The Dianoga first appeared in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope in 1977, lurking in the Death Star trash compactor that trapped Luke, Han, Leia and Chewbacca. The creature returned in the 1995 LucasArts shooter Star Wars Dark Forces, where Kyle Katarn encounters it during his missions. Its distinctive roar from that game was later ripped and shared on soundboards as a standalone effect. Players still use it for retro gaming videos because it instantly signals a classic Star Wars monster without needing any dialogue or music.