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Quizzes > Video Games

Video Game SFX Quiz: Guess the Game by the Sound

Quick, free video game sound quiz to test your ear. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Lamont BowlingUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art game controller headphones and sound waves on coral background inviting players to test video game SFX knowledge

This video game SFX quiz helps you identify iconic game sounds by ear. Play each short clip, pick the game, and watch your results update as you go. Want another challenge after this round? Try our video game quiz or switch gears with the video game logo quiz.

Which game is known for the iconic plink sound when collecting coins?
Super Mario Bros.
Pac-Man
Tetris
Sonic the Hedgehog
The coin collection sound effect in Super Mario Bros. is one of the most recognizable SFX in video game history. It was composed by Koji Kondo for the NES and became a defining auditory motif for the series. Players instantly recognize the plink whenever Mario grabs a coin or 1-Up mushroom.
Which game features the distinctive ring collection chime?
Super Mario Bros.
Tetris
Pac-Man
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehogs ring pickup sound was designed to cue players that their collected rings can save them from fatal damage. The bright, quick chime has been used in every mainline Sonic title since 1991 and is instantly associated with the Blue Blur.
Which games waka waka sound effect accompanies eating items?
Pac-Man
Tetris
Super Mario Bros.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Pac-Mans waka waka munching sound is one of the earliest and most iconic video game SFX, first heard when the title released in 1980. It was included to simulate eating pellets and gave the game its distinctive rhythm. This effect has appeared in countless remakes and is synonymous with the character.
Which game features the boing jump sound that plays every time the protagonist leaps?
Super Mario Bros.
Pac-Man
Sonic the Hedgehog
Tetris
Super Mario Bros. introduced the cheerful boing whenever Mario jumps on enemies or platforms, created by composer Koji Kondo. This SFX helped convey a sense of weight and playfulness in the 8-bit era. It remains largely unchanged in modern Mario titles as a nostalgic audio cue.
Which game plays a clink sound when picking up a rupee?
Dragon Quest
Secret of Mana
The Legend of Zelda
Final Fantasy
In The Legend of Zelda, collecting rupees causes a bright clink or ring sound, signaling to the player their currency total has increased. Composer Koji Kondo crafted this SFX for the NES original in 1986. The noise has been updated in every mainline Zelda game since, becoming a franchise staple.
Which puzzle game plays an ascending chime when you clear a line?
Tetris
Dr. Mario
Bejeweled
Puyo Puyo
Tetris is famous for its simple yet effective ascending chime upon clearing a single line. This sound effect provides immediate feedback on player performance and became iconic in gaming culture. Its present in virtually every Tetris iteration.
Which fighting game features the shout Hadouken! accompanying a fireball attack?
Mortal Kombat
King of Fighters
Tekken 3
Street Fighter II
In Street Fighter II, Ryu and Kens signature fireball move is accompanied by the voice-over shout Hadouken! along with a whooshing projectile sound. This audio cue became one of the most recognized moves in fighting games. It has been used in every Street Fighter title since.
Which game series plays a two-note jingle when selecting a new weapon after defeating a boss?
Mega Man
Metroid
Contra
Castlevania
After defeating a boss in Mega Man, the game plays a brief two-note ascending jingle when you browse the Weapon Select screen. This audio cue signifies the new weapon has been added to your arsenal. It first appeared in the original Mega Man (1987) and remains unchanged in later entries.
Which survival horror game uses a typewriter keystroke sound effect to save progress?
Silent Hill
Fatal Frame
Alone in the Dark
Resident Evil
Resident Evil (1996) introduced the typewriter save system: a real typewriter sound that plays as the game saves. This mechanic added tension by limiting save points and made the SFX an iconic reminder of resource management. Its been referenced and parodied widely in gaming.
Which first-person shooter alerts players with a heartbeat-like beep when the HEV suit detects low health?
Dark Forces
Doom
Quake
Half-Life
In Half-Life, the HEV suit issues a pulsing, heartbeat-like beep when the players health falls below a critical threshold. This audio cue warns players to seek health packs immediately. Valves sound design emphasized immersion by tying UI alerts to in-game technology.
Which survival horror title uses a radio static burst to indicate nearby monsters?
Silent Hill
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Project Zero
Outlast
Silent Hill (1999) features a handheld radio that crackles and emits static when creatures are nearby. This innovative SFX built tension and gave players a non-visual clue of incoming threats. The radio mechanic became a hallmark of the series psychological horror.
Which classic shooter plays a loud pump-action sound when the shotgun is reloaded?
Duke Nukem 3D
Quake
Wolfenstein 3D
DOOM
In DOOM (1993), the pump-action shotgun makes a distinct ck-chk pump sound on reload. This aggressive SFX helped reinforce the weapons power and visceral gameplay. It remains one of the most celebrated audio cues in FPS history.
Which turn-based strategy game features a fanfare of three ascending brass notes when research completes?
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Civilization IV
Master of Orion
Age of Empires II
Civilization IV (2005) introduced a distinctive three-note brass fanfare that plays whenever a new technology is researched. Composer Christopher Tin designed it to feel triumphant and motivating. The sound became a hallmark of the series musical identity.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Identify Iconic Video Game SFX -

    After taking the video game SFX quiz, you'll be able to recognize signature sounds from beloved titles and recall their gameplay significance.

  2. Analyze Contextual Audio Cues -

    Learn to interpret how SFX signal in-game events - such as power-ups, alerts, and level completions - in our gaming sound effects quiz.

  3. Strengthen Auditory Recall Skills -

    Enhance your ear for subtle differences by distinguishing similar clips in this game SFX sounds quiz, sharpening your audio memory.

  4. Apply Knowledge in Video Game Audio Trivia -

    Use your expertise to excel at video game audio trivia, impressing friends and fellow gamers with accurate sound effect identifications.

  5. Compare Sound Design Across Genres -

    Discover how different game genres employ unique audio elements by contrasting SFX from platformers, shooters, and RPGs in our sound effects trivia.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Audio Schema Activation -

    Recognizing a sound effect relies on activating an existing auditory schema in your brain, as described in the Journal of Memory and Language. When you hear Mario's coin jingle, your mind matches the incoming waveform to a stored template, speeding identification. To practice, listen to 10 classic SFX and verbalize the game title within three seconds to strengthen that schema link.

  2. Psychoacoustic Cues -

    Game SFX often exploit pitch, timbre, and temporal envelope cues to stand out, according to AES research papers. For example, the "power-up" bell in Mega Man uses a rising pitch contour and bright timbre to grab attention. Train your ear by isolating pitch contours - hum ascending or descending patterns to internalize their shapes.

  3. Decibel Scale & EQ Profiles -

    Understanding dB = 10·log₝₀(I/I₀) helps you grasp why some SFX feel louder even at same amplitude. Iconic effects like Sonic's ring chime ride a peak around 2 - 4 kHz on the Fletcher - Munson curve for maximum perceived loudness. Test your ear: use an audio editor to plot an EQ curve of a known SFX and note its boost frequencies.

  4. Memory Chunking & Mnemonics -

    Cognitive psychology (University of York) shows you can retain more by grouping sounds into "chunks" such as categorizing jump, hit, and power-up SFX. Create a mnemonic phrase - e.g., "Jump, Hit, Power UP" becomes "JHP UP" - to recall sets of three with ease. Review by quizzing yourself in sets of four, then five, gradually increasing complexity.

  5. Contextual & Cultural Markers -

    Video game studies highlight how setting and era act as context cues - 8-bit bleeps evoke NES while orchestral stingers hint at modern RPGs. The association between instrument choice and game genre boosts recall: brass hits scream "action," pads whisper "adventure." Assemble a playlist by genre and predict each clip's era before revealing the title to sharpen that linkage.

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