Forza Horizon Games Ranked From Worst to Best

The Forza Horizon series has been the comfort zone for many players now. Every time a new entry drops, players will get hyped, install it, and lose themselves in the game for weeks. With Japan now in the spotlight and the franchise hitting six mainline games, I thought it was the perfect time to figure out which entry actually deserves the crown. So which one comes out on top and which one sits at the bottom? Let me walk you through my personal Forza Horizon games ranking, ranked from worst to best.

Forza Horizon Series Overview

Here are some details you might want to know about the franchise:

Forza Horizon Games Ranked From Worst to Best

6. Forza Horizon 5

I know this might upset a lot of people, but first, hear me out. Forza Horizon 5 looks great, no denying it. Mexico has volcanoes, deserts, jungles, and ruins. The car list is massive, with over 700 vehicles, and of course, the graphics are stunning even years after launch.

However, the massive map feels empty and disconnected. Mexico is huge, and you have to drive through the open spaces, then after a while, everything starts to blur together. The progression system also feels broken.

Part of the fun with this series is actually slowly building yourself up and working toward the best cars and upgrades. However, in the 5th series, you get showered with cars, Credits, and Wheelspins so quickly that nothing feels really earned.

Lots of players feel the same way, saying that the story missions feel like side quests, and there is no real sense of building toward something, which is why I have to put Forza Horizon 5 at the bottom.

5. Forza Horizon 4

Forza Horizon 4 introduced one really cool feature: dynamic seasons. Every real-world week, the map changes between spring, summer, autumn, and winter. It was impressive. Britain is also a great setting. It looks beautiful, the countryside has a cozy atmosphere, and the DLCs were excellent.

However, the game’s progression still feels weak. Cars, money, and upgrades come too easily, so again, there’s not much sense of building your way up over time. A lot of players end up getting powerful cars early and barely using most of them.

Then, although it's cool, the seasons system feels too restrictive at times. Being forced into a specific season every week can make the experience feel repetitive after a while. Letting players choose the season themselves, especially offline, would have made the system much better.

It’s still a good game and deserves praise for trying new ideas, but the lack of progression and heavy focus on the seasons system stop it from being in my top three.

4. Forza Horizon 1

This is the one that started it all. I have so much respect for this game. Colorado is small compared to later entries, but every road here feels meaningful. The wristband progression system is still the best the series has ever had. You start in a Volkswagen Corrado, work your way up, and actually feel like you are climbing the ladder.

The soundtrack is also incredible. Those early 2010s tracks hit different, and the festival atmosphere here is unmatched. The Showcase events, where you race planes and hot air balloons, still feel fresh today. The story has actual characters, a proper antagonist, and stakes that the later games dropped.

The driving feels a bit dated now, of course, and the off-road sections are nonexistent. But if you want to understand why this series became a giant, this is where you start.

3. Forza Horizon 2

After Forza Horizon 1, Forza Horizon 2 is when the series found its identity. Moving to Southern France and Northern Italy was a brilliant choice. The coastal roads and the Italian villages all felt like a road trip out of a dream. This is also the game that introduced proper off-road racing, which became a staple of the series.

The championship system here is fantastic. You pick a car type, drive to an event, and compete in a focused championship. It forces you to switch between muscle cars, sports cars, and rally vehicles constantly. I never got bored because I was always trying something new.

The Fast & Furious expansion was a wild bonus that let you collect cars from the movie, complete with nitrous boosts that shook the camera! Pretty awesome.

2. Forza Horizon 3

Forza Horizon 3 nailed the variety and is still one of the strongest games in the series because almost every part of it felt memorable. The Australia map has rainforests and beaches to the outback and the city streets of Surfers Paradise. The lighting and sunsets looked amazing too, thanks to the game's impressive skybox technology.

The progression system also stood out. Instead of simply racing through events, you were running the Horizon Festival, expanding new sites, and recruiting drivers. The soundtrack was another highlight. Each radio station felt carefully put together, with hip hop, rock, and other genres actually matching their themes instead of feeling random.

The DLCs were some of the best in the series as well. Forza Horizon 3: Hot Wheels added wild stunt tracks with loops and massive jumps, while Forza Horizon 3: Blizzard Mountain brought difficult snow driving that completely changed how races felt.

The car list also felt more focused. There were plenty of exciting additions without filling the game with unnecessary duplicates, and the Australian-inspired cars helped the setting feel even more unique.

1. Forza Horizon 6

I had to give it to Japan. I mean, it's my favorite country, I might be subjective. But that's not the only reason Forza Horizon 6 stands out to me. The game does an incredible job making you explore each region and every corner of the map and experience what makes each area feel different.

One moment you're driving through the neon streets of Tokyo, and the next you're heading through quiet rice fields, coastal cliffs, or even racing near Mount Fuji. The transitions feel natural, and although the map is also massive, it doesn't feel empty and disconnected at all.

The wristband system is also back here, and I am so glad. Combining the sandbox freedom of Horizon 4 and 5, with the structured progression of the first three games, was the right move. You still get to explore freely, but unlocking new tiers feels earned. The Discover Japan stamps add a second progression track focused on exploration and story moments, and that's what I love the most.

The other thing I also like about this game is Touge Battles. This is a one-on-one racing in mountain pass roads, which actually originated from the illegal street racing culture popularized in the 80s and 90s. It's very tense and awesome. Forza Horizon 6 is definitely the winner.

Forza Horizon has somehow stayed consistent across six entries, which is rare for any franchise. My ranking might not match yours, and that is fine. The beauty of this series is that even the weakest entry is still a great racing game. If you have never tried one, start with Forza Horizon 6 and work backward. You will not regret it.

If you need more information about the game, you can check out our dedicated Forza Horizon 6 Wiki.