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Dark Souls: Remastered on Nintendo Switch is playable for free this weekend

Praise the Sun, there's a free network test to try out this weekend.

Sean Keane Former Senior Writer
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Sean Keane
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Dark Souls: Remaster and its amiibo are finally coming to Nintendo Switch.

Bandai Namco

Nintendo Switch owners will be able to face down the merciless difficulty of Dark Souls: Remastered on Oct. 19.

The release date for the long-delayed version and its accompanying amiibo was announced by publisher Bandai Namco in a tweet.

"Praise The Sun! Dark Souls: Remastered for #NintendoSwitch and the Solaire of Astora amiibo will launch on Oct. 19th! Journey to Lordran and experience the groundbreaking action-RPG on the go!" the company wrote.

If you'd like to give it a try over the weekend, a network test is running Friday, Saturday and Sunday. You'll have to download the client from the Nintendo eShop, and Variety notes you'll need a Nintendo Switch Online membership to play. 

Save data from the test won't carry over to the full version at launch. Test play is restricted to the Undead Parish area, and you'll be able to play alone or multiplayer. 

The network test schedule for the weekend is:

Friday, 9/21 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. - Midnight ET / 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. GMT
Saturday, 9/22 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. - Midnight ET / 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. GMT
Sunday, 9/23 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. - Midnight ET / 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. GMT

The Switch version is a 1,080p resolution when docked or 720p when played in handheld mode, and it runs at 30 FPS in either case. It comes with the extremely challenging Artorias of the Abyss DLC, GameSpot notes.

Watch this: The evolution of Dark Souls

The amiibo can be used to make your in-game character perform Solaire's beloved pose.

"By tapping this amiibo, the popular 'Praise the Sun' gesture can be used with reckless abandon from the start of the game," Nintendo said in March.

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See all photos

From Software's Dark Souls: Remastered arrived on PS4, Xbox One and PC on May 25, but the Switch version was delayed -- presumably due to the console's unique handheld functionality.

Back in May, CNET's Mark Serrels wrote that there's still nothing quite like Dark Souls seven years after its initial release.

First published Aug. 14, 10:21 a.m. PT.
Update, Sept. 21 at 10:42 a.m.: Adds info about the network test.