Editing N64 Rainbow Road

{{about|the race course originally from ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' and featured as a retro course in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''|Rainbow Road as a whole and other versions of the track|[[Rainbow Road]]}}
{{racecourse
|title=Rainbow Road
|image=[[File:Rainbow Road MK64.png|270px]]
|appearances=''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' ([[List of games by date#1996|1996]])<br>''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]]) <br> ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' ([[List of games by date#2017|2017]])
|cups=[[Special Cup]] (MK64)<br>[[Lightning Cup]] (MK8/MK8D) 
|distance=2,000 meters (6,562 feet)
|ghost=1:33.731 by Nin★Leonel (MK8) (as [[Metal Mario (character)|Metal Mario]])<br>1:33.981 by Nin★Leonel (MK8D) (as [[Metal Mario (character)|Metal Mario]]) (150cc)<br>1:08.128 by Nin★Fausti (MK8D) (as [[Mario]]) (200cc)
|wifi=Available ([[Wii U]], [[Nintendo Switch|Switch]])
|music=''Mario Kart 64''[[File:MK64-Music-RainbowRoad.oga]] 
''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''[[File:MK8-Music-N64-RainbowRoad.oga]] 
|map=''Mario Kart 64''<br><div style="white-space: nowrap;">[[File:MK64 Rainbow Road Map.jpg|frameless|upright=0.67|MK64 Map]]<br>
''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''
<div style="white-space: nowrap;">[[File:MK8 N64 Rainbow Road Map.png|frameless|upright=0.65]][[File:MK8DX N64 Rainbow Road Map.png|frameless|upright=0.65]]</div>
}}

'''Rainbow Road''' is the final track in ''[[Mario Kart 64]]'' and the last course of the [[Special Cup]]. It is the longest race course in ''Mario Kart 64'' at 2,000 meters (2 kilometers) and requires about two minutes per lap, making it the longest three-lap track in the whole series. The track differs from the other Rainbow Roads in that it has rails throughout the entire track. The track features a transparent multi-colored glass path and with star-shaped rails running throughout the entire course. Neon-light pictures of the eight playable characters and a portrait of a [[Boo]] and a [[Mushroom]] are found in the distance and float in the void. Moreover, a big three-dimensional smiling star lies in a curved section of the track. Roving [[Chomp]]s slide through the course in a zig-zag pattern, and colliding with them will cause the player's kart to crash and thrown into the air. The course returns in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as the final course of the [[Lightning Cup]].
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{{br}}

==Course layout==
{{right|[[File:Mk64rainbowroad.png|thumb|220px|left|The big drop at the start. The player can make a long jump over it by hopping with precise timing when the road starts to descend, as seen in this picture.]]}}
The course starts with a huge drop followed by a gentle uphill stretch passing through a rainbow ring. After the ring, there is a wide loop with neon signs of [[Mario]], [[Princess Peach|Peach]] and [[Luigi]] on the loop's outside. Following the loop is a steady downward road that crosses over the steep drop where a [[Mushroom]] sign can be seen. After the bridge is a corkscrew loop with a large star in the center and a [[Boo]] sign at the corkscrew's outside. Racers turn around a corkscrew to reach a hairpin bend, where signs of [[Donkey Kong]] and [[Yoshi]] are seen. Shortly after the hairpin bend is a short straightaway followed by a smaller drop and small uphill stretch. A [[Toad]] neon sign can be seen after the drop as well as a wide right turn. A straightaway follows with a [[Wario]] sign present, then follows a final looping section, where a [[Bowser]] sign is seen. After the loop is a final straightaway to the finish.

===Shortcuts===
*Despite this track having railings, racers can perform a large [[List of Mario Kart 64 glitches#Fast Lap Across Space in Rainbow Road|shortcut]] by making a timed [[Hop (move)|hop]] to the left (or right, during Extra) during the drop at the beginning.{{br|right}}

==''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''==
{{multiple image
|align=left
|direction=vertical
|footer=<small>N64</small> Rainbow Road as it appears in ''Mario Kart 8''.
|width=290
|image1=MK8-Course-N64 RainbowRoad.jpg
|image2=MK8-Course-N64 RainbowRoad-startingline.png
|alt2=The course, as seen from the starting line.}}
This version of Rainbow Road returns in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'', where it is the final course in the [[Lightning Cup]]. It takes various elements from the Rainbow Roads of all other previous instalments, except for ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit''. Like [[Rainbow Road (GCN)|Rainbow Road]] from ''Mario Kart: Double Dash!!'', the course now takes place above a brightly-lit city near a coast at night instead of the deep space from the original. The city is much more realistic and active than in the GCN course, with cars moving everywhere. The [[Princess Peach]] Statue of Liberty from [[Toad Harbor]] and the course itself can be seen in the city setting, and in the centre of the city below, there is a tower that faintly resembles the [[wikipedia: Eiffel Tower|Eiffel Tower]], with four [[? Block]]s, a Mushroom, and a spinning [[Star]] visible on top of it. Also, there is a moon in the sky that can be seen right after the starting line.

The road is now formed by multi-colored tiles made of glowing [[wikipedia:LED lamp|LED lights]] (similar to Rainbow Road from ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'') laid out in a diagonal color pattern within a golden frame, as opposed to the slightly transparent glass stripes from the original version. The start-finish line (and the segment checkpoints) has a bronze diamond mosaic pattern with glowing star rings surrounding the rotating banner.

The starting banner is now a rotating, star-shaped [[wikipedia:Planetary gear|planetary gear]]. When players nearly reach the finish line, the outer gears will change shape by expanding their star-shaped appendages wide and closing in upon themselves. 

There are now some nods to ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]'' on the course. Namely, the large star in the circular loop has been replaced with a [[Grand Star]] and the star rails are now designed after [[Launch Star]]s, like the Rainbow Roads from ''Mario Kart DS'', ''Mario Kart Wii'' and ''Mario Kart 7''. Most of the railings have been removed, adding to the challenge. Another addition is a flying train that travels around the course (based on an [[wikipedia:0-4-0#Tank_locomotives|0-4-0ST Porter Saddle Tank]]), ridden by Toads who, like the Toads on the ship in [[Bone-Dry Dunes]], throw coins onto the track. The neon lights are replaced with fireworks, with some that form the six playable characters that have been present since ''Super Mario Kart'' ([[Mario]], [[Princess Peach]], [[Luigi]], [[Yoshi]], [[Toad]], and [[Bowser]]). These replace the neon-lit signs of the eight playable characters in ''Mario Kart 64'' (the aforementioned six, [[Wario]] and [[Donkey Kong]]), and a portrait of a [[Boo]] and a [[Mushroom]]. Some of these fireworks take their appearance from [[Stamp (Super Mario 3D World)|stamps]] in ''[[Super Mario 3D World]]'', though Yoshi's firework is based on his artwork from ''[[Yoshi Topsy-Turvy]]''.

[[File:MK8-Course-N64 RainbowRoad-overview.PNG|thumb|300px|Overview of the course.]]
The other major change is that the course has been greatly altered to incorporate the game's [[Glider|hang-glider]] and [[anti-gravity]] mechanics. The circular loop, now lies on the right side of the course instead of on the left side and is inclined at near-90 degree angle to act as an anti-gravity section. At the gentle uphill stretch, which succeeds the steep slope, the rainbow-colored rings are now an anti-gravity panel. The dip after the large U-Turn is now another smaller U-turn. The [[Chomp]]s are now larger, and instead of sliding through the course in a zigzag pattern, they bounce repeatedly, creating ripples on the track that can be used to perform aerial tricks. As the Chomps land, the section they create a wave on will flash. Along the course, [[Dash Panel]]s have been added and come in the form of small [[Launch Star]]-shaped rings that spin every time a racer passes through. The placement of these first two Dash Panels on the steep slope and the first two Launch Stars varies every time the player enters the race on this course. There are also Boost Rings that can be reached with a glider ramp. The final stretch before the finish line is now slightly sloped as an anti-gravity section and ends with a glider ramp.

In addition, similar to [[Rainbow Road (3DS)|Rainbow Road]] from ''Mario Kart 7'', the course is now run as a single lap divided into three sections, instead of three laps, and the last part before the finish line has also been slightly shortened to cut down the length of the course. On the third section, the chorus of the music now starts to play, instead of the beginning of the music. It is the first and only retro course to do this, and one of only three courses in ''Mario Kart 8'' to be a segmented race rather than a lap race (the others being [[Mount Wario]] and [[Big Blue]]). The remixed music of the course is also the most orchestrated compared to other retro courses, with an entirely different arrangement.

In a minor note, a map of the city beneath the course, mentioning [[Toad Harbor]], [[Moo Moo Meadows]], and [[Wario's Gold Mine]], can be seen in [[Super Bell Subway]]. Thus, this Rainbow Road is likely set above those courses<ref>[[Media:MK8 dSBS City Map.png|The map of the city where the Super Bell Subway course is found]]</ref>. The railway lines that can be seen from this Rainbow Road, according to the map in Super Bell Subway, connect this city to many other places where tracks of ''Mario Kart 8'' can be found.<ref>[[Media:MK8 dSBS Map Signs.png|Signs containing the Super Bell Subway Rail Map]].</ref>

The course's map has been rotated upside down, and due to the alterations to the third segment, the turns prior to the finish line form an '8' on the map, similar to the '8' in [[Rainbow Road (Wii U)|the new Rainbow Road]]'s track layout. Both of these Rainbow Roads are the only non-DLC courses in ''Mario Kart 8'' and two of the only four including the DLC courses (The other two being [[Rainbow Road (SNES)|<small>SNES</small> Rainbow Road]] and [[Baby Park|<small>GCN</small> Baby Park]]) to have the map in different colors instead of just blue (though all four of them are white in ''Deluxe'').

Finally, this course appears on the box art of ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', being the only retro course in a ''Mario Kart'' game to hold this distinction.

==''F-Zero X''==
[[File:F-zeroxrainbowrd.png|thumb|left|180px|The level's appearance in ''F-Zero X''.]]
''[[f-zerowiki:F-Zero X|F-Zero X]]'' features the N64 Rainbow Road as [[F-Zerowiki:Rainbow Road|''Rainbow Road: Psychedelic Experience'']]. It is the first course of the Joker Cup (the game's equivalent to the Special Cup). Parts, though not all of it, are rainbow-colored. Unlike the original, it has no barriers in certain areas, and the neon [[Mario (franchise)|''Mario'' franchise]] decor is missing. Instead, it just has a plain black background with a watery blue bottom to which careless drivers may fall. In addition, when racing the track with the 64DD expansion features, the background song is a rock version of the Rainbow Road song heard in ''Mario Kart 64'' (the regular version uses the track used in Sectors α and β). There aren't any Chomps, but there are deadly minefields on certain sections of the track which could cause drivers to crash or destroy their vehicle.
{{media table
|type1=audio
|name1=FZX Rainbow Road
|pipe1=Rainbow Road
|description1=''F-Zero X Expansion Kit''
|length1=1:21
}}

==Official descriptions==
'''''Mario Kart 64'''''
'''Instruction manual description:''' ''This course can be described in a word -- LONG, very long. It is simply the longest of all the courses. As the name indicates, the road is made of rainbow and it has a fantastic view of neon sculptures twinkling in the distance. The final course of the Special Cup, it is definitely worth seeing. It is advisable to slow down to avoid the Chomps that will attack.''

==Gallery==
===N64 appearance===
<gallery widths=135px>
MK64-icon-RainbowRoad.gif|The icon from the menu.
Mk64rainbowroad1.png|The ring near the beginning of the track.
Mk64rainbowroad2.PNG|Middle of first turn.
Mk64rainbowroad2.png|Approaching the star in the middle of a loop.
Mk64rainbowroad3.png|Two of the many neon lights.
Mk64rainbowroad4.png|An approaching Chomp.
</gallery>

====Neon Signs====
When playing the course, the neon lights of Mario, the [[Mushroom]], and Boo are the only ones that are animated.
<gallery widths=64px heights=64px>
MK64 RR Neon Mario.png|[[Mario]]
MK64 RR Neon Peach.png|[[Princess Peach|Peach]]
MK64 RR Neon Luigi.png|[[Luigi]]
MK64 RR Neon Mushroom.png|[[Mushroom]]
MK64 RR Neon Boo.png|[[Boo]]
MK64 RR Neon Donkey Kong.png|[[Donkey Kong]]
MK64 RR Neon Yoshi.png|[[Yoshi]]
MK64 RR Neon Toad.png|[[Toad]]
MK64 RR Neon Wario.png|[[Wario]]
MK64 RR Neon Bowser.png|[[Bowser]]
</gallery>

===Wii U / Switch appearance===
<gallery widths=140px heights=100px perrow=6>
MK8N64RainbowRoad.png|A released screenshot of the course, revealing the name of the track.
MK8- N64 Rainbow Road.PNG|The track's icon.
RainbowRoadN64RaceStart.jpg|[[Mario]] at the starting line, ready to race.
RainbowRamp.jpg|Mario going down the large ramp at the start of the race.
MK8N64RainbowRoad2.png|[[Metal Mario]], racing on the retro track.
MK8N64RainbowRoad1.png|[[Rosalina]], racing on the retro track.
MK8N64RainbowRoad3.jpg|Approaching the [[Grand Star]] in the middle of a loop.
Rosalina-RainbowRoadN64-MK8.jpg|Rosalina approaches the finish line, after passing the second glider ramp.
N64RainbowRoadCity.jpg|The city underneath the track.
Chomp stamp MK8.png|The [[Stamp (Mario Kart 8)|stamp]] obtained for beating the staff ghost at this course.
</gallery>

==Names in other languages==
{{foreign names
|Jap=レインボーロード
|JapR=Reinbō Rōdo
|JapM=Rainbow Road
|Spa=Senda Arco Iris
|SpaM=Rainbow Track
|Fra=Route Arc-en-ciel
|FraM=Rainbow Road
|Dut=Regenboogbaan
|DutM=Rainbow Track
|Ger=Regenbogen-Boulevard
|GerM=Rainbow Boulevard
|Ita=Pista Arcobaleno
|ItaM=Rainbow Track
|Por=Estrada Arco-Íris
|PorM=Rainbow Road
|Rus=Трасса Радуга
|RusR=Trassa Raduga
|RusM=Rainbow Track
|Chi=彩虹桥 (''Mario Kart 64'')<br>''Cǎihóng Qiáo''<br>彩虹之路 (''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'')<br>''Cǎihóng zhī Lù''
|ChiM=Rainbow Bridge<br><br>Rainbow Road
|Kor=무지개 로드
|KorR=Mujigae Rodeu
|KorM=Rainbow Road}}

==Trivia==
*This is one of only two non-SNES courses in the series that differ in lap count between its original and remade versions; the other is [[Baby Park|<small>GCN</small> Baby Park]] in ''[[Mario Kart DS]]''.
**These courses are both the longest and the shortest courses in the series, respectively. 
*The map of its reappearance in ''Mario Kart 8'', shown in the Prima guide, has two Dash Panels on the third section placed on the right side. However, in the game, they are actually placed on the left side.
*Aside from its reappearance in ''Mario Kart 8'', arrangements for Rainbow Road's music from ''Mario Kart 64'' can be heard in later titles. Part of Rainbow Road's music from ''Mario Kart 64'' was arranged and used in the music for Rainbow Road in ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''. Additionally, part of the music can be heard in [[World 9 (New Super Mario Bros. Wii)|World 9]]'s world map theme in ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]''. When first driving the rainbow road in ''[[Paper Mario: Color Splash]]'', this music can be heard.

==References==
<references/>

{{Racecourses}}
{{MK64}}
{{MK8}}
[[Category:Mario Kart 64 Race Courses]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 Race Courses]]
[[Category:Retro Courses]]
[[Category:Outer Space Locations]]
[[Category:Unlockable Race Courses]]
[[de:Regenbogen-Boulevard#Mario Kart 64]]
[[it:Pista Arcobaleno (N64)]]