The Wahoo comes from Nintendo's Super Mario games, most famously Super Mario 64 from 1996, where Mario voiced by Charles Martinet shouts it during triple jumps and acrobatic moves. The line became one of Mario's signature vocalisations alongside his other short shouts. Clips of the sound spread through gaming videos, soundboards and meme edits in the 2000s and 2010s, where creators reused the isolated shout away from gameplay. It remains popular because it is instantly recognisable, extremely short and carries a clear sense of joy.