The sound comes from Super Mario 64, released for the Nintendo 64 in 1996, where fire and lava are common hazards in courses like Lethal Lava Land. When Mario takes fire damage he loses health, catches light and runs in a forced sprint while yelling, a mechanic players remember from early 3D platforming. Clips of the reaction were later ripped and reused on soundboards and in meme edits, often paired with the burning mario search, because the panic reads instantly even without the game footage.