cute-'em-up
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A shoot 'em up game with a cute, cartoonish aesthetic.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
It's a parody of Gradius (geddit?) and as such, is a fully-fledged “cute 'em up.” The hectic sideways-scrolling action is every bit as intense as its namesake, but instead of battling spaceships and futuristic hardware you have sunny levels filled with cartoon penguins, giant clowns, flying pigs and
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “cute-'em-up” mean?
A shoot 'em up game with a cute, cartoonish aesthetic.
Is “cute-'em-up” formal or informal?
cute-'em-up is generally slang.