Rainbow Road

Rainbow Road is the final track in the Special Cup in every Mario Kart game, as well as being the final track in the Universal Studios theme park attraction Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge. In Mario Kart 7, a remastered version of the original Rainbow Road (from Super Mario Kart) also makes an appearance as the last track in the Lightning Cup, and an entirely revamped Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 64 makes an appearance in Mario Kart 8, also as the last track of the Lightning Cup, as well as SNES Rainbow Road in the Triforce Cup.
Its primary features are its colorful surface that appear to be made of reflective glass, its uplifting or cheerful music, and how it is usually the longest course (with the exceptions of Super Mario Kart and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!). It is also usually claimed to be the hardest map.
==Appearances==
*Super Mario Kart: This course features normal traction, but the guard rails are gone, and dangerous Super Thwomps that can cause damage just by touching the target appear, like in most incarnations of Bowser's Castle except the latter's Thwomps deal damage only by crushing their target.
*Mario Kart 64: This is the longest course in the game, going two kilometres, and the only one whose fastest lap is longer than a minute. Chain Chomps go throughout the course, damaging whoever hits them.
*Mario Kart: Super Circuit
*Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
*Mario Kart DS
*Mario Kart Wii
*Mario Kart 7: Due to the course's extreme length, this version of Rainbow Road has just one lap to save time. It is set in space, above The Moon this time.
*Mario Kart 8: This version differs very much from the previous iterations in that it has a more science-fiction feel, rather than a fantasy feel. It does take place in space, but the road is more metallic. The first section after the starting section is an anti-gravity zone that forms an "eight", leading to a gliding section that leads to a space station, which then has another gliding section leaving the station and heading to the rest of the track, which is in anti-gravity. This course has a rainbow-colored map for the Wii U version. In the Switch version, the map loses the rainbow color scheme, becoming plain white.
==Reappearances==
*SNES Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart 7, with upgraded visuals, enhanced music, and new gimmicks, and the track waves when the Thwomps hit the floor. The prominent goal gate is now featured, using the normal variation. The waves and bumps can be tricked off of.
*N64 Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart 8, with a large number of changes and upgrades, orchestrated music, and an altered layout to incorporate the game's new mechanics, namely the glider and anti-gravity racing. One of the most notable differences is the entire race is one lap with the checkpoint setup instead of the original's six-minute races over the default three laps.
*SNES Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart 8 as DLC, with new graphical upgrade and remastered music. A grandiose goal gate now surmounts the start/finish line. It also reappears in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
*SNES Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart: Super Circuit as an extra course. It, along with the other Extra Special Cup tracks are unlocked by coming in 1st in the GBA Special Cup and collecting 100 coins. The Super Thwomps are removed.
*3DS Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as part of Wave 3 of the DLC with several enhancements as well as some new Anti-gravity sections, additionally a couple more Chomps have been added on the moon.
== In other media ==
=== The Super Mario Bros. Movie ===
Rainbow Road makes an appearance during a scene.
== Trivia ==
* Rainbow Road, Bowser's Castle, and Mario Circuit are the three most synonymous tracks in all of Mario Kart.
==Gallery==
Rainbow Road SMK-2.png|Rainbow Road from Super Mario Kart.
Rainbow Road MK64-2.png|Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 64.
Rainbow Road MK64-3.png|The infamous Mario Kart 64 shortcut.
Rainbow Road MKSC.png|Rainbow Road in Mario Kart Super Circuit.
Rainbow Road MKDD-2.png|Rainbow Road in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!.
Rainbow Road MKDS Map.png|Map layout of Rainbow Road from Mario Kart DS.
Rainbow Road MKW.png|Rainbow Road in Mario Kart Wii.
RainbowRoadMK7.PNG|Honey Queen driving on Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 7.
8RainbowRoadIcon.png|The track icon in Mario Kart 8.
Rainbow Road MK8 opening preview.jpg|Mario Kart 8's version of Rainbow Road.
Rainbow Road.png
ColorSplashRainbowRoadRide.jpg|Rainbow Road as it appears in Paper Mario: Color Splash.
de:Regenbogen-Boulevard
es:Senda Arco Iris
it:Pista Arcobaleno
ja:レインボーロード
fr:Route Arc-en-ciel
nl:Rainbow Road
Category:Space-themed
Category:Locations in The Super Mario Bros. Movie