The Splatoon 2 Global Testfire for Nintendo Switch is available to download nearly two weeks early and we’d like to show you how.

Last month Nintendo announced that the Splatoon 2 Global Testfire would be coming in mid-March for Switch owners. We know that the events will be held in Australia on March 25 and 26 at 6am, 2pm and 10pm on each day. Each event will run for an hour only.

With this guide, we show you how to download the Global Testfire early, so you’re prepared to play as soon as it starts.

Create a Japanese Nintendo account

If you don’t already have a Japanese Nintendo Account, you’ll need to create one. At the moment the Global Testfire app isn’t available in any other region’s eShop outside of Japan. Creating an account is pretty easy though and you can do so by heading to the Nintendo Accounts website.

You’ll need to use a different email address than the one you use for your existing account and you’ll need to make sure you select ‘Japan’ as your ‘Country/region of residence.’ Once you successfully create your new account you can link it with a new account on your Switch.

Link your Switch and Nintendo Accounts

Create a new Switch account. You can do this either by opening up any software (including the eShop) and when prompted choosing to create a new account or by going to System Settings and Users.

After choosing your avatar or Mii and name, you’ll be prompted to link you Nintendo Account. Use the credentials you just made for your Japanese Nintendo Account and link them. Once linked, you’ll be able to access the Japanese eShop on your Switch, regardless of which region you’re in.

Open the eShop and download the Global Testfire

Once the accounts are linked, open up the eShop and select your new user. Agree to the terms (in Japanese) and enter your password.

Once you do you’ll be on the main screen of the Japanese eShop and will see that Splatoon 2 is on the main page.

Select the Splatoon 2 icon and you’ll be taken to the download page for the Global Testfire. The Global Testfire will take up 410MB of internal storage and as Switch storage is at a premium, hopefully you have enough.

Click on the block colour to the right and then select the right-hand side option and your download will begin.

If your Switch’s default language is set to English, once you exit the eShop, the Global Testfire will appear on your main screen in English. Once the downloaded is completed you can open the app and take a listen to the menu music. For now that’s all you can do though as the servers aren’t online.

There you have it. You can now go and download the Global Testfire early and get ready to play Splatoon 2 as soon as the servers go live on March 25 and 26.

We’ll be there and we hope to see you too.

Splatoon 2 will be available for Switch in 2017.