Splatoon 2 is still a few months away from launch, assuming it meets its summer 2017 launch window, but it's never to early for a test battle. Fans of the popular Nintendo shooter who own a Switch will be able to participate in Splatoon 2 Global Testfire events all weekend. Switch owners can start preparing their new consoles for the March 24-26 beta event right now.

To secure a spot in the upcoming testing events, Nintendo Switch owners should visit the Nintendo eShop and download the Splatoon 2 Global Testfire app right now. Once the app is installed, users will be able to fire it up and enjoy the Splatoon tunes on the menu screen while they wait. The free download is pretty small and only will take up about 408mb. Players will then need to wait until the designated hour long testing periods to jump into the action.

Here's a breakdown of exactly when each Global Testfire will take place...

March 24: 12-12:59 p.m. PT

March 24: 8-8:59 p.m. PT

March 25: 4-4:59 a.m. PT

March 25: 12-12:59 p.m. PT

March 25: 8-8:59 p.m. PT

March 26: 4-4:59 a.m. PT

Fans of the original Splatoon can expect to see a return of some iconic weapons like the Splat Roller and the Splat Charger in addition to new weapons like Splat Dualies. It will be interesting to see how players adjust to the Joy-Con or Pro Controller setup, instead of the usual Wii U Gamepad. Splatoon's motion controls rubbed a lot of gamers the wrong way at first, but after a few hours with them, it becomes clear that the game was designed to be played in that way. We expect this to be the same case for Splatoon 2, but we'll know for sure after a few hours of gameplay this weekend.

Will you be participating in this weekend's Global Testfire? Let us know in the comments.

Splatoon 2 is set to release on the Nintendo Switch in summer 2017.