How to Unlock Cuphead Expert Mode and Beat Every Boss

I have cleared Cuphead on Expert Mode including the DLC. It took me way more attempts than I want to admit. But once you understand exactly what changes and how to prepare, it becomes manageable.

How to Unlock Expert Mode in Cuphead

To unlock Expert Mode, you must complete a full Regular Mode playthrough by defeating every boss on Regular difficulty. Simple Mode does not count you have to do it on Regular. Once you do that, Expert Mode becomes available on the title card of every boss. You can tackle them in any order you want. For the DLC, Expert Mode unlocks separately after you beat every major boss on Inkwell Isle Four on Regular Mode.

What Changes in Expert Mode

Expert Mode is not just “the same game but harder.” Specific things change for each boss. Most bosses move faster, have more health, and fire more projectiles with each attack. But that is just the baseline. Some bosses get entirely new attack patterns or phases that do not exist in Regular Mode at all.

What Changes	Details
Boss health	Higher across the board
Projectile speed	Faster, less reaction time
Enemy spawns	More enemies on screen at once
Attack patterns	Some bosses get new moves
Extra phases	Some bosses add new phases
Rank system	A+ becomes S rank
Flag on overworld	Gold cup instead of white

Beating a boss with an A+ rank in Expert Mode grants you an S rank, and the flag outside the boss stage will show an S rather than a cup.

Expert Mode vs Regular Mode

A lot of players expect Expert Mode to feel completely different. It does not and that is actually good news.

Expert Mode contains a harder version of the bosses with more health, faster projectiles, and different attack combinations. However it is not drastically different from Regular Mode, and since you already have experience with all the bosses, it may actually take less time to complete than your first Regular Mode playthrough.

The key word there is “experience.” You already know the patterns. Expert Mode punishes mistakes harder but it does not introduce completely new fights from scratch. Think of it as the same exam with stricter marking.

Best Loadout for Expert Mode

You cannot go in with random weapons and expect to survive.

Primary Weapon: Spread Shot
Best for close-range bosses. High damage output when you are in the right position. Use this on bosses where you can stay near the center.

Secondary Weapon: Roundabout
Fires backwards. Very useful for bosses that force you to move away from them constantly. Keeps your damage up even when you are running.

Charm: Twin Hearts
The Twin Hearts charm allows you to get hit two times in boss fights without affecting your rank. In Expert Mode where one mistake can cost you everything, this charm is a lifesaver.

Alternative Charm: Smoke Bomb
Makes your dash invincible. Pairs well with aggressive playstyles. Swap this in for bosses with heavy projectile spam.

The Hardest Bosses on Expert Mode

Not every boss becomes a nightmare on Expert. Some barely change. These are the ones that genuinely get brutal:

1. Dr. Kahl’s Robot
Already one of the hardest bosses in Regular Mode. On Expert, the projectile patterns become almost overwhelming. The third phase gives you barely any space to move. Take it slow and never get greedy with damage.

2. King Dice
Expert difficulty transforms this fight from semi-challenging into a real soul-crusher. The mini-boss sequence becomes relentless. Learn the order, parry as much as possible to build your super, and use it on the hardest mini-bosses.

3. Grim Matchstick
The aerial phase becomes extremely tight on Expert. The fire spirals give you very little room. Short-range weapons struggle here — use the Spread Shot and focus on staying between the fire gaps rather than dodging around them.

4. Captain Brineybeard
The ship attacks get faster and the barrel phase becomes much harder to time. Stay patient and do not rush the damage.

5. The Devil (Final Boss)
The final phase is where most Expert runs end. The Devil moves faster and the attacks overlap in ways that are hard to read at first. Once you have memorized the sequence it becomes doable but one slip in the last phase and you start over.

Easiest Bosses to Start With on Expert Mode

Start here to build confidence:

Goopy Le Grande
His moves are all well telegraphed and his patterns are simple to read even on the harder difficulty. A great first Expert clear and a good boss to target if you are going for S rank.

Cagney Carnation
The flower boss does not change dramatically on Expert. His attacks are slower compared to most other bosses and the platform layout helps you stay safe.

Hilda Berg
The plane sections give you more freedom of movement than ground-based fights. More room to breathe means more time to react even when projectiles speed up.

Expert Mode Achievement

Beating every boss in the main game on Expert Mode unlocks the achievement “Beat The Devil At His Own Game.” This is one of the most respected achievements in Cuphead. Not many players have it. If you earn it, it means you have genuinely mastered the game. For the DLC version of this achievement, you need to clear every DLC boss on Expert Mode as well. Chef Saltbaker on Expert is arguably the hardest fight in the entire game.

Expert Mode on Android APK

Playing Expert Mode in Cuphead mobile with touch controls adds another layer of difficulty. Here is how to manage it:

• Use a Bluetooth controller if possible. Touch controls on Expert Mode are extremely unforgiving. A controller gives you the precision you need.
• Turn off auto-fire if your APK has it. Manual firing gives you more control over your shot rhythm.
• Play in landscape mode only. Portrait orientation cuts your view and makes dodging much harder.
• Lower screen brightness slightly. Expert Mode projectiles move fast. Reducing glare helps you spot them earlier.
• Practice each boss on Regular first even if you have already beaten them. Muscle memory from Regular Mode transfers directly to Expert.

Is Expert Mode Worth It?

Yes if you genuinely love Cuphead.

Expert Mode is not a gimmick difficulty. It is the version of the game that rewards everything you learned in Regular Mode and asks you to do it perfectly. The bosses feel fresh again even though you have fought them before. Seemingly easy fights become absolute nightmares and somehow that is what makes clearing them so satisfying. If you got through Regular Mode and wanted more, Expert Mode is exactly what you are looking for.

Final Tips Before You Start

• Do not try Expert Mode right after finishing Regular. Take a break and come back fresh.
• Learn which charm to use before each fight — do not use the same loadout for every boss.
• Parry every pink object you see. Super meter is your best friend on Expert.
• Watch your own deaths. Every time you die, figure out what hit you and why.
• Start with the easiest bosses first to get into the rhythm before tackling the hard ones.

Good luck. You are going to need it.