The bubble shield first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, released for the Sega Genesis in 1994, where it gave Sonic a protective bubble that let him bounce and breathe underwater. When Sonic & Knuckles was locked on to the cartridge, the shield carried over into the combined Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles adventure. Decades later, retro gaming fans and video editors still reuse the pickup sound as shorthand for protection, nostalgia and classic Sega platforming.