Editing SNES Rainbow Road

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|sample=''Super Mario Kart'': Soyo Oka<br>[[File:SMK-Music-RainbowRoad.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'': Kenichi Nishimaki, Masanobu Matsunaga, Minako Hamano<br>[[File:MKSC-ExtraCourse-RainbowRoad.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart 7'' / ''Mario Kart Tour'': Kenta Nagata, Satomi Terui<br>[[File:MK7-Music-SNES-RainbowRoad.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart 7'' (frontrunning)<br>[[File:MK7_SNES_RainbowRoad_Frontrunning.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'': Atsuko Asahi<br>[[File:MK8-DLC-Music-SNES-RainbowRoad.oga]]<br>''Mario Kart 8'' / ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' (frontrunning)<br>[[File:WiiU_SNES_RainbowRoad_Frontrunning.oga]]

<div style="white-space: nowrap;">[[File:MK8 SNES Rainbow Road Map.png|frameless|upright=0.65]][[File:MK8DX SNES Rainbow Road Map.png|frameless|upright=0.65]]</div>

'''Rainbow Road''' is a course that debuted in ''[[Super Mario Kart]]'', as the fifth and last course of the [[Special Cup]]. It started the [[Mario Kart (series)|''Mario Kart'']] series tradition of having [[Rainbow Road]] as the finale of the game. It is the shortest Rainbow Road in the series.

This course is unique in ''Super Mario Kart'' in the fact that it is the only track in the game that is not numbered compared to the others, and thus it is the game's only unique track. It is the only track in the Special Cup with normal traction, but lacks rails entirely and has only 90° turns. Rainbow-colored tiles and a few [[jump]]ing bumps cover the track's surface, and the yellow tiles conceal [[coin]]s. This course features [[Star Thwomp]]s which can wipe out a racer by touch, unlike regular Thwomps, as well as by crushing, unless the racer uses a [[Super Star]] or a [[Boo]].

Rainbow Road reappears in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]'' as the fourth and final course of the Extra Special Cup, in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' as the fourth and final course of the [[Lightning Cup]], in ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'' as the second course of the [[Triforce Cup]] as part of the [[The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8|''The Legend of Zelda'' × ''Mario Kart 8'']] DLC (and in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' as part of the base game), and in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'', debuting in the [[Tokyo Tour]]. If one counts ''Mario Kart 8'' and ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' as two separate games, then Rainbow Road is the most frequently appearing [[classic course]] in the series, having appeared six times in different games. In the opposite case, its number of appearances is then tied with [[SNES Mario Circuit 3|Mario Circuit 3]], also from ''Super Mario Kart'', the latter course re-appearing in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' as part of the second wave of the ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass|Booster Course Pass]]'' DLC.

In ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', the [[Rainbow Road (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)|Rainbow Road]] theme rearranges a part of this course's music at its beginning; it is also rearranged in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' as part of the song "Buckle Up." ''Super Mario Kart'' composer [[Soyo Oka]] considers this course's theme to be one of her favorite compositions.<ref>{{cite|url=www.rocketbaby.net/interviews_soyo_oka.html|title=Interview with Soyo Oka|publisher=rocketbaby.net|accessdate=December 12, 2024|archive=web.archive.org/web/20030819220210/http://rocketbaby.net/interviews_soyo_oka.html|deadlink=y}}</ref>

The track's location has alternated between each of its appearances. In ''Super Mario Kart'', ''Mario Kart 7'', and ''Mario Kart Tour'', it is in space, but in ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' and ''Mario Kart 8'', it is in the night sky.

==''Super Mario Kart''==

[[File:SMK Rainbow Road Screenshot.png|thumb|left|[[Donkey Kong Jr.]] racing on the course in ''Super Mario Kart'']]

The course is composed mostly of straightaways and 90° turns. There are also [[Star Thwomp|Super Thwomp]]s as obstacles, which remain airborne on the first lap. The course begins with a right turn followed by a straightaway, with most of the [[? Panel]]s in the middle as well as several jump pads. The first row of four Super Thwomps also lies at the end of this straightaway. There is then two right turns followed by a brief straight with several more jump pads. Racers then take two left turns onto another brief straight with two pairs of Super Thwomps. After another two right turns, the track narrows and racers must go left or right as the path briefly splits; the paths are symmetrical and each contain a pair of Super Thwomps, though the right path has two ? Panels. Once the paths join, the track widens again and there is one more right turn followed by one more straightaway with a row of four Super Thwomps. Racers then reach the finish line.

 

There is a notable shortcut near the end of the track. The player can use a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]] to go off a jump pad in between the split paths and clear the gap, saving time and avoiding the Super Thwomps.

[[File:SNES MK7.png|thumb|left|250px|{{classic|SNES|Rainbow Road}} in ''Mario Kart 7'']]

Rainbow Road also returns as the fourth and last course of the [[Lightning Cup]] in ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'', as well as the thirty-second and last course of the game overall. It is the first Rainbow Road to reappear as a classic course in another ''Mario Kart'', even excluding its reappearance in ''[[Mario Kart: Super Circuit]]''.

The track is now slightly wider, and has received many graphical improvements. It uses a similar background to ''Super Mario Kart'' (which is also used in {{classic-link|DS|Waluigi Pinball}}), though the blue tint was removed, and the stars are now depicted across the entire background, rather than only the top. Unlike previous incarnations, this new version adds the characteristic "glistening" sound effect when drifting on it, a common feature of all Rainbow Roads starting from the [[Rainbow Road (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)|GCN rendition]]. The number of coin rows on the track was reduced, though there are still three per row. When the player enters [[First-Person View|first-person view]], the player can see through the breaks in the tiles. The Super Thwomps return after being removed from ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'', though they now have an appearance based on Thwomps from ''[[New Super Mario Bros. Wii]]'', are larger, were reduced from sixteen to seven, now topple racers rather than spinning them out, and form ripples on the track upon impact, which the player can now [[Jump Boost|trick]] off of. Additionally, howling noises can now be heard near the Super Thwomps.

The tiles' colors are similar to the ''Mario Kart: Super Circuit'' rendition of [[Rainbow Road (Mario Kart: Super Circuit)|Rainbow Road]], with the only difference being that they are square, paler, and the pink tiles replace the red tiles and the cyan tiles replace the teal tiles. The track is no longer translucent, making it look like its appearance in ''Super Mario Kart''. The widest part of the gap in the forked road has had two tiles removed, but the gap itself has also had seven tiles removed, making the shortcut easier to use. Also, the section of tiles before the fork (from the orange tiles on the narrow part of the straight after turn 7 to the purple tiles before the gap) is wider: the first orange, blue, yellow, and last purple tile rows before the gap are now two tiles wider. The finish line is also two tiles long, removing the red tiles that used to be in front of it. Ramps are added in all of the locations where bumps appeared in ''Super Mario Kart'', though the first two bumps were not replaced, the last pair at the fork were replaced by one taller ramp in front of the gap, and a ramp was added on the inside of the second U-turn, creating a shortcut that requires a [[Dash Mushroom|Mushroom]] or [[Mini-Turbo]] to get across; the ramps are only two tiles wide, rather than the bumps which were three. Like most other SNES and GBA classic courses, a starting banner stylized after the one from ''Mario Kart 64'' is added in this course.

This is the only course in ''Mario Kart 7'' not to have a [[Dash Panel]]/ramp, and one of four courses not to have a [[Glide Ramp]]; the others are {{classic-link|N64|Luigi Raceway}}, {{classic-link|GCN|Daisy Cruiser}}, and [[3DS Rosalina's Ice World|Rosalina's Ice World]].

 

Aside from enhanced percussion, the music is faithful to the original SNES composition.

[[File:Mk8-DLC-Course-SNES RainbowRoad.jpg|250px|thumb|Overview of the track in ''Mario Kart 8'']]

Rainbow Road returns in the [[The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8|''Legend of Zelda'' × ''Mario Kart 8'']] DLC Pack of ''[[Mario Kart 8]]'', appearing as the second course of the [[Triforce Cup]]. As a result, a Rainbow Road course is not the last race of a cup for the only time so far.

The track's layout is similar to its appearance in ''Mario Kart 7''. The course has seen extensive graphical improvements, is now significantly wider and larger, and has banked turns, most notably the third inclined U-turn. The tiles are based on their coloration from ''Super Mario Kart'', though their color pattern is reversed, they are now flashing LED lights like the ones on {{classic-link|N64|Rainbow Road}}, and there are eight different colors of tiles instead of seven from its previous appearances (adding cyan between teal and blue); the tiles the Thwomps land on are now white, and the tiles at the edges of the track now have borders on the outer edges. The forked road is also altered further, with the narrow part of the hole's end filled in, and the ramp in front reverted to the same height as the equivalent bumps from ''Super Mario Kart''.

The Thwomps now have sparkles, a mosaic-like appearance, horizontal rainbow lines running from bottom to top of them. They also use the species' ''[[Super Mario Galaxy]]''  appearance, like the other Thwomps in ''Mario Kart 8'', rather than their spiked ''New Super Mario Bros. Wii'' design in ''Mario Kart 7''. Additionally, all of the Thwomps are bigger except for the last pair. When they start to crash down, they will create rainbow waves above them. Also, when they land, they make metallic glistening sounds. The waves on the track they create are now bigger, move more quickly, and disappear faster, making tricks more difficult to perform.

The course now takes place in a cloudy night sky with the full moon visible, which has color-changing hills that stick above them, and is closer to the ground than previous appearances. It is also above a lake underneath, and has lots of scenery, such as [[Toad House]]s resued from {{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 3}}. The starting banner was also redesigned, with colored blocks with a Star on top of it and the ''Mario Kart'' logo's letters now individually colored (red, green, yellow, and blue) instead of having a rainbow gradient through the entire logo; the banner is wider no longer sits on the course, and stands on two walled areas, making the start the only walled part of the course. Also, when a player approaches a turn, two green arrow holograms will appear behind the turn, and indicate in which direction the player must drive. Once the player has made the turn, the arrows will disappear.

In ''Mario Kart 8'', this is one of the only two courses that do not have any Dash Panels, Glide Ramps, underwater sections, or anti-gravity sections, the other being {{classic-link|GCN|Yoshi Circuit}}, another course from DLC Pack 1. However, in ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'', it is the only one of the five Rainbow Road race courses present in the game to not have anti-gravity. It is also the only ''Super Mario Kart'' race course not to have the number 3 in its name.

The body of water underneath the course is shaped identically to the one in {{classic-link|SNES|Donut Plains 3}}, with all course elements, the walls, and the [[fortress]] being removed. The reason for this is unclear.

[[File:MarioKartTour SNESRainbowRoad.jpg|thumb|left|SNES Rainbow Road in ''Mario Kart Tour'']]

This iteration of Rainbow Road reappears in ''[[Mario Kart Tour]]'' starting with the [[Tokyo Tour]]. It mostly takes on the appearance of its ''Mario Kart 7'' iteration. However, the arrow signs and Star Thwomps from the ''Mario Kart 8'' rendition are used over their ''Mario Kart 7'' versions, and red tiling was added to the course; also, the tiles are more colorful, like with the ''Mario Kart 8'' rendition of the course. The ramp at the second U-turn is absent, the hole in the road is smaller than it was before (the narrow part at the end is only one tile long, and the hole in general is 7 tiles shorter), and the last two Star Thwomps are further apart. The track edges are rounded rather than squared, and the track itself is of a thicker shape. The track reuses the arrangement heard in ''Mario Kart 7''; this is unlike most other classic courses, which usually retained their original music. The starting banner is now colored red as opposed to pink. The background is based on its appearance from ''Mario Kart 7'', albeit with meteors added as background scenery and the blue tint from ''Super Mario Kart'' being readded, except more detailed, taking up the entire screen, and with purple colored details added. The Thwomps also retain their shaking effect from ''Mario Kart 8'', rather than the one ''Mario Kart 7''.

The course also appears as '''Rainbow Road R''' (reversed), '''Rainbow Road T''' (with ramps), and '''Rainbow Road R/T''' (reversed with ramps). The latter was later added in the [[Winter Tour (2019)|2019 Winter Tour]]. In the R and R/T variants, the first straightaway racers encounter is missing and they instead use a [[Glide Ramp|glide ramp]] to get across. In the T variant, all Star Thwomps are removed and the road is constantly wavy. In the R/T variant, there are [[Ring (Mario Kart series)|star ring]]s as well as a [[Mushroom Trampoline|mushroom trampoline]].

This Rainbow Road received two remixed versions, titled [[RMX Rainbow Road 1]] and [[RMX Rainbow Road 2]], first appearing in the [[Super Mario Kart Tour]] and [[New Year's 2021 Tour]], respectively.

In ''[[WarioWare Gold]]'', Rainbow Road appears as the setting of the [[Super Mario Kart (microgame)|Super Mario Kart]] [[microgame]].

 

While the course does not appear in the film itself, a rendition of its music plays in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'' when Mario, [[Princess Peach]], [[Toad]] and the [[Kong]]s land on a [[Rainbow Road]] during their drive back to the Mushroom Kingdom.

==Gallery==

===''Mario Kart 8 / Mario Kart 8 Deluxe''===

Facebook MarioKartDE 2017-04-26.jpg|Image macro featuring a view of {{classic|SNES|Rainbow Road}}, originally posted on the official German ''[[Mario Kart (series)|Mario Kart]]'' Facebook page

MKT Icon RainbowRoadSNES Rosalina.png|The course icon

MKT Icon RainbowRoadRSNES MetalMario.png|The course icon of the R variant

MKT Icon RainbowRoadTSNES BabyRosalina.png|The course icon of the T variant

MKT Icon RainbowRoadRTSNES PinkGoldPeach.png|The course icon of the R/T variant

|ChiS=彩虹之路

|ChiSR=Cǎihóng zhī Lù

|ChiSM=Rainbow Road

|ChiS2R=Cǎihóng Qiáo

|ChiS2M=Rainbow Bridge

|ChiTR=Cǎihóng zhī Lù

|ChiTM=Rainbow Road

|Spa=Senda Arco Iris

|SpaM=Rainbow Path

[[de:SNES Regenbogen-Boulevard]]