Golden rings – Sonic the Hedgehog One of the most recognisable collectables in video game history, the golden ring acts as both a desirable artefact and a health mechanic. Sonic can’t be killed as long as he has at least one ring in his inventory, and he gets an extra life if he collects 100, incentivising the player to explore each level to garner as many rings as possible. The object is impossible to separate from its gorgeous twinkling sound effect, which alternates between speakers each time a new ring is collected to emphasise the magic.

Photograph: Sega