Rio Grande Games announced several new releases for early 2007 including Alhambra: the Dice Game, Hermagor, Bolide, Bolide Tracks 1, Ur, and Taluva for January and Cartagena II and If Wishes were Fishes for February.

January releases:

Alhambra: the Dice Game offers two game variations. The Basic Dice Game can be played on its own and the Alcazaba Variation allows owners of the original Alhambra game to use the building tiles from that game for this variant game. Alhambra: the Dice Game,by Dirk Henn, includes two rules booklets, is for 2-6 players ages 8 and up and can be played in about one hour. MSRP is $34.95

Hermagor (see 'Boardgames for 'Gamers' Re-emerge at Essen') is a city of trade and commerce set in ancient times where players set out on adventures to secure rare items and wealth. Hermagor, by Emanuele Ornella, is for 2-5 players ages 12 and up, and plays in about 90-120 minutes. MSRP is $39.95.

In Bolide, players are race car drivers who need strategic skills to decide length and timing of pit stops, tire choices and to face unexpected challenges. Bolide ($44.95 MSRP) is for 2-8 players ages 14 and up and plays in about 60-120 minutes.  The Bolide Tracks 1 ($19.95 MSRP) expansion contains tracks for the Italian Grand Prix and the Brazilian Grand Prix, and is also available in January.

In Ur, players are kings who work at creating a new civilization in ancient Mesopotamia by balancing agriculture, trade, politics, culture and conflict and their own greed with the ulimate goal of building five Ziggurats.  Ur ($39.95 MSRP), by Mariano Iannelli, is for 3-4 players ages 10 and up and plays in about 30-60 minutes. 

Taluva is a South Seas island shrouded in secrecy where players represent groups vying for the best places to build huts, towers and temples with the shifting landscape created by the erupting volcanos.  Written by Marcel-Andre Casasola Merkle, Taluva is for 2-4 players ages 10 and up and plays in about 45 minutes. $29.95 MSRP.

February releases:

Cartegena II picks up where Cartegena leaves off, with player's pirate characters working to figure out what to do now that they have successfully escaped from prison.

Cartegena II, by Leo Colovini, is for 2-5 players ages 8 and up and plays in about 30-45 minutes.  $27.95 MSRP.

If Wishes were Fishes was originally announced for fall (see 'Rio Grande Plans Expansions: Plus New Stand-Alones'), and is now expected to be released in February

Rio Grande expects Big Box Carcassonne, Carcassonne: Hunters and Gatherers, Alhambra, Shogun, and Medici to be back in stock in January.