Developer Toby Fox has released the final update for Deltarune Chapter 5, version 0.0.253, signaling a complete shift in development focus towards Chapter 6. This latest patch addresses numerous bugs across earlier chapters and introduces significant changes to the Chapter 5 Shadow Crystal boss, Pink.
Players can now select from two new difficulty options for the Pink boss encounter after their initial attempt. Interacting with a "Pink Bomb" outside the combat arena offers a choice between "Nicer" and "Meaner" settings. The "Nicer" option provides an easier experience by adding an indicator for explosion landing zones and slightly increasing bomb fuse times. Conversely, "Meaner" increases Pink's damage output by 25% and marginally speeds up some attacks. Both settings now delay the bomb explosion hitbox by one frame.
The patch notes humorously suggest players try the "Meaner" difficulty, noting "Girls like it when you are better at dodging danmaku." Successfully defeating Pink on the harder "Meaner" difficulty results in a unique post-fight cutscene where Pink kisses the protagonist, Kris. No other significant gameplay changes appear to be tied to the chosen difficulty for this encounter.
With no further updates planned for Chapter 5, the development team will now concentrate entirely on Chapter 6, which is intended to be the penultimate entry in the Deltarune saga. A release for Chapter 6 is currently anticipated in 2027.