Summary
- Most Mario Kart courses have recurring traditions from mechanics to tracks.
- The best Rainbow Roads are iconic for their design and treacherous beauty.
- Notable Rainbow Roads include those from Super Mario Kart, Double Dash!!, and DS.
Mario Kart is one of the most entertaining spin-offs created by Nintendo, and while its frenetic gameplay and large roster of characters are iconic elements, the Rainbow Road is also a special moment for players. The difficult turns, the unique scenery each track offers, and the soundtrack ensure these courses always sit among the best races found in the franchise.
Mario Kart: 8 Biggest Traditions In The Series
Every Mario Kart will be familiar with these recurring mechanics, systems, and tracks that show up in most titles.
Therefore, the best Rainbow Roads in Mario Kart are those with the strongest designs of a coloured highway lost in space, where a small mistake can make racers lose many positions. This treacherous beauty forms part of the traditions that make the track so iconic and beloved, always delivering some of the very finest experiences the games can consistently provide.
Only the Rainbow Roads from mainline Mario Kart games will be considered.
9 Super Mario Kart
The Simple And Iconic Origin Of The Franchise
Super Mario Kart
- Released
- September 1, 1992
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone
- Genre(s)
- Racing
The original Super Mario Kart Rainbow Road is remembered for its brutal simplicity, a direct result of the strict technical limits of its time. Featuring flat 2D graphics and almost no guardrails, the layout relied on sharp right-angled corners where any mistake sent racers tumbling into space, instantly making the track extraordinarily challenging and globally iconic from the moment it debuted.
This unintended simplicity became the main strength of the SNES Rainbow Road, establishing a legendary reputation that future entries preserved. The Mario Kart 8 Deluxe remake added modern touches, such as Thwomps that create improvised ramps, yet it kept the challenging, nostalgic essence intact, reinforcing the lasting impact of a design that appears basic but remains unforgettable to this day.
8 Mario Kart: Super Circuit
An Impressive Technical Feat
Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Released
- August 11, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone: Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Simulated Gambling
- Genre(s)
- Racing
In Mario Kart: Super Circuit, the Rainbow Road proved that even with limited hardware, a visually striking and mechanically inventive experience was possible. Falling stars streak across the course and thunderclouds that shrink racers add a unique dynamic, enhanced by the distant Bowser's Castle backdrop lifted straight from Paper Mario, creating a surprisingly rich combination for a handheld gaming device.
Despite the technical restrictions of the Game Boy Advance, the developers skillfully exploited its limits, turning punishing ramped edges into a classic risk-and-reward mechanic. While the track's geometry remained relatively simple because the system could not draw complex shapes, creative interaction between obstacles and mechanics made the course memorable, proving that smart, resourceful solutions can overcome technical constraints even today.
7 Mario Kart DS
One Of The Series' Boldest Designs
Mario Kart DS
- Released
- November 14, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
The ultimate Mario Kart race is On!
With three ways to play, Mario Kart has never been better!
Win cups solo-style, battle wireless buddies, or take on pals anywhere in the world over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection!
- Total shell-tossing mayhem! Frantic speed, crazy new items, multiple karts per character, and an all-new mission mode make this a Mario Kart fan's dream!
- Over 30 courses! Tour brand-new tracks and battle arenas, as well as favorite courses from every Mario Kart game in the series!
- Race your friends over the internet with up to 4 karts at once or have
8-player free-for-alls with one Game Card using local wireless!
- ESRB
- E
- Genre(s)
- Racing
Although the Nintendo DS featured noticeably weaker hardware than home consoles, the Rainbow Road crafted for Mario Kart DS stands as one of the boldest in the franchise. Packed with tight bends and multiple vertical loops that racers must negotiate, the layout delivers a roller-coaster vibe throughout the run, amplifying excitement every lap for handheld racing fans everywhere since 2005.
Moreover, despite the platform’s limitations, the Mario Kart DS Rainbow Road offered everything the course type demands, namely precise cornering and a thrilling sense of speed. Consequently, even under strict constraints, the developers produced one of the series’ finest layouts, demonstrating remarkable ingenuity and balance that still impresses competitive players and speedrunners who revisit the handheld entry nearly twenty years later.
6 Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
Game Mechanics Synergised Perfectly With The Track
Mario Kart: Double Dash
- Released
- November 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Racing
The Rainbow Road in Mario Kart: Double Dash!! Is remembered for its distinctive visual structure, featuring spirals and a cannon that fired competitors into new track segments, and for the way the co-driver system and exclusive items raised the overall challenge. In narrow stretches, a well-timed item could swing the entire race, demanding precision and mastery from the most skilled players.
Mario Kart World: 6 Best Changes From Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Despite being part of the same series, Mario Kart World introduces some key changes from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe that enhance the overall experience.
Beyond its visual ambition, the course signalled an evolutionary step for Rainbow Road design, blending a tangible three-dimensional scale with item interactions that influenced every corner to craft a singular experience. Backed by a vibrant backdrop, a memorable soundtrack, and chaotic gameplay, it emerged as the most complex version to date, a clear example of mechanical innovation and track design advancing side by side within the franchise.
5 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Offers The Best Rainbow Road Concepts
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Released
- April 27, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Racing
One of the main features added in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe was the antigravity mechanic, which lets racers drive along new sections of each track, including walls and ceiling panels. The design team applied that mechanic to its Rainbow Road, using it to demonstrate the system’s potential and the fresh possibilities it brings to gameplay, all while placing the action inside a track built to resemble an orbiting space station.
By doing so, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe moved slightly away from the series’ usual cosmic motif and offered a far more futuristic atmosphere than earlier versions. At the same time, this course presents a respectable difficulty curve, packing narrow bends and trackside hazards that can punish newcomers, while a well-timed item drop amid the chaos can still trouble even seasoned rivals fighting for a podium finish.
4 Mario Kart 64
One Of The Franchise’s Most Classic Rainbow Roads
Mario Kart 64
- Released
- December 14, 1996
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Racing
Although the earliest Mario Kart titles lacked the layered mechanics seen in later entries, they established the franchise’s core hallmarks. The Nintendo 64 release introduced full 3D graphics and made a significant leap in track scale over the Super NES original, turning its Rainbow Road into one of the game’s defining elements and a benchmark for subsequent versions within the racing genre.
Notably, the track exists in two forms: the original Nintendo 64 build carried a strong atmosphere and memorable score but earned a reputation for excessive length. When the course returned in Mario Kart 8, designers retained the nostalgic visuals while trimming distance and tightening turns, correcting the earlier pacing issues and ultimately crafting a rendition that is even more enjoyable to race today.
3 Mario Kart Wii
Inspired By Super Mario Galaxy
Mario Kart Wii
- Released
- April 27, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- E For Everyone due to Comic Mischief
- Genre(s)
- Racing
Among the three-dimensional Super Mario adventures, Super Mario Galaxy stands out as one of Nintendo’s finest achievements, and the Rainbow Road fashioned for Mario Kart Wii channels that same spirit of spectacle. The course delivers everything a final track should provide, pairing dazzling visuals with a layout that punishes every misjudged drift or boost, demanding sharp reflexes from any racer hoping to maintain momentum through its sweeping curves.
Consequently, this version sits a notch above most Rainbow Roads in pure challenge without crossing into frustration, rewarding practice rather than punishing perseverance. Learning to read its blind corners and escape its gravity-light drops becomes especially thrilling when twelve competing karts and a barrage of items threaten any carefully plotted racing line at every stage of the three-lap gauntlet.
2 Mario Kart World
One Of The Franchise’s Best Rainbow Road Designs
Mario Kart World
- Released
- June 5, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Everyone // Mild Fantasy Violence, Users Interact
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
Although the Mario Kart World course does not formally carry the Rainbow Road name and remains hidden beyond Peach Stadium, it appears in the Nintendo Switch 2 racer and boasts one of the series’ most ambitious layouts. The widened roadway suggests fewer falls, yet a grid of twenty-four players sprinting for first place transforms every hairpin, boost pad, and aerial segment into a corridor of spectacular chaos.
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Purely on artistic direction, the Mario Kart World version ranks among the most visually striking tracks Nintendo has ever produced, sending racers through distinct zones as they glide from platform to platform. A soaring orchestral theme underlines each transition, matching the broader soundtrack’s high standard and reinforcing the sense of a grand tour that links dazzling vistas, dynamic lighting, and subtle particle effects into a cohesive and unforgettable finale.
1 Mario Kart 7
The Best Rainbow Road In Mario Kart
Mario Kart 7
- Released
- December 1, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Action
What makes the Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 7 exceptional is that each lap unfolds as a fresh segment rather than a literal repeat of the previous circuit. While battling for the lead, players tear through traditional rainbow road, skid across a low-gravity lunar surface, and dodge debris around free-floating asteroids, all within the space of a single, meticulously sequenced course that never feels static.
This three-act journey that closes the Special Cup delivers one of the franchise’s finest experiences precisely because of its creative pacing and scenic diversity. Yet, despite the spectacle, the course’s difficulty remains moderate compared to harsher iterations, allowing its lush starry backdrop, richly coloured track panels, and playful planet-side segments to shine without overwhelming those intent on mastering every final-cup shortcut.
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