Tag Archives: video game folkore

Sonic.EXE

Context: The informant, GV, describes their knowledge of Sonic.EXE, a well-known horror creepypasta online.

GV: “I accidentally found out about it when I was like 8 scrolling through Youtube. I saw someone playing the game and got really scared because it just depicted this demonic-looking Sonic with blood everywhere. It was like a gameplay of three different characters and then after he kills them all, there’s a jumpscare in the end saying ‘I am god.’ When I found it again, I didn’t know that there was like lore to it. So there was this dude that got a haunted copy of the original Sonic game and he played it and after he got to the end it took his soul and trapped him in the game. I didn’t know it was considered a creepypasta since I don’t really know much about creepypastas. It’s also super popular too. I’ve seen different renditions of it online.”

Analysis: The informant describes their story on the popular online horror character Sonic.EXE, a creepypasta that tells that story of a haunted video game that steals your soul and traps it in the game seemingly forever. Creepypastas are a common form of telling stories through internet horror and they have recently seen a rise in popularity in part to users online continuing to expand their stories. This seems to apply to Sonic.EXE, where many fan renditions depict Sonic.EXE in their own way.

Wombo Combo

Nationality: Asian American
Age: 20
Occupation: USC Student
Residence: Los Angeles
Performance Date: 1/14/19
Primary Language: English

Context:
Playing Super Smash Bros with some friends at my house and one of my friends, S, keeps shouting “Wombo combo” while beating us all. S is a 20-year-old male from California who plays Super Smash Bros a lot.

Piece:
S: *hits me and another person in the game rapidly* “WOMBO COMBO BABY”
Me: “Did you come up with that or did you hear that somewhere?”
S: “Aw nah man, LumpyCPU said it in an old YouTube video but it’s hilarious.”

Discussion:
The video is only 49 seconds and it is clear why S appreciated its value; it’s hilarious. It sounds like two young men getting over excited about their victory in an older version of the game and screaming at the top of their lungs “WOMBO COMBO”. It is clear in the video that other people appreciated the new slang and it created a sense of unity amongst players of this game. It also is a good way to get people around you to laugh by screaming a nonsense phrase that clearly demonstrates excitement.

Reference:
The original video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pD_imYhNoQ4