Best Sound Effects in Gaming

Sound design is incredibly important when crafting a video game experience. Developers invest so much time and effort, not only in their soundtrack or voice acting but in the actual sound effects in response to player input. They’re often an important clue to whether the player is making good progress and can really add to the whole experience.

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Often the most iconic sounds in video games are the most satisfying. They let the player know they did something right, which is why they’re also designed to be total ear worms. Here are nine video game sounds that gamers hear and automatically think, “I did it!”

7 Mushroom Power-Up

The Super Mario Franchise's Iconic Sound For Glowing & Growing

The Super Mario Bros. Franchise has some of the most iconic sound effects in video game history. Everyone knows Mario’s iconic boing when he jumps or the noise that plays when he goes down a pipe. Even the little jingle that plays when he’s killed by a Goomba has been seared into gamers’ brains since childhood.

But all these sounds pale in comparison to the one that plays when Mario gets his hand on a mushroom. These polka-dotted shrooms heal Mario when traversing a level, allowing him to grow in size and take an extra hit. When players hear that uplifting sound, they know they’re good to keep going.

6 The Final KO Blast

For When Super Smash Bros. Fans Know It's A Knockout

Now, this is one sound effect with two different meanings. As players throw down in the arena, occasionally, one will land such a powerful attack on the other that they’ll be sent clear off-screen to their doom. There’s the whoosh of the attack connecting with the opponent, then the blast as that shaft of light signals they’ve been defeated.

For players on the receiving end of this barrage, the sound of the final KO is devastating. There’s nothing they can do to avoid their defeat, and can only watch in despair. But for the player landing the blow? That sound is a sign that all their hard word button-mashing has paid off.

5 Experience Points

Experience Is A Priceless & Rewarding Twinkle in Minecraft

Most games award experience points automatically. Once a player does something worth a point, they automatically fill up the bar to the next level. But Minecraft works a bit differently. Points are more like physical objects that scatter in the world like a handful of coins. Better grab them quickly before they fall into lava!

One of the upsides of this feature is the delightful sound these experience points make when players collect them. They twinkle almost like precious rubies rubbing against each other. This perfectly complements how valuable they are to the player, and how good it feels to earn them.

4 Opening a Portal

Think With Portals, in Portal

Portal and Portal 2 revolutionized video game physics when Aperture Science revealed their portal gun technology. Simply point and shoot twice to open a reality-bending gateway to instantly teleport from one side of the room to the other!

This simple set-up opened the floodgates for puzzle possibilities. Players need to get creative with where and how they set up the two sides of their portals in order to progress. Thankfully, the sound effects provide some useful auditory cues. That distinctive sci-fi warbling lets players know their portal has successfully opened, even if they can’t see it.

3 “Objection!”

Let The Turnabout Begin in the Phoenix Wright Series

Ace Attorney is all about reviewing witness testimonies and finding contradictions. When something a witness says doesn’t mesh with the facts, players need to find the right corresponding piece of evidence and point out the lie (literally, with Phoenix Wright’s index finger).

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This crucial moment of uncovering the truth is punctuated by a loud and proud “Objection!” Players know when they’ve presented the right evidence when they hear this iconic sound-byte with the background music cutting out. It makes the moment feel more dramatic, and players are relieved knowing that the story can now progress.

2 Catching a Pokemon

Wobble…Wobble…Wobble…Click!

Pokemon fans all know that feeling of tension. After a hearty battle against a powerful foe, they reach into their bag for their best Pokeball. They toss it, then wait to see if they successfully catch their new teammate.

Those few seconds of the Pokeball rolling on the ground as the Pokemon resists capture feel like hours. Sometimes, the ball breaks, forcing players to waste another turn to try again. But if they’re successful, they’ll hear that satisfying click of the Pokeball snapping shut. Such a simple sound can make gamers rejoice over their success!

1 Opening a Treasure Chest

New Loot is Always Worth it in The Legend of Zelda

Ocarina of Time’s enduring popularity has led to many of its core elements becoming common knowledge. Just about anyone can recognize Link’s signature “HYAH!” when slashing his sword, or his screaming when falling from a great height.

However, there’s one sound from this legendary game that absolutely every gamer is familiar with, even if they’re not a Zelda fan. Picture this. Link is exploring a dungeon. He defeats every monster in a room, and a treasure chest appears. His bravery now rewarded, he opens the chest slowly before reveling in his prize. Everyone knows what comes next: “Dah-na-na-na-naaaa!”