups for the plane stages. If you are new to that genre, our explainer on what a shoot ’em up is covers the basics.
Quick picks
| If you liked… | Play |
|---|---|
| The plane stages, right now | Galaga |
| Hand-drawn run and gun action | Metal Slug |
| One-hit deaths and crude cartoon charm | Alien Hominid |
| Wild, shape-shifting bosses | Gunstar Heroes |
| Boss fights with a theme | Sunset Riders |
| Bright, silly shooters | Fantasy Zone or Parodius |
1. Galaga (play it right here on Dinogame)
Galaga is Namco’s 1981 arcade shooter, and our Galaga runs in your browser with nothing to install. It is the fastest way to warm up for Cuphead’s plane levels.
How it plays: Aliens fly in, settle into formation and then peel off to dive at your ship. Boss Galagas can capture your fighter with a tractor beam, and rescuing it gives you double firepower. Every few stages, a Challenging Stage sends waves past you for bonus points. Controls: Left and Right arrows to move, Space to fire. Why it fits: Reading attack patterns and dodging at the last moment is the core skill in Cuphead’s air battles. Best for: A quick shooter session between harder games.
2. Metal Slug
Metal Slug is a 1996 run and gun arcade game developed by Nazca for SNK’s Neo Geo. The arcade version is playable in a browser through the Internet Archive’s Internet Arcade, along with sequels such as Metal Slug 2 and Metal Slug X.
How it plays: You run right, shoot everything and rescue prisoners who hand over new weapons. The tank that gives the series its name lets you roll through enemies, and huge bosses close out each mission. One bullet ends a life. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for shoot, jump and grenade. Why it fits: Its detailed hand-drawn sprite animation and comic touches are the closest thing to Cuphead’s personality in any run and gun game. Best for: Players who loved Cuphead’s Run and Gun levels.
3. Alien Hominid
Alien Hominid started as a 2002 Flash game by Tom Fulp and Dan Paladin, who later founded The Behemoth and expanded it for consoles. The original Flash version plays in a browser through the Internet Archive’s Flash collection, which runs it with the Ruffle emulator.
How it plays: A small yellow alien crash-lands on Earth and fights off waves of government agents. Like Metal Slug, it is a side-scrolling shooter where one hit kills you. Paladin’s thick, scratchy cartoon art gives it a look that is very different from typical arcade sprites. Controls: Keyboard, with keys to move, jump and shoot. Why it fits: Hand-drawn cartoon style, harsh difficulty and a sense of humor, all in one tab. Best for: Fans of Cuphead’s art who want something with indie roots.
4. Gunstar Heroes
Gunstar Heroes is a 1993 run and gun game by Treasure, first released on the Sega Mega Drive, also known as the Genesis. The Internet Arcade hosts its Mega Play arcade release.
How it plays: You pick a weapon type and combine shots to create new ones, then fight through stages packed with bosses. Many bosses transform mid-fight, and a single stage can feel like a boss rush. You can also grab and throw enemies. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for shoot, jump and weapon actions. Why it fits: Of all the classics here, it has the most Cuphead-like boss design, full of phases and surprises. Best for: Players who think the bosses were the best part of Cuphead.
5. Sunset Riders
Sunset Riders is a 1991 Konami arcade game set in the Old West, and the four-player version is in the Internet Arcade.
How it plays: You play as one of four bounty hunters, shooting outlaws across trains, saloons and canyons. Each stage ends with a showdown against the outlaw on that stage’s wanted poster. Up to four players can play together on the original cabinet. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for shoot and jump. Why it fits: Themed bosses, co-op play and a cartoonish tone make it a natural pick among Cuphead alternatives. Best for: Friends who played Cuphead with Mugman.
6. Caveman Ninja
Caveman Ninja, also released as Joe and Mac, is a 1991 Data East arcade game. It is playable in the Internet Arcade.
How it plays: Two cavemen chase after kidnapped cavewomen through a prehistoric world. You throw clubs, stone wheels and other weapons at enemies, and the big set pieces are fights against huge dinosaurs. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for attack and jump. Why it fits: Bright cartoon art, slapstick animation and giant bosses are a lot like Cuphead’s spirit. Best for: Players who want something lighter than Metal Slug, and dinosaur fans.
7. Fantasy Zone
Fantasy Zone is a 1986 Sega arcade shooter starring a winged ship called Opa-Opa. The arcade version is in the Internet Arcade.
How it plays: Each round is a looping, pastel-colored stage where you destroy enemy bases, then face a boss. Defeated enemies drop coins, and you spend them in a shop on better engines and weapons. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for shot and bomb. Why it fits: It has the cheerful, strange look of Cuphead’s plane stages and a boss at the end of every round. Best for: Players who want a shooter that looks friendly but fights back hard.
8. Parodius Da!
Parodius Da! is a 1990 Konami shooter that parodies its own Gradius series. It is playable in the Internet Arcade.
How it plays: You choose from a cast that includes Gradius’s Vic Viper ship and an octopus, then fly through cartoon stages full of odd enemies. Power-ups fill a bar, and you choose when to cash them in for speed, missiles or options. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for shot and power-up. Why it fits: It is a silly, colorful shoot ’em up with oversized bosses, which is the mood of Cuphead’s air fights. Best for: Players who like their difficulty with jokes.
9. 1942
1942 is a 1984 Capcom arcade shooter set over the Pacific in World War II. It is in the Internet Arcade.
How it plays: You fly a fighter up a vertically scrolling screen, shooting down waves of enemy planes. A limited loop maneuver lets you dodge out of danger, and large bombers act as bosses. Controls: Keyboard through the emulator, with keys for fire and loop. Why it fits: Cuphead’s plane stages owe a lot to vintage aircraft shooters like this one. Best for: Players who want classic, no-frills plane combat.
10. Space Invaders (play it right here on Dinogame)
Taito’s 1978 Space Invaders is where the shooter genre started, and our Space Invaders runs instantly in a browser.
How it plays: Rows of aliens march side to side and drop lower each pass, speeding up as you thin them out. You hide behind bunkers that crumble under fire from both sides. Controls: Left and Right arrows to move, Space to fire. Why it fits: It is a pure test of aim and timing under pressure. Best for: A short, focused session when a full run and gun game is too much.
If you can install a game
Cuphead itself, plus its 2022 expansion The Delicious Last Course, is the obvious choice on PC and consoles. Enter the Gungeon and Hollow Knight are other common picks for boss-heavy action, but none of them run in a browser.
Tips for playing arcade classics in a browser
Most of these games like Cuphead run through the Internet Archive’s emulation. Use a desktop or laptop with a keyboard, click into the game window first, and check the item page for the key mapping and the key that inserts a coin. If a game stutters, try another browser. Our list of the best browser shooter games has more modern picks built for the web.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play Cuphead in a browser?
No. Cuphead is sold for PC and consoles and has no official browser version. For browser play, Metal Slug and Alien Hominid are the closest run and gun games.
What game is most like Cuphead?
Among browser-playable games, Metal Slug is the closest. It has hand-drawn animation, one-hit deaths and huge bosses. Gunstar Heroes is the best pick if you mainly want inventive, multi-phase bosses.
Are there run and gun games with co-op you can play online?
Yes. Metal Slug, Gunstar Heroes and Sunset Riders were all built for two or more players on the same machine. In a browser, both players share one keyboard through the emulator.
What are some easier Cuphead alternatives?
Galaga and Space Invaders on Dinogame are good low-pressure picks, and Caveman Ninja is more forgiving than Metal Slug. All of them keep the arcade feel without Cuphead’s punishing boss patterns.
Roll the dice again
Cuphead only lives on PC and consoles, but its roots are all over these browser games: hand-drawn run and gun action, cartoon shooters and bosses that take a dozen tries. Start with Metal Slug for the closest match, or warm up with Galaga here first. And when you want the opposite of a boss fight, the Chrome Dino game needs only one button.
