I thought I’d do something low effort fun this time around with an article, but I’ve got a fair amount of trepidation sharing it. When it comes to something like this (what I recommend you play/watch if you’re specifically waiting for Forza Horizon 6 set in Japan), I think I might have some people sad that I didn’t recommend a few other titles.
In the end this is just a mix of games I love, like Need For Speed Underground 2, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix, F&F Tokyo Drift and so on.
I’m so excited for Horizon 6. I get the impression it’ll be like the previous few: I go into it hyped and then after a month I realize it has the same format as all the others. But the idea of drifting without a care is keeping me happy for the release.
SO, if you wanna see my recommendations for what to check out before FH6 comes out, check my article out:
https://gardinerbryant.com/what-to-play-and-watch-while-waiting-for-forza-horizon-6/
I really wish I could be hyped for FH6, but I doubt the bland corporate-approved Horizon series will do justice to the cool Japanese racing aesthetic. Part of the fun, IMO, is the thrill of night-time illegal races with cheap sportscars.
Your other recommendations rock, though! I’m not a huge fun of the F&F series but I like the first few movies, and Initial D is a lot of fun. I’m going through the manga and I’m in love with the aesthetic. It’s been a hot minute since I last played NfSU2 but I remember it was incredible for its time.
I’ll also add an OG recommendation here: Racing Lagoon. It’s an old Square Soft PS1 racing RPG (a rather unique blend) that released exclusively in Japan, but has received a fanmade translation a few years ago. It’s really dumb, but it’s fun.