Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Two syllables that made switching on a cartridge feel like an event. The scream turned the boot-up of a 16-bit console into a ritual that Genesis kids can still do on cue, and it lives on as a joke shout, as the thing you yell when something is done well, and as the sound of a whole era of console war.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Sonic the HedgehogShow the scene
Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis/Mega Drive, 1991) greets you with a digitised shout of the company name as the Sega logo appears. It is the chant from Sega's TV commercials, and it was a late addition: programmer Yuji Naka had planned a sound-test feature, scrapped it for time, and used the freed-up memory to fit the chant in as the game's startup sound. Sega's advertising later dropped the scream when the company moved to a softer image under its American management.
Sources (2)
- Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game), WikipediaDevelopment sectionReference checked
- Sega, WikipediaDreamcast-era marketing passageReference checked
Context reviewed