Beginner's Guide: Getting Started in Forza Horizon 6

Welcome to Japan

Forza Horizon 6 has arrived in Japan, and it's the biggest Horizon festival yet. Whether you're upgrading from FH5 or jumping in for the first time, this guide covers everything you need to know to hit the ground running.

The Opening Hours

Your First Car Choice

After the intro, you get all three starter cars eventually, but your first pick matters for the opening hours:

Recommendation: The Nissan Silvia K's is the most versatile across street, Touge, and drift. The Toyota Celica (AWD) is safer for beginners. The GMC Jimmy dominates off-road early on.

The Opening Drive

The game's intro sequence takes you through a cinematic showcase of Japan's landscapes. After the opening:

1. Complete the first few showcase events — they unlock the full open world
2. Visit your first Festival Outpost — unlocks fast travel hub
3. Earn your first Wristband — this gates access to harder events
4. Start collecting Stamps — they're just as important as wristbands

Dual Progression System

FH6 introduces two parallel progression tracks:

1. Horizon Festival Path (Wristbands)

2. Discover Japan Path (Stamps)

Stamps are earned through exploration — photographing landmarks, completing deliveries, winning Touge battles, and discovering hidden locations. Stamps gate access to:

• Barn Find rumors — each barn find requires a certain Stamp count
• Player houses — some houses require Stamp thresholds to purchase
• Special events — certain story missions need Stamp levels

Pro tip: Don't ignore Stamps while rushing Wristbands. A balanced approach unlocks content faster overall.

Best Settings for New Players

Difficulty Settings

Graphics Settings

• Performance Mode — lower input lag, smoother gameplay
• Motion Blur — Short (adds speed feel without disorientation)
• Field of View — 90-100 (wider view helps in tight corners)

Credit Farming Guide

Credits are the lifeblood of Horizon. Here's how to build wealth fast:

1. Smash Regional Mascots

There are 200 Mascots across Japan at 5,000 Cr each = 1,000,000 total credits. Available from hour one. Prioritize these when exploring a new area.

2. Hakusan Mountain Lodge (Best First Purchase)

Buy the Hakusan Mountain Lodge (635,000 Cr) as your first major purchase. It gives +10% credit boost on all Horizon Life Events (Drag Meets, Time Attacks, etc.). It pays for itself over time.

3. Skill Points → Wheelspin Loop

1. Build skill chains (drifts, near misses, wrecks) at 5.0x+ multiplier
2. Bank skill points
3. Spend on Car Mastery trees that unlock Wheelspins and Super Wheelspins
4. The Ford GT (2017) has a direct credit payout in its mastery tree

4. Festival Playlist

Don't skip the weekly/daily challenges. Seasonal reward cars often sell for millions on the Auction House.

5. Collectible Priority Order

1. Fast Travel Boards (green) — reduce fast travel cost to free
2. Mascots (200 × 5,000 Cr) — 1 million credits total
3. XP Boards — level up faster for more rewards
4. Wheelspin Boards (purple) — free cars and cash

Player Housing Guide

There are 8 properties you can purchase across Japan. Here's the best order:

The Estate is the ultimate endgame goal — it lets you build custom race tracks with up to 12 players in Horizon Collab mode.

Essential Pro Tips

Driving

• Ram opponents in corners (offline only) — keeps your speed up
• Use launch control in drag meets: hold accelerate + handbrake, release on go
• Switch to "Braking Only" driving line — the full racing line isn't always optimal
• Learn manual shifting for the credit bonus — practice on easier events first

Exploration

• Use Drone Mode (D-pad down then up) to scout barn finds and treasure cars
• Fog of War is new — roads and icons are hidden until you drive through an area. Explore actively!
• Take Horizon Promo photos at the start of races for easy XP (counts multiple cars at once)
• Skill Songs on the radio double your skill multiplier cap

Progression

• Farm in Solo Mode to avoid other players ruining your skill chains
• Max job shifts (food delivery, etc.) for better payouts
• Check Car Mastery trees on every new car — some have instant credit payouts
• Don't buy expensive hypercars early — Wheelspins and rewards will give you great cars

Aftermarket Cars

Keep an eye out for Aftermarket Cars parked on roadsides. These are pre-modified cars sold at a discount compared to Autoshow prices. They often come with performance upgrades already installed.

What's New in FH6

• R Class — a new performance class above S2 for track-focused prototypes
• Horizon Rush — obstacle course time trials at Tokyo dockyard, ski resort, and spaceport
• Horizon Collab — co-create with up to 12 players at The Estate
• Car Proximity Radar — shows nearby vehicles in cockpit/hood view
• Physics rebalanced — AWD no longer dominates; handling builds are viable
• Wheelspins rebalanced — rarer but more rewarding

Next steps: Check our Best Cars Tier List to plan your garage, then read the Japan Map Guide to plan your exploration route.