Publisher Nintendo today announced that the ninth entry in Square Enix’s long-running RPG franchise — Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies — will hit North American retailers on July 11, a full year after the initial Japanese release. A European release will follow suit on July 23.

As the first Dragon Quest entry to feature a multiplayer component, players can exchange adventure-aiding information with their buddies via an interactive Tag Mode even while their DS is clamped shut. These tidbits of information range from treasure maps to customized greetings and character roster details. Additionally, a four player ad-hoc mode invites up to four players to team up and explore dungeons cooperatively and tackle foes.

Since its July 2009 debut in Japan, Dragon Quest has went on to record phenomenal sales of over 4.2 million copies. Historically, the series has performed well in the states and with Nintendo at the publishing arm, chances are this will be one of the top-selling DS titles for yet another year.

Follow this author on Twitter.