Pac-Man was released by Namco in arcades in 1980 and became one of the most recognised games ever made. The waka sound was part of its original audio, linked to Pac-Man eating pellets while avoiding ghosts in the maze. As retro gaming clips, remixes and memes spread online, creators began isolating single sounds from games for fast edits. This one waka survived because it is instantly identifiable on its own, needs no setup, and works as a shorthand for eating, collecting or moving in a game-like way.