Editing Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 8)

{{race course infobox

|image=[[File:MK8-Course-RainbowRoad.png|300px]]

|appears_in=''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' ([[List of games by date#2014|2014]]) <br> ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' ([[List of games by date#2017|2017]])

|ghost={{ghost|8|Nin★Mizuho|2:23.967|[[File:MK8 PGPeach Icon.png|32px|link=Pink Gold Peach]][[File:CometBodyMK8.png|32px|link=Comet]][[File:SlimTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Slim (tire)|Slim]][[File:MK8ThumbPinkGoldPeachSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}{{ghost|8DX <small>150cc</small>|Nin★Mizuho|2:25.267|[[File:MK8 PGPeach Icon.png|32px|link=Pink Gold Peach]][[File:CometBodyMK8.png|32px|link=Comet]][[File:SlimTiresMK8.png|32px|link=Slim (tire)|Slim]][[File:MK8ThumbPinkGoldPeachSG.png|32px|link=Super Glider]]}}{{ghost|8DX <small>200cc</small>|Nin★Pedro|1:55.767|[[File:MK8 Rosalina Icon.png|32px|link=Rosalina]][[File:Mach8BodyMK8.png|32px|link=Mach 8]][[File:Blue Standard.png|32px|link=Blue Standard]][[File:MKTVParafoilGliderMK8.png|32px|link=MKTV Parafoil]]}}

|online_play=No longer available ([[Wii U]])<br>Available ([[Nintendo Switch|Switch]])

|sample=Shiho Fujii<br>[[File:MK8-Music-RainbowRoad.oga]]<br>Frontrunning<br>[[File:WiiU RainbowRoad Frontrunning.oga]]

'''Rainbow Road''' is the fourth and final course of the [[Special Cup]] in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' and ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''. Unlike its predecessors, this incarnation takes place in a space station presumably owned by [[Mario Kart TV]] or [[List of sponsors debuting in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe#Rainbow Exploration Agency|REXA]], with its multiple satellites floating, satellite-formed bleachers with an audience cheering, and the road designed to resemble a space station's solar panels, as opposed to the transparent glass surface of previous games. It is located above the [[Earth]]'s atmosphere, similar to {{Classic-link|Wii|Rainbow Road}}. One noticeable feature of the course is a space shuttle that resembles a [[Blooper]] which circles around the course. Due to the presence of the space shuttles and technological architecture, the course has a unique electronic and futuristic design, appearing like a stadium floating above the atmosphere.

This is the only Rainbow Road to have off-road terrain segments. Its music also has a different feel to it, with more emphasis on an electronic rock style. The game's producer, [[Hideki Konno]], describes it as "really spectacular".<ref>Makuch, Eddie. (April 3, 2014). [https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mario-kart-8-it-s-not-all-about-luck-two-rainbow-roads-confirmed/1100-6418730/ Mario Kart 8: It's not all about luck, two Rainbow Roads confirmed]. ''GameSpot''. Retrieved March 13, 2021.</ref> Its music is used in various promotional material for the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' downloadable content for ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''.

The course starts in the first space station with its rainbow-colored solar panel. After a turn, the racers drive through the first [[anti-gravity]] section, which is 8-shaped. A [[Glide Ramp]] is found after the anti-gravity section and leads to the second space station with a large imprint of [[Mario]]'s emblem on the entrance. It features [[conveyor belt]]s with opposite directions that changes every 50 seconds, like [[Toad's Factory]] from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]'', even using red and green as the colors denoting which one is slowing racers down and which one is speeding them up. Unlike that course, though, the green belt has ramps pop up, allowing for [[Jump Boost|trick]]s to be performed. At the end of the conveyor belts, there is a slope with alternating sets of two [[Dash Panel]]s and at the end of it are two Glide Ramps that lead to two intertwining anti-gravity sections. The gliding section consists of three [[Ring (Mario Kart series)|Rings]] that resemble [[Launch Star]]s, and it acts similarly to a [[Cannon (Mario Kart series)|cannon]], though racers can slightly control their gliders.

The anti-gravity paths alter in height, so if the player falls from the highest one, they can generally land on the other one. Each one twists in different ways, forming another 8-shape. Then the paths merge and the anti-gravity section ends. A 180° turn with some Dash Panels along the outermost part, like in [[Mario Kart Stadium]], and another turn make the track loop end. The third 8 is formed by the ending portion of the split path and the 180° turn. At this turn the player can see a hologram projection that says [[Special Cup|"SPECIAL CUP"]] with its trophy logo, albeit only in single-player mode. The racers then return to the space station where the finish line awaits them and begin the next lap.

Before the finish line, a screen can be seen displaying the course's map. Other courses containing their own map are [[Mario Kart Stadium]], [[Water Park]], {{classic-link|GCN|Yoshi Circuit}}, and, in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', [[Merry Mountain]]. The screens can also display the structure of the Blooper space shuttle.

==Shortcuts==

{{br}}

Rainbow Road MK8 Mario boost.png|[[Mario]] performing a trick

MK8 Toad on Rainbow Road.png|[[Toad]] driving on the sloped anti-gravity section

Rosalina-RainbowRoad-Glider-MK8.jpg|[[Rosalina]] using the first Glide Ramp

RainbowRoadAerial.jpg|[[Metal Mario]] jumping off of a section on the course

|SpaM=Rainbow Path

|Fre=Route Arc-en-ciel

|FreM=Rainbow Road