For many of us, the local arcade was the place where we first fell in love with fighting games. They were second homes that provided competition, camaraderie, and entertainment. Unfortunately, the arcade scene has dwindled in the United States over the years, and many places that were once lucrative business are now on life support.

One such arcade is Super Arcade in Walnut, California. After discussing his plans it afloat over the past few months, old-school fighting game player Mike Watson recently opened the crowdfunding campaign that he hopes will breath new life into the establishment, with the goal of modernizing the venue in order to make it welcoming to both long-time members and new visitors.

A variety of projects will go into making this dream a reality. Their first is to give the interior a “rock concert ambiance,” with all the lights and sounds you remember from your old visits to the local game center. More importantly, they also plan to update the display counter to provide anything competitors may need over the course of tournaments, set up a dedicated stream station, clean the place up with new flooring and an updated bathroom, and put together a website that will include a detailed schedule of festivities and access to the new membership accounts.

They are also looking into making Super Arcade more than just a haven for fighting game players by incorporating more driving, dancing, pinball, and puzzle cabinets into the mix.

Much like every crowdfunding project, this is being done because Watson simply has no other options available. He’s turning to the community for help in keeping the home of Wednesday Night Fights, The Runback, Rebel Up!, and other major events open so that he can continue to provide a place for the local scene to congregate.

If you’re interested in donating, be sure to visit the official Kickstarter page and see what you can do to help. It also includes further information on the games they hope to include after the renovations, the exact projects the money will be going towards, and more.

The campaign needs to reach at least $44,000 by May 2 in order for Super Arcade to receive the donations, so please do whatever you can to support this cause.

Source: Kickstarter, image via Super Arcade