Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7 theme)
| "Rainbow Road" | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| "Rainbow Road" in Mario Kart 7 | |||
 Image from Nintendo Music | |||
| Composed by: Unknown (either Kenta Nagata or Satomi Terui) | |||
| Key | E major | ||
| First appearance | Mario Kart 7 (2011) | ||
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) | ||
| |||
| |||
"Rainbow Road"[1] is a musical theme in Mario Kart 7, where it plays in the race course of the same name. It is an ethereal piece that utilizes synths. This theme quotes "Rainbow Road" and "Staff Credits" from Mario Kart 64 before the loop.
History[edit]
Mario Kart series[edit]
Mario Kart 7[edit]
Mario Kart 7 marks the first appearance of "Rainbow Road". A more atmospheric-sounding arrangement of the theme plays in the moon section of the course. It is titled "Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" in the Nintendo Music app. For both themes, a looping drum set beat is added to the instrumentation whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.
When the player reaches the final lap on Rainbow Road, a faster variation of the theme plays. It is titled "Rainbow Road (Final Lap)" in the Nintendo Music app. Unlike other themes on the final lap, this theme has a different beginning, instead starting where Mario Kart 64's "Rainbow Road" arrangement starts playing. This is the only final lap variant from Mario Kart 7 to appear on the Nintendo Music app.
 Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The remix heard in Mario Kart 7 | File info 0:30 |
| Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 7 | File info 0:30 |
| Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) (Frontrunning) - The remix heard in Mario Kart 7 | File info 0:30 |
Mario Kart Tour[edit]
In Mario Kart Tour, the source-quality version of "Rainbow Road" plays in 3DS Rainbow Road, which was first added in the 2019 Holiday Tour. As with Mario Kart 7, the source-quality version of "Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" plays in the moon section of the course.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe[edit]
In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, as part of Wave 3 of the Booster Course Pass, an arrangement of "Rainbow Road" that utilizes a drop plays in 3DS Rainbow Road. It is likewise titled "3DS Rainbow Road" in the Nintendo Music app. As with Mario Kart 7, an arrangement of "Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" plays in the moon section of the course. It is titled "3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" in the Nintendo Music app. For both themes, a looping drum set beat is added to the instrumentation whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.
| 3DS Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info 0:30 |
| 3DS Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The remix heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info 0:30 |
| 3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info 0:30 |
| 3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) (Frontrunning) - The remix heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info 0:30 |
Mario Kart World[edit]
In Mario Kart World, a power ballad arrangement of "Rainbow Road" can play in Free Roam during the day. It is fully titled "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)" in the Nintendo Music app. This arrangement features a new section that plays at the start and repeats at later points of the theme.
| Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart World | File info 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS[edit]
- Main article: Rainbow Road Medley
In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, the original version of "Rainbow Road" can play in the Rainbow Road stage and Smash Run. It is fully titled "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)" in the game's sound test.
A medley arrangement of "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 7, "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart DS, and "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart: Super Circuit arranged by Ryo Watanabe can also play in the Rainbow Road stage and Smash Run. It is titled the "Rainbow Road Medley" in the game's sound test.
| Rainbow Road Medley - The arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | File info 0:30 |
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, the original version of "Rainbow Road" can play in the Mario Circuit stage.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, the original version of "Rainbow Road" can play in any Super Smash Bros.-series and Mario Kart-series stage. It is fully titled "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 7" in the game's sound test.
Gallery[edit]
Image for "Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" from Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
Image for "Rainbow Road (Final Lap)" from Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
Image for "3DS Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Music
Image for "3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Music
Image for "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)" from Mario Kart World on Nintendo Music
.png)
.png)
List of Super Mario appearances[edit]
Games[edit]
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 7 | Nintendo 3DS | 2011 | Original | "Rainbow Road"[1] | |
| Remix | |||||
| Arrangement | "Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)"[1] | ||||
| Remix | |||||
| Remix | "Rainbow Road (Final Lap)"[1] | ||||
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2014 | Original | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)"[2] | |
| Arrangement | "Rainbow Road Medley"[2] | Ryo Watanabe | |||
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Original | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)"[3] | |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Original | "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 7"[4] | |
| Mario Kart Tour | iOS, Android | 2019[a] | Original | ||
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | |||||
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Nintendo Switch | 2022[b] | Arrangement | "3DS Rainbow Road"[5] | |
| Remix | |||||
| Arrangement | "3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)"[5] | ||||
| Remix | |||||
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)"[6] |
- ^ Added in the 2019 Holiday Tour on December 18, 2019
- ^ Added in Wave 3 of the Booster Course Pass on December 7, 2022
Albums[edit]
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Music) | 2024 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe) | "3DS Rainbow Road" | |
| "3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" | ||||
| Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo Music) | 2025 | Original | "Rainbow Road" | |
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | "Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)" | |||
| Past remix (Mario Kart 7) | "Rainbow Road (Final Lap)" | |||
| Mario Kart World (Nintendo Music) | 2026[a] | Past arrangement (Mario Kart World) | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)" |
- ^ Added to the album on August 3, 2026
Naming[edit]
Internal names[edit]
| Game | File | Name | Meaning
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart 7 | Sound/stream/STRM_CN_RAINBOW_ROAD_N.bcstm | CN Rainbow Road | New Course Rainbow Road |
Names in other languages[edit]
"Rainbow Road"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | レインボーロード Reinbō Rōdo | Rainbow Road | [1] | |
| Chinese | 彩虹之路 Cǎihóng zhī Lù (Mandarin) Chói'hùhng jī Louh (Cantonese) | Rainbow Road | [1] | |
| Dutch | Regenboogbaan | Rainbow Road | [7] | |
| Korean | 무지개 로드 Mujigae Rodeu | Rainbow Road | [1] | |
| Polish | Tęczowa Droga | Rainbow Road | [7] | |
| Spanish | Senda Arcoiris | Rainbow Road | [7] |
"Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface)"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | レインボーロード（月面） Reinbō Rōdo (Getsumen) | Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) | [1] |
"Rainbow Road (Final Lap)"[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Note(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | レインボーロード（ファイナルラップ） Reinbō Rōdo (Fainaru Rappu) | Rainbow Road (Final Lap) | [1] |
Notes[edit]
- On the Nintendo Music app, "Rainbow Road" is labeled as "Selects", classifying it as one "of the very best tracks from the Nintendo Music library", originating from Mario Kart 7. "Rainbow Road" shares this title with "Mario Kart 7 Title Screen" and "Toad Circuit".
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Mario Kart 7 (Nintendo Music)
- ^ a b Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS sound test
- ^ Super Smash Bros. for Wii U sound test
- ^ Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sound test
- ^ a b Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Music)
- ^ Mario Kart World (Nintendo Music)
- ^ a b c Mario Kart World pause menu (Ver. 1.4.0, 1.5.0, 1.7.0)