Rainbow Road (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!)

Rainbow Road is the final race course of Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, in the Special Cup and All-Cup Tour. Its staff ghost is Mario and Peach in the Red Fire, the only one in the game that does not use default teams. This is the second Rainbow Road to include Dash Panels, the first being the Mario Kart: Super Circuit rendition, and the first to feature rails in only certain parts of the course. It features a helix and a large pipe that launches drivers to the highest point of the track after reaching the very bottom (a possible precursor to the Launch Star featured in later Rainbow Roads). It also contains giant rainbow floating sculptures of items, and rains stars that racers can pick up. Depending if the mode is in split-screen or not, Rainbow Road takes place either over a city or in deep space. The city located below the course resembles Mushroom City, according to the design of some of the buildings. Although there are no visible clouds in the sky, their reflections can be seen on the track surface.

The music for this course is available in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an alternative music theme for the Mario Circuit stage. The final part of the music is an arrangement of part of the Rainbow Road theme from Mario Kart 64.

Course layout
The track begins just before a ramp with a Dash Panel on it, which sends the player flying into a somewhat straight, downhill section of a track. This part of the track tends to be very bumpy and causes Shells and Eggs to bounce around, which hinders their homing skills. After a slight curve to the right and a straight road, there is a sharp pair of switchbacks, which is followed by another Dash Panel that sends the player flying. The ramp actually leads to a road lower than the previous, both with lengthy Dash Panels on a straight road that leads the player into a helix with multiple Dash Panels on it.

The helix spirals upwards to the left. Dash Panels and Item Boxes are present in this helix. The Dash Panels can help the player speed up, or help the player plummet to their doom until Lakitu saves them. Past the long helix is a bumpy road that is initially straight, but soon begins curving. Shooting stars hit here and become Stars for the player to pick up. Past the wavy road is a curve to the left and a pipe. Any item thrown in the pipe gets destroyed, and players are invincible when blasted up the pipe.

At the end of the pipe, the player falls down and hits another large Dash Panel, sending the player into a long road, also with a lot of smaller Dash Panels that can help or hinder the player. Stars can also spawn here. After this straight road is a ramp with more Dash Panels on it, and it leads the player to a downwards helix. The downwards helix is sharper and shorter than the previous one, and it leads the player to the finish line again, which starts the cycle again.

When the player crosses the finish line, beginning the next lap, Lakitu is shown on the left side of the player, holding the lap count signs.

The official website claims that Rainbow Road is the longest course in the game; this is false, as Wario Colosseum is longer. However, Rainbow Road is a 3-lap track, so it does take longer to finish than Wario Colosseum, which is a 2-lap track.

When playing in split-screen mode, the city and the item sculptures are removed.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

 * North American website bio: "The longest, and most treacherous, course in Mario Kart, Rainbow Road is a wild ride unlike any other. Its hypnotic curves and stomach-turning drops are enough to shake even the steadiest racers."

Trivia

 * This is the first Rainbow Road to have a "glistening" sound effect when a racer is drifting or making a sharp turn. This has become a common feature in Rainbow Roads of subsequent games, including in retro courses.
 * Outside of the skybox, a Heart item model with unfinished textures can be seen.