8 PC Wrestling Games Only True Fans Will Remember

In the 1980s, Sgt. Slaughter was a household name. The Sarge rose to prominence as a patriotic baby-face toward the end of the cold war and during the professional wrestling boom of the 1980s, he became a hot commodity. The popular toy-line and animated series G.I. Joe licensed Sgt. Slaughter's likeness, creating one of their most successful action figures in the process. Sarge would go on to voice himself in animated G.I. Joe features and even worked as the spokesman for G.I. Joe until his WWF heel run as an Anti-American, Iraqi sympathizer in the early 1990s.

During the height of Slaughter's popularity, Mindscape Inc. released the now obscure Sgt. Slaughter’s Mat Wars for Commodore 64. In this 1989 game, players start out as a manager attempting to forge a stable of dedicated workers. Once a wrestler is in your roster, you can play as them in matches. The goal is to help your entry level wrestlers evolve from barn based brawls to big arena championship matches, all the while maintaining stable finances as a manager.

There are no recognizable playable characters in the game though Slaughter does appear as a referee and occasional in-game narrative device. The game is plagued with the limitations of its time, making it largely forgettable. Despite this, the combination of its unique game play coupled with Sgt. Slaughter's licensed likeness makes this an interesting look back at 1980s wrestling media.