Rainbow Ride

Rainbow Ride is the fifteenth and final main level in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario 64 DS. The course is accessible in the highest room in Peach's Castle once 50 Stars have been collected. The course itself is entered through a square hole located inside a niche on the large room's right.
The course itself takes place in the sky and is mainly traversed through the use of the carpets which travel (slowly) across the rainbows. The course offers various different paths to take all of which have very little backtracking. There are several features of this course which include circle platforms which spin very quickly, Donut Blocks which fall away if stood on, pendulum platforms which swing endlessly, and triangular platforms which can be made walkable by hitting the ! Switch. This course includes several features including a wall-jumping hangout (where the Red Coins and Blue Coins are located), a large Airship which contains one of the Stars, a Manor which houses several treasures such as 1-Up Mushrooms. In the sky, there is also an island near a Rainbow Ring where one of the Stars is located.
There is also a south section with swinging pendulums, platforms, and donut blocks where 2 of the Stars are located. This area can be accessed much quicker by long jumping from the starting point. 
==Stars==
===Star 1: Cruiser Crossing the Rainbow===
The N64 Version offers 2 methods to get this Star, Method 1: use the carpet due right of the starting position, ride it up to the 4 platforms with the Lakitu. Method 2: long jump to the pole back-left of the starting position. Converge: ride the second carpet to the area with two carpets, take the left one (relative to movement). Ride the final one to the ship, dodging platforms along the way. The Star will be on the Bow side of the airship run against the oncoming wind and grab the Star. At the end of the ship's plank is a 1-Up Mushroom.
In the DS remake, the 1-Up Mushroom and the Star have swapped places. The Star is now on the plank meaning you will have to run against the wind. You will need to use Wario's metal abilities to run against the wind without being pushed back and walk the plank and grab the Star. 
Alternatively, Yoshi can obtain this Star. To do this, take the right carpet and ride it towards the Manor. When you're just in front of the ship run off and flutter jump towards the Star and then grab it with Yoshi's tongue. This method will most likely cause you to fall into the abyss, die, and lose a life but the Star will still be added to your total.
===Star 2: The Big House in the Sky===
Do the same as star one but take the right carpet. Navigate platforms along the way and climb them whenever necessary, avoid the Flamethrower inside the manor and remain on the carpet during it's ascent. The star will be on top of the "Manor".
In the DS remake, Mario can use the Balloon powers from the Power Flower to float up to the Manor's roof and obtain this Star heaps faster and easier.
===Star 3: Coins Amassed in a Maze===
Ironically the one of the easier red coin stars (considering the overall difficulty of the course). navigate the vertical maze and locate the Red Coins scattered around it. You may need to use triple jumps, backflips, side flips, and wall jumps to reach the ledges to obtain the Red Coins. The Red Coins are in the same general locations so they shouldn't be too hard to find. Nab all 8 Red Coins to earn this star.
===Star 4: Swingin' in the Breeze===
Long jump to the pole back-left of the starting position navigate the steps to the first pendulum (hence the name), you will see two wooden colored platforms called Donut Blocks. Navigate these quickly as they will sink after a few seconds. There'll be a step slide (much like star one, Jolly Roger Bay). you will see another pendulum, navigate this and the flamethrower to get the star.
===Star 5: Tricky Triangles===
Do the same as star four except take the wooden platforms to the other side. Step on the pressure pad to invert the pyramids (hence the name) you will have about 15-20 seconds to navigate. (Fortunately this is one of the few failure tolerant stars on this course so you should be able to try over and over again but be careful not to slide off the edge if the triangles turn back). Land on the platform to the left to claim your star.
===Star 6: Somewhere over the Rainbow===
Talk to the Bob-bomb Buddy to unlock the cannon in the ship (if it isn't already unlocked). Then go to the ship like in Star 1. Go to the cannon (which is at the back of the ship) and then look for a small floating island that's relatively high but is marked with a Rainbow Ring. Blast to the pole in it (try to grab it) (watch out for the Chuck-Ya on here) and hit the ! Block get the star.
In the DS remake, you can get this Star a lot easier as Mario by using the Balloon powers from the Power Flower.
===Star 7: Switch Star of the Manor (DS)===
Find the Mario cap or enter the stage as Mario. Then go to the house like in Star 2. Step on the star switch and quickly go to the ? Block to get a Power Flower (which allows Mario to float like a balloon). Float quickly to the roof and get the star. You can also use the carpet to get the Star however this method is far more challenging.
===100 coins===
Like in the other 14 stages, collecting 100 coins makes a star appear. A good place to get coins is where you find the 8 red coins.
==Enemies==
*Bob-ombs
*Goombas
*Lakitu
*Flamethrowers
*Spinies
*Chuckya
*Amps
*Fire Spitters (N64 only)
*Fire Chomps (DS only)
==Crossover appearances==
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This course appears in the form of a stage titled Rainbow Cruise, which first appears in Super Smash Bros. Melee and later returns in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In PAL releases of the former two games, the stage is named "Rainbow Ride," after the course itself.
==Trivia==
*﻿ True to its World 9 roots, this course has no bosses but has excessively difficult environmental puzzles.
*This is one of only two non-Bowser courses to be accessed through a hole. The other one is the bonus course at the opposite end of the room (technically Hazy Maze Cave is accessed through what looks like a tar pit or puddle).
* For some reason, all of the balcony courses take place in the sky.
*Rainbow Ride is one of the levels in the game that doesn't contain a true painting leading to the level, the others being Big Boo's Haunt, Shifting Sand Land, Dire, Dire Docks, and Snowman's Land.
*Star 6 is named after the song of the same name from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
de:Regenbogen Raserei
es:Camino del arco iris
it:Cammino Arcobaleno
Category:Sky-themed
Category:Locations in Super Mario 64