Rainbow Road

Rainbow Road is the final track in the Special Cup in all games of the Mario Kart series. The track is rainbow-colored and the course is suspended in space. It is well known for being one of the most surreal and toughest tracks to master, since most of the Rainbow Road tracks have no rails.

Super Mario Kart
The first Rainbow Road had no rails at all and contained 90-degree turns. The rainbow coloring is made of tiles, due to the limited graphical capabilities of the SNES. Flashing Thwomps serve as obstacles.

Mario Kart 64
This version of Rainbow Road contains rails throughout the course and roving Chain Chomps, which are half above the track, half below it, and follow the track reverse. There are neon-light pictures of characters in the distance, and a huge drop just after the start line. A carefully timed jump at the beginning could be used as a huge shortcut. It is the longest course in the series at two minutes a lap, or 2000 game meters.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit


In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Rainbow Road has rails at the start line. Edges of the course are lined with bounce-jumps, and astute racers can use Mushrooms for significant shortcuts. This game also features the Rainbow Road course from Super Mario Kart, but without the flashing Thwomps.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Dash Panels give a boost of speed to the racers in the Mario Kart: Double Dash!! version of Rainbow Road. This version of Rainbow Road also has rails in parts of the course. It features a helix and a pipe that shoots players to the highest point of the track after reaching the very bottom. It also contains floating sculptures of items, and rains stars that racers can pick up. It has the most pearl-like colors of all the Rainbow Roads. Additionally, the entire course is placed high above a city. The city it floats over could be Mushroom City because of the design of some of the buildings. When in split screen mode, the city and the item sculptures are removed.

Mario Kart DS
The Rainbow Road of Mario Kart DS has several rails and includes a loop and corkscrew. Those elements may have been added to ensure challenge; players can place items so their opponents fall off the corkscrew or loop. Also, the coloring is different from the other Rainbow Roads: here, the stripes on the track follow the track, instead of crossing it.

Mario Kart Wii
Rainbow Road will return in Mario Kart Wii, however not much is known about it.

Mario Kart Arcade GP
This game is notable for having two new Rainbow Road themed tracks, Rainbow Coaster and Rainbow Downhill. Rainbow Coaster for instance, gives a very rollercoaster-like experience, much like the Mario Kart DS Rainbow Road. It also features a teleporter mid-stage. However the difficulty level of these courses are much lower than the other Rainbow Roads, even in the sections without walls.

Mario Kart Arcade GP 2 has the same tracks as its predecessor, but no coins at the Jumping Shortcut.

Mario Hoops 3 on 3
Rainbow Road is the unlockable third dribble race from the "challenges" section in the basketball game Mario Hoops 3 on 3. However, this Rainbow Road floats above the clouds and around a clock tower, and not much of the course is fully seen when playing. Podoboos and Bombs come out of holes similar to Bowser Castle.

Trivia

 * F-Zero X has a track named Rainbow Road. It imitates the Mario Kart 64 version of the Rainbow Road, having the same map of the track, and following it basically. It is described as a "Psychedelic Experience". Parts, though not all of it, are rainbow-colored. Unlike the original, it has no barriers in certain areas, and the neon Mario series decor is missing - instead, it just has a plain black background with a watery blue bottom to which careless drivers may fall.
 * Sonic R has a stage named "Radiant Emerald", which is obviously inspired by Rainbow Road, as both courses take place in outer space and are filled with Rainbow-colored flashing lights.
 * Rainbow Road's Mario Kart: Double Dash!! music track reappears as a song for the Mario Circuit stage of Super Smash Bros. Brawl.