Types Of Sound Effects

Not sure where to start when creating a list of game audio assets, or how to organize it? Here's a helpful reference list of some of the most common types of sounds you might find yourself needing.These are organized into logical groupings that reflect their role in gameplay, world-building, and player experience:

Gameplay-Driven Sound Effects

These sounds are directly tied to the player's interaction with the game.

1. UI / Menu Sounds

• Button clicks

• Menu navigation

• Selection confirmation

• Error or invalid selection

• Level-up sound

2. Player Actions

• Footsteps (varied by surface)

• Jumping / landing

• Crouching / rolling

• Climbing

• Swimming / diving

3. Combat Sounds

• Melee weapon swings and hits

• Gunfire / ranged attacks

• Reloading

• Explosions

• Blocking / parrying

• Magic casting / spell effects

4. Damage / Health

• Player hit sounds

• Death / respawn sounds

• Healing / health pickup

• Armor break / damage indicators

5. Inventory and Items

• Item pickup

• Inventory open/close

• Equip / unequip item

• Crafting / forging sounds

6. Stealth / Detection

• Sneaking

• Detection alert sound (enemy notices you)

• Security systems activating

Environmental Sounds

Used to build immersion and world realism.

7. Ambient Environment

• Wind, rain, thunder

• Birds, insects, forest ambience

• Urban noise, crowd chatter

• Ocean waves, rivers

• Cave echoes / dungeon ambiance

8. Weather & Nature Effects

• Rain hitting different surfaces

• Thunderclaps

• Snow crunching underfoot

• Leaves rustling

9. Environmental Interactions

• Doors opening/closing

• Levers, switches, gates

• Crumbling debris, collapsing structures

• Water splashes, dripping

• Fire crackling, lava bubbling

Character Sounds

These reflect vocal or physiological cues.

10. Voice Efforts

• Grunts (jumping, getting hit)

• Shouts (combat, casting)

• Breathing (exhaustion, fear)

• Death screams

11. NPC and Enemy Sounds

• Idle chatter

• Enemy growls, screams

• Boss intro / roar

• Alert state changes

Mechanical / Sci-Fi Sounds

Often used in sci-fi, cyberpunk, or futuristic genres.

12. Machines & Gadgets

• Drones / robots

• Mechanical doors

• Console beeps

• Hologram / scanning sounds

13. Vehicles

• Engine revs / idling

• Acceleration / braking

• Hover / flying vehicles

• Spacecraft sounds

14. Energy / Power

• Force fields

• Energy weapons

• Power-up / charging

• Teleportation / portals

Special Effects and Stylized Sounds

Used for dramatic or stylized gameplay moments.

15. Magic / Fantasy Effects

• Spell casting / impact

• Enchantments

• Summoning / transformation

• Aura / buff effects

16. Sci-Fi / Futuristic Effects

• Laser blasts

• Cloaking / invisibility

• Time warp / slow motion

17. Horror / Psychological Effects

• Jumpscares

• Whispers / ghost sounds

• Creaking floors

• Dissonant tones

Meta & Narrative Sounds

Tied to storytelling or game systems.

18. Music Cues & Transitions

• Area transitions

• Combat start/end

• Quest success/failure

19. Cinematic / Cutscene Cues

• Dramatic stingers

• Background ambience

• Sync-to-dialogue effects

20. Achievements & Notifications

• Trophy unlocked

• Mission complete

• Alert messages