Forza Horizon 6 is out now on PC and Xbox for those who spent the extra money to gain early access. (The game releases for everyone on May 19.) To help you on your journey across Japan, we’ve put together 13 tips and tricks to know before playing this new open-world racer. This list is made up of tips that should be useful for both newcomers to the series and returning veterans. So buckle your seatbelt and let’s go.
Turn off the full driving line
One of the first choices you’ll make in Forza Horizon 6 involves the franchise’s “Driving Line,” aka that guiding blue, yellow, red path that appears on the track as you drive to help you know when to slow down. I recommend setting it to braking and turning only. I think leaving the full line on can lead to players spending more time looking at the line and not learning the car, track, etc. You’ll be fine without all that help.
Start every race with a quick photograph
Like past installments, Forza Horizon 6 rewards players for snapping photos of every car in the game. So, at the start of every race, make a habit of snapping a quick pic, via photo mode, of all the cars at the starting line.
Use rewind to retry Danger Signs
Rewinding after a mistake is a common part of Forza Horizon 6. But the rewind can also be used to quickly try a big Danger Sign jump again instead of having to drive all the way back and reset your approach. I also use this when trying to set new records at Speed Traps, too.
Photo mode is a tool
Not only can you snap pics of cars to gain extra rewards, as mentioned already, but the camera can also be used to search around for a hidden Treasure Car or Barn Find.
Check your journal for rewards
As you race around Japan, winning events and completing challenges, you’ll unlock rewards via the Collection Journal. These rewards can include fast cars, credits, and Wheel Spins. But you don’t get them until you open the journal menu and claim them. So check that menu out often while playing so you don’t miss out.
Don’t forget to draft behind cars
In Forza Horizon 6, players can draft behind cars to gain extra speed and slingshot around them. And this is a very useful move, especially on straight aways, to gain a small edge and win a race.
Remember: Rubbin’ is racin’…..
When racing against the computer, don’t feel bad about slamming into them, cutting cars off, or blocking passes. The game doesn’t punish you for being aggressive. I’ve slammed AI drivers into corners or used them to bounce around a turn at high speed. This has sometimes helped me eke out a last-second victory. I don’t care. I ain’t here to be nice. But I am so, so sorry to the people on my Xbox friends list, because I bet my Drivatar is an asshole.
When a Skill Song starts, head to the hills
Periodically, while cruising around the open world, a radio station will play a Skill Song. While the song is playing, you’ll get an extra skill score and be able to create massive combos, letting you unlock Mastery Points, which are useful for making your favorite cars earn points faster and unlocking credit bonuses.
So when a Skill Song starts, switch to a fast car that can handle going off-road and start driving across hills and through trees. This will quickly build up a massive combo. I was able to score over 940,000 skill points using a stupidly fast truck to do wild circles in a rice field and nearby forest. And once you’ve earned some Mastery Points…
Use those points to unlock free Wheel Spins
Buried in some car’s Mastery Skill tree are free Wheel Spins. You just have to spend some Mastery Points to unlock the free spins and then hope Lady Luck is on your side.
Don’t ignore speed zones and other PR stunts
It can be easy to focus on the main events and races while playing Forza Horizon 6. That’s the fastest way to level up and unlock new wristbands. But, try to take the time to hit Speed Traps, Danger Signs, Drift Zones, and Speed Zones between races. Getting the last wristband and unlocking the final engame island takes a lot more Horizon Festival XP than I expected, and even after finishing every event, I still had to go complete some PR stunts to finally unlock the end. So don’t be like me and take time to hit those Speed Traps and other PR events while out and about.
Explore to find new street races and aftermarket cars
And while you are out exploring Japan, crashing through signs and speeding through traps, you might stumble upon hidden Street Races and Aftermarket Cars. These don’t appear on the map until you find them, so you’ll have to hunt them down. And you should. The Street Races are often set at night, and some of them weave through Tokyo and hit many streets, offering some gorgeous nighttime visuals.
Aftermarket Cars can also be great, often coming with some pre-installed upgrades and being sold at a discount. You can even test drive the car before buying it. If it is too pricey, the cars stay on the map and can be bought later on.
Can’t find a sign? Look inside sheds or on top of roofs
While hunting down signs to smash, you might reach the location of a sign, but it is nowhere to be found. Don’t worry, the game isn’t broken; instead, the sign is likely hidden behind or inside some kind of breakable structure. I’ve spotted signs inside greenhouses and sheds. Another place where sneaky signs can be found: On top of roofs and buildings. To reach these, you’ll need to use a nearby hill or ramp to fly up to the sign and break it. Rewinding to try again and again can help a lot when trying to nail these out-of-the-way signs.
Buy homes to unlock extra benefits
Once you start rolling in the credits, start buying up the player homes around Japan. These houses all come with extra bonuses, like one that provides a free daily Wheel Spin and others that boost credits for certain activities or events.
