First Player Rules List, From Weird to Interesting

Have you ever noticed that first player rules in games are often very weird? Board games are a series of mechanics and rules, usually, very well put together. In fact, some of the greatest logic and strategy ingenuity exists in board games. One thing though, that is pretty consistent across all board games, is that they all have some weird first player rules. Maybe it is something about you or maybe it is about something you have done, but they always seem to come out of left field. This is the full comprehensive list of all the weird first player rules in board games.

First Player Rules – Grouped by Rule

Oldest player goes first.
Settlers of Catan

Youngest player goes first.
Carcassonne, Splendor, Photosynthesis

Player who most recently earned glory in battle goes first.
Champions of Midgard

Player with most pointed ears goes first.
Smallworld

Player who most recently built something goes first.
Tiny Towns

Player who got up earliest on the day of gameplay goes first.
Smash Up

Player whose character’s birthday is soonest goes first.
Betrayal at House on the Hill

Player who has been on a date most recently goes first.
Love Letter

Player who has visited the most continents goes first.
Helios

Player who most recently went number 2 goes first.
Cards Against Humanity

Player who can most accurately guess the current time goes first. Because, for a time traveler, knowing when you are is way more important than knowing where you are.
Chrononauts

Player who was most recently sick goes first.
Pandemic

Player who has had the worst day.
Gloom

The hungriest player goes first.
Mamma Mia!

Player who can hold their breath the longest goes first.
The Reef

Player who can make the best roar goes first.
Terror in Meeple City

Player in most in need of a shave goes first.
Goldrush City

Player with the most colorful clothing goes first.
Flowerpower

Player with the most hair goes first.
Dweebies

Player who looks most like a gangster goes first.
Nothing Personal

Player that looks most like a monster goes first.
Fearsome Floors

Player who looks most like a pirate goes first.
Cartagena

Player with either the best mustache or the longest hair goes first. If one player has a very nice mustache and the other player has the longest hair, settle the issue with an arm-wrestling match.
The Great Heartland Hauling Co.

Player who was most recently in a skyscraper goest first.
Skyline

The last player to go on a cruise goes first.
Atlantic Star

Player who most recently visited Portugal goes first.
Azul

Player who most recently visited Belgium goes first.
Bruges

Player who most recently visited Italy goes first.
La Città

Player who most recently has been to Hamburg, or, if none have, the person who most recently ate a hamburger goes first.
Hamburgum

Player who most recently reached the peak of Mount Everest using nothing but blue and white checkered stilts carved from the wood of a Mammoth tree is declared the Starting Player. In case of a tie, the wisest player of the group begins the game.
The Bridges of Shangri-La