Baldi's Basics in Education and Learning, released in 2018 as an indie horror parody of 1990s educational games, introduced Baldi as a strict teacher who chases players through a school after they answer maths questions incorrectly. The ruler slap became one of the game's most recognisable audio cues, clipped and shared in gameplay videos, YouTube compilations, and meme edits. Creators kept using it because it is instantly recognisable even out of context, turning a simple mistake into a joke without needing any explanation.