Cuphead is a 2017 run and gun game developed and published by Studio MDHR. The game follows its titular teacup-headed character who makes a deal with the Devil to pay casino losses by repossessing the souls of runaway debtors. In the game, up to two players control Cuphead and/or his brother Mugman to fight through several levels and boss fights; the game does not have a rigid narrative structure. As the game progresses, the protagonist acquires more power and abilities, eventually facing the Devil himself. Players, however, can only equip a limited number of these abilities at a given time.

Shoot 'em ups are a sub-genre of action games. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up; some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of character movement, while others allow a broader definition including characters on foot and a variety of perspectives.