Do you need to beat Cuphead to play The Delicious Last Course DLC? Answered

Five years after the base game’s launch, Cuphead’s DLC is finally here. The Delicious Last Course has its own team of bosses to beat, items to buy, and even a new playable character in the lovely Miss Chalice. You might be wondering if you need to beat the main game in order to play all the new content. Thankfully, the answer is a firm no — read on to learn how to get there.

Related: How to unlock Miss Chalice in Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course DLC

How to access The Delicious Last Course DLC in Cuphead

You don’t need to beat Cuphead to access the DLC, but you do need to make at least some amount of progress in the early game. To reach the DLC island, you need to beat the first mausoleum, found on Inkwell Island I. There are two paths there: one requires you to clear a run ‘n gun level, and the other requires a pair of boss battles. For the former, head east from the Elder Kettle’s house then bear north to walk under the cliff. This path leads to the Treetop Trouble run ‘n gun stage, and beating that opens the path to the mausoleum. The latter sends you along the southern road, where you’ll need to beat the Botanic Panic and Clip Joint Calamity boss fights.

Either way, once you reach the mausoleum, you need to beat that too. Use parries to keep all the ghosts away from Miss Chalice, the face of The Delicious Last Course. After this, the ferryman will appear at the dock and offer to sail you to Inkwell Island IV, where the DLC begins. If you’re returning to the game having already done this, just visit him at any dock on the first three islands, as pictured above. He’ll call out to you with the same invitation to the DLC.