Vworp Vshoom and Hadouken – The Top 11 Boombastic Sound Effects

11 sound effects that will hit you like a nostalgic sonic boom (ba-doom chhh… ).

While it is often the spoken word that defines great forms of entertainment, spare a thought for the humble sound effect. Hard-core fans can rattle off endless quotes from their favourite actor’s part but it’s often a simple sound that truly makes its mark on people’s memories. So feast your ears, and enjoy 11 of the most iconic sound effects from the worlds of film, cartoons and gaming.

1: Lightsabers

There is no more satisfying and appropriate sound effect to mimic when holding anything even vaguely cylindrical. In fact, ‘Vshoom! Vshoom!’ is the only acceptable noise to make while you’re flailing around with a stick, broom, rolled-up newspaper or empty coke bottle.

2: Wilhelm Scream

Featured in a plethora of popular films. It’s the scream that always registers on the edge of your consciousness. When you hear it, your mind will say, ‘I’m sure I’ve heard that scream before’. Chances are that you have, provided that you’ve seen more than two films.

3: Transformers Transforming

This cartoon classic contained a whole slew of kick-ass sound effects. Everything from the guns to the engines revving to the tiny whirrs and blips sounded exciting. However, the sound of the Transformers actually transforming was the Prime reason that fans went wild. It’s the sound effect that everybody loves yet nobody can mimic without the aid of a synthesizer.

4: Hadouken!

The ultimate expression of one’s inner strength. Nothing says you have a strong sense of character like throwing out a flaming ball of pure energy. If you have an interest in the Japanese language then “Hadouken” is an essential word to learn, since it is a word that is appropriate to use in pretty much any situation.

5: ‘Gut-wrenching Scream and Fall into Distance’

A wordy title for an epic sound effect. Akin to the Wilhelm Scream, this sound effect pops up for cameos across a wide range of films and video games.

6: Mario Mushroom

You jumped for them, you swam for them, you lived to hear the sound as Mario grabbed a mushroom and chomped down on it like there was no next level.

7: Sonic Spin

Blending impossible acrobatics with an insatiable lust for golden rings, Sonic and its endless sequels have provided gamers across many generations with endless hours of hedgehog high jinks. There was a real toss-up between the classic Sonic-Spin attack and the sound of collecting rings, but in the end the spin dash came out on top.

8: Star Trek Transporter

The sound that has heralded the impending death of so many a red-shirted ensign. The best thing about the transporter was that you never knew what to expect when the away party re-materialised.

9: Ghostbuster Proton Packs

Guaranteed to make kids pay attention in physics, well, slightly more attention at least. The proton packs from the Ghostbusters films and cartoon made the most satisfying of sounds as they dragged and bagged the ghosts. But never cross the streams!

10: Spider-Man Web Sling

Who hasn’t imagined swinging across a city-scape Spidey style? Successfully spanning the cartoon, video game and film genres, each Spider-Man incarnation has hooked audiences with its hero’s web-slinging sound effect.

11: The TARDIS

A humble police box to the casual observer, the TARDIS certainly made a distinctive vworp when it appeared, somewhat ruining the element of disguise. Nonetheless, no self-respecting Time Lord could pilot an inter-dimensional craft that simply went ‘Ping!’ on arrival like a demented microwave.