Super Mario 64 was released by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64 in 1996, and its game over music became one of the most recognisable sounds from that era of 3D platform games. The short tune plays when a player loses their last life, closing a level attempt with a gentle, downbeat melody instead of a harsh buzzer. As clips from the game circulated on video platforms and meme pages, creators began reusing the sound on its own to signal defeat, and it remains popular because almost anyone who played the original instantly understands what it means without any explanation.