Cuphead was released in 2017 by Studio MDHR as a run-and-gun boss game with hand-drawn animation inspired by 1930s cartoons. In the game, players collect coins hidden in levels and use them to buy new weapons and charms, so the coin sound became closely tied to progress and reward. As clips and edits from the game spread on YouTube and TikTok, creators began lifting the short chime for their own videos, where it now signals a win, a purchase or a lucky find even for viewers who have never played Cuphead.