Editing Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 8)

{{articleabout|the race course from ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''|Rainbow Road as a whole and other versions of the track|[[Rainbow Road]]}}

{{racecourse

|image=[[File:MK8-Course-RainbowRoad.png|270px]]<br>Panorama of the course.

|appearances=''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' ([[List of Mario games by date#2014|2014]])

|ghost=2:23.967 by Nin★Mizuho (as [[Pink Gold Peach]])

|wifi=Available ([[Wii U]])

|music=[[File:MK8-Music-RainbowRoad.ogg]]

|map=[[File:MK8 Rainbow Road Map.png|200px]]

'''Rainbow Road''' is the fourth and final course of the [[Special Cup]] in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]''. Unique from its predecessors, this incarnation takes place in a space station presumably owned by [[Mario Kart TV]], with its multiple satellites floating, satellite-formed bleachers with audience cheering, and the road is given a new metallic design, as opposed to the transparent glass surface of previous games. It is located above the [[Earth]]'s atmosphere, similar to that of [[Rainbow Road (Wii)|Rainbow Road]] from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. One noticeable feature of the track is a space shuttle that resembles a [[Blooper]] which circles around the track, similar to how a flying train circles around the Lightning Cup's [[Rainbow Road (N64)|<small>N64</small> Rainbow Road]]. The track itself, similar to [[Rainbow Road (SNES)|Rainbow Road]] in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', consists of colored square tiles, though the colors change like the Rainbow Roads from ''Mario Kart Wii'' and ''[[Mario Kart 7]]''. The rainbow patterns are similar to that of the ''[[Mario Kart: Double Dash!!]]'' [[Rainbow Road (GCN)|version]], which mainly consists of light pink, yellow, and turquoise, though the colors now appear to be shifting within a color spectrum, similar to [[Boost Pad]]s of previous installments before ''Mario Kart 7''. Several [[Toad (species)|Toads]] can be seen floating around the starting line, wearing spacesuits.

Unlike all previous renditions, this Rainbow Road is electronic and technology-themed with a futuristic design which appears more like a stadium floating in the atmosphere, instead of being a "magical" space-themed setting of other versions. The game's producer, [[Hideki Konno]], describes it as "spectacular." The music also has a different feel to it, with more emphasis on electronic rock style.

It also appears to have some influence from the ''F-Zero'' franchise, particularly when compared to the DLC course, [[Big Blue (course)|Big Blue]].

[[File:MK8-Course-RainbowRoad-overview.jpg|thumb|left|290px|Overview of the course.]]

The course starts from the first space station with the rainbow-colored tiles. After a turn the racers drive through the first anti-gravity section, that is 8-shaped. A gliding pad is found after the anti-gravity section and leads to the second space station with a large imprint of [[Mario]]'s emblem in the entrance. It contains conveyor belts with opposite directions that changes each lap, like [[Toad's Factory]] from ''[[Mario Kart Wii]]''. At the end of the conveyor belts there is a slope with alternate Boost Pads (that turn on and off through time) and at the end of it are two gliding pads that lead to two intertwining anti-gravity sections. The gliding section consists of three boost rings that resemble [[Launch Star]]s, and it acts similarly to a [[Cannon (Mario Kart)|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 simply land on the other one. The lower path offers drivers a shortcut if they stay to the right of the [[Spin Boost]] bumper and drive off the edge.<ref name="Mario Kart 8 Nitro Rainbow Road Shortcut">[http://mariokart8.onegameguide.com/rainbow-road-track/ Mario Kart 8 Nitro Rainbow Road Shortcut]</ref> The player can see a Blooper-like spaceship orbiting around. Then the paths merge each other and the anti-gravity section ends. A 180° turn with some Boost Pads at the outermost part, like in [[Mario Kart Stadium]], and another turn make the track loop end. At this turn the player can see a hologram projection that says [[Special Cup|"SPECIAL CUP"]] with its trophy logo, but only in single-player mode. The racers then return to the space station where the finish line awaits them and starts the next lap.{{br}}

*[[Mario Kart TV]]/MKTV (Holograms, satellites, trackside banners)

*Mario Motors (Trackside banners)

*Rainbow Exploration Agency/REXA (Holograms, space station, trackside banners)

*Special cup (Holograms, trackside banners)

<gallery widths=160px perrow=6>

File:MK8- Rainbow Road.PNG|The track's icon.

File:MK8-Course-RainbowRoad-startingline.png|The course, as seen from the starting line.

File:RainbowRoadMK82.png|[[Princess Peach|Peach]], about to drive into the first anti-gravity section

File:RainbowRoadMK8.png|Peach, gliding in front of the second space station.

File:01 Course RainbowRoad 1.jpg|Mario performs a Trick.

toadcircuitspecial.png|[[Toad]], driving on the sloped anti-gravity section.

File:Rosalina-RainbowRoad-Glider-MK8.jpg|[[Rosalina]] uses the first glider ramp.

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

File:Blooper Spaceship stamp MK8.png|The [[Stamp (Mario Kart 8)|stamp]] obtained for beating the staff ghost at this course.

{{Foreignname

|Jap=レインボーロード

|JapR=Reinbō Rōdo

|JapM=Rainbow Road

|SpaM=Rainbow Pathway

|Fra=Route Arc-en-ciel

|FraM=Rainbow Road

|RusM=Rainbow Track}}

==Trivia==

*This Rainbow Road as well as its retro counterparts, [[Rainbow Road (N64)|<small>N64</small> Rainbow Road]] and [[Rainbow Road (SNES)|<small>SNES</small> Rainbow Road]] (DLC), and [[Baby Park|<small>GCN</small> Baby Park]] (DLC) are the only courses in the game to have the map in multiple colors instead of just blue.  

*The way that the track splits into two alternate paths after the launch segment is a reference to the [[Rainbow Road (Wii)|''Mario Kart Wii'' version]] which features a similar part.

*There are three 8-shaped sections in this course, referencing its game, ''Mario Kart 8''.

*Before the finish line, a screen can be seen displaying the course's map, this same detail can be found in [[Water Park]] and <small>GCN</small> [[Yoshi Circuit]] DLC retro course.

*Screens can also be seen displaying the structure of the Blooper space shuttle.

{{BoxTop}}

[[Category:Mario Kart 8 Race Courses]]

[[Category:Outer Space Locations]]

[[Category:Unlockable Race Courses]]