Forza Horizon 6 Beginner’s Guide | Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Here’s a guide on some beginner’s Gameplay Tips & Tricks in Forza Horizon 6.

Game Guide by TauxicPandA on May 18, 2026

Forza Horizon 6 is a huge collector’s paradise, giving you endless activities, secrets and cars to uncover. Understanding the core mechanics and exploration systems will help you make the most of your journey.

The Ultimate Free Roam Vehicle

If you want a vehicle that can handle pretty much any situation during open exploration, the Ferrari FXX K Evo 2018 is a spectacular choice.

Available through the Welcome Pack in the special editions of the game, this car features maximum statistics for acceleration, launching, and braking.

WhiIe its official off-road rating is lower on paper, it excels at maintaining high speeds across dirt terrain and handles drifting smoothly. It serves as a perfect all-around choice for driving across the map in Forza Horizon 6.

Forza Horizon 6 Beginner’s, Guide, Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Exploring and Collecting

The map is packed with hundreds of items to find as you travel between events. You can track your overall completion progress for any area on your map by using the region toggle function.

For general exploration, keep an eye out for Mascots, which are unique local symbols. There are over 200 of these collectibles to find, and you harvest them simply by driving directly into them. You will also find another 200 XP Boards hidden across the world.

Many are placed in tricky, elevated spots, so you will need to launch your car at creative angles and utilize your rewind feature to adjust your trajectory until you smash them. If you want to build up huge scores while driving around, look for Smashable Trees.

Most trees in the world are fully destructible, and instead of stopping your vehicle completely, you can plow right through them to quickly build massive skill point combos and level up. Just remember that hitting solid walls, buildings, or traffic will break your combo.

Forza Horizon 6 Beginner’s, Guide, Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Smart Driving Modes

The navigation assistant features two helpful modes to change how you travel across Japan. By setting a waypoint on your map, you can activate Auto Drive via Anna in Forza Horizon 6.

Your car will automatically steer toward the destination at high speeds while avoiding traffic, allowing you to activate a scenic camera to enjoy the scenery. However, you do not earn skill points during automated travel, and you might cruise right past collectibles.

You can also activate Auto Race during events, which lets the system drive at a level similar to standard computer opponents.

Apart from automated driving, you can use Anna to launch Drone Mode, which sends a camera into the sky. This tool is incredibly useful for scouting out Barn Finds, which appear as large purple question marks on your map.

Fly the drone into tight spaces and crevices to find the hidden structures. Getting close with the drone will show you the exact location and update your map in Forza Horizon 6.

Forza Horizon 6 Beginner’s, Guide, Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Vehicle Mastery and Marketplaces

As you explore, you will find Aftermarket Cars marked on your map. These spots offer random, unique vehicles for purchase at a discounted rate based on what you already own. To gain experience points incredibly fast, you should constantly switch to new cars you have acquired.

Swapping vehicles can be done instantly from your menu without teleporting you away from your current location. The very first node in the Car Mastery tree for any new vehicle only costs a single point and immediately rewards you with thousands of experience points.

Forza Horizon 6 Beginner’s, Guide, Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Campaign Progression

Your journey moves forward through two distinct progression systems tracked in your journal. First, winning races and completing events rewards you with Horizon Points for the Horizon Festival. These points unlock upgraded wristbands that unlock new competitive events across the landscape.

Eventually reaching the final level unlocks the Legend Wristband which unlocks the mysterious Legend Island. Note that many races have strict vehicle restrictions forcing you to use specific vehicle types like off-road buggies in Forza Horizon 6.

The other side of progression is Discover Japan. This system uses J Points and tracks your open-world milestones, such as discovering new roads, smashing collectibles, and finding secrets.

Earning Bonus Points with Photography

You can earn easy rewards by opening Photo Mode at the start of every race. Taking a picture from the back of the starting grid lets you capture multiple unique vehicles at once.

The game challenges you to photograph every vehicle in existence, rewarding you with ten Horizon Points for each unique model you snap. You can also track down and photograph 26 major landmarks across the map, such as the famous Tokyo Tower.

Forza Horizon 6 Beginner’s, Guide, Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Unique Activities and Custom Tracks

There are plenty of specialized modes to try when you want a break from standard racing. You can engage in Raku Raku Express, which is a dedicated delivery mode where you navigate the tight, narrow streets of Tokyo City to deliver food and earn corporate promotions.

There are also Festival Showcases, which are massive, over-the-top events that pit your car against wild opponents, including a race against a giant mechanical robot in Forza Horizon 6.

Finally, you can invest in The Estate, which is a massive, customizable sandbox plot of land that you can buy. This area gives you complete freedom to design, build and practice on your own custom race tracks.

Also, check our Forza Horizon 6 Review and other guides below: