The jingle comes from Nintendo's Game Boy, the handheld console first released in Japan in 1989 and soon after around the world. Every time the system was switched on, the Nintendo logo dropped down the screen accompanied by this short synthesized sound, making it one of the most familiar startup tones in gaming history. As retro gaming grew online, creators began lifting the clip for intros, memes and throwback edits, and its simple two-note shape still signals 1990s handheld gaming instantly to modern audiences.