While many modern video games draw inspiration from the punishing difficulty of the Souls-like genre, another style of game offers equally challenging gameplay and has existed since the early days of gaming: the Run-and-Gun platformer.
In the past, titles like Contra and Mega Man gained notoriety for their high level of difficulty on the NES console. However, the frequency of such games dwindled over time, until the arrival of Cuphead in 2017 revitalized the genre.
Cuphead stands out as an excellent representation of the Run-and-Gun Platformer, boasting a charming classic cartoon animation style. While the game received a “Delicious Last Course” DLC in 2022, fans have been eagerly awaiting a new title to fill the void. Fortunately, a recently launched game on Steam offers a similar experience.
Toyland Tussle: A Hand-Drawn Game Echoing Cuphead’s Style
<div class="body-img landscape ">
<div class="responsive-img image-expandable img-article-item" style="padding-bottom:50%" data-img-url="https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/toyland-tussle-is-a-new-game-heavily-inspired-from-cuphead.jpg" data-modal-id="single-image-modal" data-modal-container-id="single-image-modal-container" data-img-caption=""""> <source media="(min-width: 1024px)" data- />
<source media="(min-width: 768px)" data- />
<source media="(min-width: 481px)" data- />
<source media="(min-width: 0px)" data- />
<img width="2000" height="1000" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="Toyland Tussle Is A New Cuphead-Like For All Hand-Drawn Games Fans" data-img-url="https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/toyland-tussle-is-a-new-game-heavily-inspired-from-cuphead.jpg" src="https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/toyland-tussle-is-a-new-game-heavily-inspired-from-cuphead.jpg" style="display:block;height:auto;max-width:100%;"/>
</picture>
</figure>
</div>
</div>Toyland Tussle, the latest creation from indie developer RBW Games, centers around Fodder the Cannon, who embarks on a journey seeking a place to spend his hard-earned allowance. However, a seemingly ordinary day quickly escalates into an intense showdown against Gears the Gorilla, the game’s imposing boss.
A standout feature of this title lies in its meticulously crafted, traditionally animated hand-drawn visuals. Moreover, the game offers two difficulty modes, a diverse arsenal of four unique weapons, and a multi-stage boss encounter with three distinct phases.
However, the game’s brevity is its primary limitation. *Toyland Tussle* consists of a single boss fight and lacks traditional platforming stages. While priced at $2.99, the cost may seem disproportionate considering the limited amount of gameplay.
The developer’s post on r/indiegames sparked discussions among players, with some voicing concerns about the game’s striking resemblance to *Cuphead*, particularly its user interface. Critics suggested that the developer could have explored new creative avenues to differentiate *Toyland Tussle*. Yet, others express satisfaction at having another dose of *Cuphead*-style action.
If you are seeking a visually appealing, hand-animated gaming experience that mirrors the feel of *Cuphead*, and you don’t mind a short gameplay session, then *Toyland Tussle* might be the game for you. It is currently available for purchase on Steam.
<div class="display-card type-video-game large" data-show-streamrentbuy-links="true" data-include-community-rating="true" id="04c6-496e-8190326e36e6">
<div class="display-card-main-content-wrapper">
<div class="display-card-main-content">
<div class="display-card-content image-column">
<!-- Rating block community and brand ratings -->
<!-- Image -->
<div class="w-img " data-stnl-group-once="d3DORuTqyL">
<div class="body-img portrait ">
<div class="responsive-img img-article-square" style="padding-bottom:150%" data-img-url="https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/12/mixcollage-05-dec-2024-07-50-pm-6186-1.jpg" data-modal-id="single-image-modal" data-modal-container-id="single-image-modal-container" data-img-caption=""""> <source media="(min-width: 1024px)" data- />
<source media="(min-width: 768px)" data- />
<source media="(min-width: 481px)" data- />
<source media="(min-width: 0px)" data- />
<img width="1200" height="1800" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="mixcollage-05-dec-2024-07-50-pm-6186-1.jpg" data-img-url="https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/12/mixcollage-05-dec-2024-07-50-pm-6186-1.jpg" src="https://static1.dualshockersimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/sharedimages/2024/12/mixcollage-05-dec-2024-07-50-pm-6186-1.jpg" style="display:block;height:auto;max-width:100%;"/>
</picture>
</figure>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<!-- User Rating widget -->
</div>
<div class="display-card-content info-column">
Cuphead
<!-- Display card community and brand rating widget -->
<!-- Display card open critics widget -->
<!-- Display card main info widget -->
<div class="w-display-card-info main-info">
<dl>
<p>
<dt>
<strong>Released</strong>
</dt>
<dd>
<span>
September 29, 2017
</span>
</dd>
</p>
<p>
<dt>
<strong>ESRB</strong>
</dt>
<dd>
<span>
E10+ for Everyone 10+: Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco
</span>
</dd>
</p>
<p>
<dt>
<strong>Developer(s)</strong>
</dt>
<dd>
<span>
Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
</span>
</dd>
</p>
<p>
<dt>
<strong>Publisher(s)</strong>
</dt>
<dd>
<span>
Studio MDHR Entertainment Inc.
</span>
</dd>
</p>
<p>
<dt>
<strong>Engine</strong>
</dt>
<dd>
<span>
Unity
</span>
</dd>
</p>
<p>
<dt>
<strong>Multiplayer</strong>
</dt>
<dd>
<span>
Local Co-Op
</span>
</dd>
</p>
</dl>
</div>
<!-- Display card main info widget end -->
<!-- Where to play button preview -->
<!-- Where to play preview end -->
</div>
</div>
<!-- Extra content section, display hidden by default -->
<input type="checkbox" id="extra-content-04c6-496e-8190326e36e6" name="extra-content-04c6-496e-8190326e36e6" class="expand-extra-info-checkbox css-menu-checkbox"/> <!-- Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info -->
<!-- Display card footer -->
<!-- PROS and CONS section -->
</div>
</div>