Chaos Emeralds debuted in the original Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991 as powerful gems scattered through the games, with collecting all of them becoming a central goal of the series. Getting one was always treated as a major event, marked by a special fanfare separate from regular ring or item sounds. As Sonic gameplay, speedruns and fan edits spread online, that fanfare was lifted on its own as a shorthand for securing something rare and powerful. It remains popular because anyone familiar with Sonic recognises the reward instantly.