Rainbow Road (Super Mario Kart theme)
|
It has been requested that more audio and/or video files related to this article be uploaded. Specifics: Arrangements heard in Mario Kart World Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this article. See the help page for help getting started. |
| "Rainbow Road" | |
|---|---|
| "Rainbow Road" in Super Mario Kart | |
 Image from Nintendo Music | |
| Composed by: Soyo Oka | |
| Key | C major |
| First appearance | Super Mario Kart (1992) |
| Latest appearance | Mario Kart World (2025) |
"Rainbow Road"[1] is a musical theme composed by Soyo Oka for Super Mario Kart, where it plays in the race course of the same name. Elements from it have been integrated into the theme of every Rainbow Road course throughout the Mario Kart series.[2] It is one of Soyo Oka's favorite themes that she has composed.
CompositionEdit
"Rainbow Road" debuted in Super Mario Kart for its Rainbow Road course. It is a funk arrangement in the key of C major divided into two main sections. The first section of the theme is primarily based around a Isus chord to I chord vamp (notated as C13sus - C13) with an open bassline that alternates between the tonic (1̂, also the root note) of the key, the dominant (5̂), and the tonic above.
The two sections are separated by an 8-bar bridge that features two main motifs that have gone on to reappear many times throughout the Mario Kart series. The first motif is a rising triad over a tonic petal bass, where the theme rises from a C major 7 chord to a D major chord, then to an E-flat major chord, and finally to an F major add 2 chord, all while the bass remains in the key of C major (notated as Cmaj7 - D/C - E♭/C - F(add2)/C). This results in a I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression. The second motif is the open leap in the melody between the dominant, the tonic, and the dominant one octave above (G, C, and G in this case).
The second section of the song is a combination of the second motif from the bridge, featuring jumps between the 1st and 5th notes transposed down a fifth and harmonized with four-part synth harmonies, as well as the first section of the song, featuring vamps between I and Isus chords.[2]
ReusesEdit
| Game | Description |
|---|---|
| WarioWare Gold | An excerpt of "Rainbow Road" plays in the Super Mario Kart microgame. |
ArrangementsEdit
Mario Kart seriesEdit
Mario Kart 64Edit
- Main article: Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 64 theme)
The theme heard in the Mario Kart 64 iteration of Rainbow Road, likewise titled "Rainbow Road" in the game's official soundtrack and the Nintendo Music app, shares some elements with "Rainbow Road". Like the Super Mario Kart theme, Mario Kart 64's "Rainbow Road" begins with a Isus chord to I chord progression. Also like Super Mario Kart, the melody of the theme is based around jumping and walking between the tonic and the dominant.[2]
 Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 64 | File info |
Mario Kart: Super CircuitEdit
The Super Mario Kart version of Rainbow Road returns as a retro course in Mario Kart: Super Circuit, along with a new arrangement of the course's theme.
The opening of the theme heard on the Mario Kart: Super Circuit iteration of Rainbow Road features the first motif of "Rainbow Road", this time in the key of D major: an ascending I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression over a tonic pedal bass (notated as D5 - E/D - F - G(add2)). However, the tonic pedal only extends to the II chord in this arrangement. Using this motif as the opening for the theme would go on to become a common element of "Rainbow Road" themes throughout the Mario Kart series.[2]
| Rainbow Road (Extra Track) - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart: Super Circuit | File info |
| Rainbow Road - The intro of the arrangement heard in Mario Kart: Super Circuit | File info |
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!Edit
The theme for the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! iteration of Rainbow Road uses the first "Rainbow Road" motif as its opening with a I - II - ♭III - IV chord walkup in the original key of C major, similar to Mario Kart: Super Circuit's Rainbow Road theme. However, this arrangement makes a couple of changes. It does not feature a tonic pedal, and it changes the IV chord in the progression to a V7sus chord, replacing the F(add2) chord with a F/G chord (notated as Cmaj7 - D - E♭ - F/G).[2]
This arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, titled "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)", where it can be played on the Mario Circuit stage, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now titled "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart: Double Dash!!", where it can be played on any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage.
| Rainbow Road - Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | File info |
Mario Kart DSEdit
Two themes in Mario Kart DS feature elements of "Rainbow Road". First, the beginning of the theme heard while on the Single Player menu features backing chords that follow the exact same I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression from "Rainbow Road". After the I - II - ♭III - IV progression plays, several variations of this progression can be heard, eventually looping back to the original I - II - ♭III - IV.
Second, the theme for the Mario Kart DS iteration of Rainbow Road opens in the key of D major with the I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression motif from "Rainbow Road". The tonic pedal from Super Mario Kart also returns, and like in Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, the I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression is changed to a I - II - ♭III - V7sus chord progression (notated as D - E/D - F/D - G/A). Additionally, the funk bassline in this version is clearly inspired by the bassline from the original "Rainbow Road". The melody of this arrangement's second section not only showcases the "Rainbow Road" open fifths motif, but also is a rhythmically altered reinterpretation of the bridge section melody from "Rainbow Road".[2]
| Single Player Menu - The single player menu in Mario Kart DS | File info |
| Rainbow Road - The first section of arrangement heard in Mario Kart DS | File info |
| Rainbow Road - The second section of the arrangement heard in Mario Kart DS | File info |
Mario Kart WiiEdit
The theme for the Mario Kart Wii iteration of Rainbow Road, titled 「レインボーロード」 (Reinbō Rōdo, "Rainbow Road") in the game's soundtrack, opens in the key of D major with the I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression and tonic pedal motif from "Rainbow Road" (notated as D - E/D - F/D - G/D). However, instead of the repetition being an exact copy of the preceding ascending chord progression like in Super Mario Kart, the repetition instead descends in a I - ♭VII - ♭VI - V pattern, keeping the tonic pedal until the ♭VI chord (notated as D - C/D - B♭/D - G/A).[2]
This arrangement returns for the same course in Mario Kart Tour with its introduction in the 2023 Space Tour.
| レインボーロード - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart Wii | File info |
Mario Kart 7Edit
SNES Rainbow Road returns in Mario Kart 7 as a classic course along with a new arrangement of "Rainbow Road," titled "SNES Rainbow Road."[1] This arrangement is very similar to the original heard in Super Mario Kart, but the synthetic chiptune percussion from the original is replaced by realistic-sounding percussion. This version of the theme is reused in Mario Kart Tour for the same course, as well as for RMX Rainbow Road 1 and RMX Rainbow Road 2, since their introductions in the Tokyo Tour, Super Mario Kart Tour, and New Year's 2021 Tour, respectively.
The theme for the Mario Kart 7 iteration of Rainbow Road, simply titled "Rainbow Road,"[1] opens with a chord progression in the key of E major inspired by the I - II - ♭III - IV motif from "Rainbow Road", but it is not identical. The arrangement instead opens with a I - II - ♭II - I progression with the ♭II being held for two bars instead of one, and the underlying tonic pedal making a return (notated as E - F#/E - F/E - E(sus4)). Additionally, the melody of Mario Kart 7's "Rainbow Road" is based around the tonic and the dominant, a callback to the second motif from "Rainbow Road".[2]
When the player drives on the moon section of this game's Rainbow Road, a softer, more ethereal arrangement of the course's theme can be heard.
Additional percussion is added to the instrumentation of all these themes whenever the player is driving at top speed while in first place.
Mario Kart 7's Rainbow Road theme returns in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, titled "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)", where it can be played on the Rainbow Road stage, in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can be played on the Mario Circuit stage, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, now titled "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 7", where it can be played on any stage from the Mario Kart series or (since the 8.1.0 update) the Super Smash Bros. series. The theme and its moon variant are also reused for the course's appearance in Mario Kart Tour since its introduction in the 2019 Holiday Tour.
| SNES Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 7 | File info |
| SNES Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The version of the arrangement heard while in first place in Mario Kart 7 | File info |
| Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 7 | File info |
| Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) - The version of the arrangement heard on the moon in Mario Kart 7 | File info |
| Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The arrangement heard while in first place in Mario Kart 7 | File info |
| Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface / Frontrunning) - The version of the arrangement heard on the moon while in first place in Mario Kart 7 | File info |
Mario Kart 8Edit
SNES Rainbow Road was added as a retro course to Mario Kart 8 in The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8 DLC along with a new arrangement of the course's theme, likewise titled "SNES Rainbow Road."[1][3]
In the theme heard in the Mario Kart 8 iteration of Rainbow Road, titled simply "Rainbow Road,"[1][3] the transition between the bridge and the beginning of the theme uses an altered version of the Mario Kart Wii take on the I - II - ♭III - IV motif from "Rainbow Road" all over a tonic pedal bass key of A-flat major. While Mario Kart Wii included a I - ♭VII - ♭VI - V descending chord progression, Mario Kart 8 changes the V chord to an additional ♭VII chord, resulting in a I - ♭VII - ♭VI - ♭VII chord progression (notated as A♭ - G♭/A♭ - F♭/A♭ - G♭/A♭). Additionally, the main melody of Mario Kart 8's "Rainbow Road" features the 1st-5th motif from "Rainbow Road", as it is largely based off of elaborations of wide fourth and fifth leaps mostly between the dominant and tonic of the key.[2]
Like in all courses in Mario Kart 8 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, additional percussion is added to both of these arrangements during a single-player race when the player is in first place at their top speed.
The arrangements "SNES Rainbow Road" and "Rainbow Road" both return in the base game of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Mario Kart 8's "Rainbow Road" also returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, titled "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 8)", where it can be played on the Mario Circuit stage, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, retitled "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 8", where it can be played on any stage from the Mario Kart series or (since the 8.1.0 update) the Super Smash Bros. series.
| SNES Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 | File info |
| SNES Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The version of arrangement heard while in first place in Mario Kart 8 | File info |
| Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 | File info |
| Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The version of arrangement heard while in first place in Mario Kart 8 | File info |
Mario Kart 8 DeluxeEdit
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe sees the return of 3DS Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 7 in Wave 3 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass, with a new arrangement of the course's theme, likewise titled "3DS Rainbow Road."[1] The arrangement includes the standard version heard in the majority of the course as well as the ethereal arrangement heard in the moon section. Additional percussion is also added to both of these arrangements when the player is in first place at top speed during the race.
A new arrangement of Wii Rainbow Road's theme, simply titled "Wii Rainbow Road,"[1] is used for the course in Wave 6 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass. It was also featured as the background music for the wave's reveal trailer.[4]
| 3DS Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info |
| 3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface) - The version of the arrangement heard on the moon in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info |
| 3DS Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The version of the arrangement heard while in first place in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info |
| 3DS Rainbow Road (Lunar Surface/Frontrunning) - The version of the arrangement heard while on the moon and in first place in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info |
| Wii Rainbow Road - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info |
| Wii Rainbow Road (Frontrunning) - The version of the arrangement heard while in first place in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | File info |
Mario Kart TourEdit
In Mario Kart Tour, the theme heard while the player's opponents are being selected before a race is an arrangement of the I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression over a tonic pedal bass motif from "Rainbow Road".
| Matchmaking - The arrangement heard in Mario Kart Tour | File info |
Mario Kart WorldEdit
In Mario Kart World, arrangements of "Rainbow Road" from Super Mario Kart, "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 64, "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 7 can play exclusively in Free Roam. There are also arrangements of the themes of Rainbow Roads from Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, Mario Kart DS, Mario Kart Wii, and Mario Kart 8, which can play exclusively during routes in VS Race for the former four, and in all of the aforementioned instances for the latter.
The theme for Mario Kart World's Rainbow Road also features several elements from the "Rainbow Road" theme. The main motif of the theme, repeated in all sections of the music, primarily features fourth and fifth leaps between the tonic and the dominant, similar to "Rainbow Road".[5] At the start of the first section, the rising I - II - ♭III - IV chord progression is also featured, albeit altered, extended and having the tonic pedal removed, resulting in the chord progression of I - ii - ♭III - ♭III - IV - ♭V - iv (D - Em - F - F/G - G/A - A/B♭ - Gm7/C).
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter GamesEdit
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games features an arrangement of the Mario Kart Wii version of "Rainbow Road", including the same "Rainbow Road" motifs heard in the Mario Kart Wii original.
| Rainbow Road (Mario Kart Wii) - The arrangement heard in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | File info |
NES Remix 2Edit
In NES Remix 2, "Rainbow Road" can be heard in the background of the remix of "P Switch BGM / Toad's House" in the 21st Bonus stage.[6]
| P-Switch Remix - The arrangement heard in NES Remix 2 | File info |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DSEdit
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS includes a medley arrangement of "Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart DS, and Mario Kart: Super Circuit titled "Rainbow Road Medley". It can be played on the Rainbow Road stage. This arrangement opens with the same I - II - ♭II - I chord progression and tonic pedal bass from Mario Kart 7. Additionally, the second section of this arrangement features the Mario Kart DS reinterpretation of the bridge section melody from "Rainbow Road".
The arrangement returns in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, where it can be played on the Mario Circuit stage, and in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where it can be played on any Super Smash Bros.-series and Super Mario-series stage.
| Rainbow Road Medley - The "3DS Rainbow Road" section of the arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | File info |
| Rainbow Road Medley - The "DS Rainbow Road" section of the arrangement heard in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | File info |
The Super Mario Bros. MovieEdit
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, an arrangement of the bridge and second sections of "Rainbow Road" can be heard in "Buckle Up" when Mario, Peach, Toad, and the Kongs land on Rainbow Road on their way to the Mushroom Kingdom.
| Buckle Up - The "Rainbow Road" section of the arrangement heard in The Super Mario Bros. Movie | File info |
GalleryEdit
Image for "SNES Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 7 on Nintendo Music
Image for "SNES Rainbow Road" from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Nintendo Music
List of Super Mario appearancesEdit
GamesEdit
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Super Mario Kart | Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 1992 | Original | "Rainbow Road"[1] | Soyo Oka |
| Mario Kart 64 | Nintendo 64 | 1996 | Arrangement | "Rainbow Road"[7] | Kenta Nagata |
| Mario Kart: Super Circuit | Game Boy Advance | 2001 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart: Double Dash!! | Nintendo GameCube | 2003 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart DS | Nintendo DS | 2005 | Arrangement | Shinobu Nagata | |
| Mario Kart Wii | Wii | 2008 | Arrangement | 「レインボーロード」 (Reinbō Rōdo)[8] | |
| Mario Kart 7 | Nintendo 3DS | 2011 | Arrangement | "Rainbow Road"[1] | |
| Arrangement | "SNES Rainbow Road"[1] | ||||
| Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games | Wii U | 2013 | Arrangement | "Rainbow Road" | |
| NES Remix 2 | Wii U | 2014 | Arrangement | ||
| Mario Kart 8 | Wii U | 2014 | Arrangement | "Rainbow Road"[3] | Shiho Fujii |
| 20141 | "SNES Rainbow Road"[3] | Atsuko Asahi | |||
| Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS | Nintendo 3DS | 2014 | Arrangement | "Rainbow Road Medley" | Ryo Watanabe |
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)" | ||||
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)" | |
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 8)" | Shiho Fujii | |||
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | "Rainbow Road (Mario Kart 7)" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Rainbow Road Medley" | Ryo Watanabe | |||
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Nintendo Switch | 2017 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "Rainbow Road"[3] | Shiho Fujii |
| "SNES Rainbow Road"[3] | Atsuko Asahi | ||||
| 20222 | Arrangement | "3DS Rainbow Road"[1] | |||
| 20233 | Arrangement | "Wii Rainbow Road"[1] | |||
| WarioWare Gold | Nintendo 3DS | 2018 | Original | ||
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) | "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart: Double Dash!!" | |
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 7" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "Rainbow Road - Mario Kart 8" | ||||
| Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS) | "Rainbow Road Medley" | Ryo Watanabe | |||
| Mario Kart Tour | iOS, Android | 2019 | Arrangement | ||
| 20194 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | ||||
| 20195 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 7) | ||||
| 20236 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart Wii) | 「レインボーロード」 (Reinbō Rōdo) | |||
| Mario Kart World | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement |
1 - Added in The Legend of Zelda × Mario Kart 8 DLC on November 13, 2014
2 - Added in Wave 3 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass on December 7, 2022
3 - Added in Wave 6 of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass on November 9, 2023
4 - Added in the Tokyo Tour on October 8, 2019
5 - Added in the 2019 Holiday Tour on December 17, 2019
6 - Added in the 2023 Space Tour on January 10, 2023
Film and televisionEdit
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | Arrangement | "Buckle Up" | Brian Tyler |
AlbumsEdit
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack | 2011 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart Wii) | ||
| Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack | 2015 | Past arrangement (Mario Kart 8) | "Rainbow Road" | Shiho Fujii |
| "SNES Rainbow Road" | Atsuko Asahi | |||
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | 2023 | Past arrangement (The Super Mario Bros. Movie) | "Buckle Up" | Brian Tyler |
Names in other languagesEdit
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | レインボーロード[?] Reinbō Rōdo |
Rainbow Road | |
| Chinese (simplified) | 彩虹之路[?] Cǎihóng zhī Lù (Mandarin) |
Rainbow Road | |
| 彩虹桥[?] Cǎihóng Qiáo (Mandarin) |
Rainbow Bridge | Mario Kart 7, Mario Kart: Super Circuit prototype | |
| Chinese (traditional) | 彩虹之路[?] Cǎihóng zhī Lù (Mandarin) |
Rainbow Road | |
| Dutch | Regenboogbaan[?] | Rainbow Track | |
| French (NOA) | Route arc-en-ciel[?] | Rainbow Road | |
| French (NOE) | Route Arc-en-ciel[?] | Rainbow Road | |
| German | Regenbogen-Boulevard[?] | Rainbow Boulevard | |
| Italian | Pista Arcobaleno[?] | Rainbow Track | |
| Korean | 무지개 로드[?] Mujigae Rodeu |
Raindow Road | |
| Portuguese (NOA) | Avenida Arco-íris[?] | Rainbow Avenue | |
| Portuguese (NOE) | Estrada Arco-Íris[?] | Rainbow Road | |
| Russian | Трасса Радуга[?] Trassa Raduga |
Rainbow Track | |
| Spanish | Senda Arco Iris[?] | Rainbow Trail |
NotesEdit
- 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 Super Mario Kart. "Rainbow Road" shares this title with "Super Mario Kart Title Screen" and "Mario Circuit."
- This is the only Super Mario Kart course theme to never be directly reused in later Mario Kart games.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Nintendo Music
- ^ a b c d e f g h i 8-bit Music Theory (March 20, 2018). The Musical Evolution of Rainbow Road. YouTube (English). Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Mario Kart 8 Original Soundtrack
- ^ Nintendo of America (November 1, 2023). Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Booster Course Pass Wave 6 - Course Overview. YouTube (American English). Retrieved November 1, 2023.
- ^ Cadence Hira (July 15, 2025). The SECRETS that make Mario Kart World Rainbow Road a MASTERPIECE. YouTube (English). Retrieved July 16, 2025.
- ^ August 27, 2023. Post by Supper Mario Broth. suppermariobroth.com (English). Retrieved August 27, 2023. (Archived August 27, 2023, 14:24:58 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^ Mario Kart 64 Race Tracks
- ^ Mario Kart Wii Platinum Soundtrack