Best Rainbow Road?

**Valigarmander** · 01-08-2012, 02:23 AM

Every Mario Kart game to date (excluding the Arcade GP games) features Rainbow Road as the final racetrack. It's usually one of the longest and toughest courses in the game. Today I ask you, which iteration is your favorite? What course did you find the most difficult? The most fun? The most boring? Which one had the best music? Vote in the poll and share your opinions.

Here's a rundown of the tracks:

Super Mario Kart

The first version of Rainbow Road is probably the most difficult, mainly due to the fact that it has no guardrails at all. The course also features 90-degree turns and rainbow Thwomps that will cause you to spin out just by bumping into them. Thankfully, it's pretty short.

Mario Kart 64

This Rainbow Road is almost antipodal to the one from SMK. Instead of being short, intense, and dangerous, it's long, boring, and pretty safe aside from the roving Chain Chomps. On the plus side, it has a lot of pretty visuals, and hands down the best music of any version of the track.

Mario Kart: Super Circuit

This version of the course is a bit more like the original. Most of the stage does not feature guard rails, and sharp turns abound. Falling stars and thunder clouds serve as active threats to the racers. There's also a shortcut or two that can be accessed by using Mushrooms.

Mario Kart: Double Dash!!

The Rainbow Road of Double Dash!! features a lot of curves with few guardrails, and plenty dash panels that can send you careening off the edge of the track if you aren't careful. There's also a pipe that will launch you from the bottom of the course back up to the top.

**Valigarmander** · 01-08-2012, 02:24 AM

Mario Kart DS

Mario Kart DS's Rainbow Road is fairly straightforward for the most part. It's defining features, though, are the loop and corkscrew at the center of the stage. Particularly dickish players can place items in them to cause opponents to fall off.

Mario Kart Wii

This Rainbow Road is a lot like the one from Double Dash!!. The main difference is that this one features different paths that racers can take. Certain parts of the road are wavy, which can be used by racers for a speed boost.

Mario Kart 7

Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 7, like the Wuhu Island courses, is a long stage divided into three segments, and has only one lap instead of three. It's also the only Rainbow Road to feature segments that aren't actually on rainbow road (for example, the rings of a planet or the surface of a moon). Dangers include Chomps, and the usual rail-less edges of doom.

It's quite hard for me to say which Rainbow Road I enjoyed the best. I think I'll go with the one from Mario Kart 64, though. Even though the track itself wasn't very dangerous, and it was long as hell, it was the interactions with the other racers that made it fun. And it sure was pretty.

Dizzy · 01-08-2012, 02:24 AM

I vote Rainbow Road Wii.

Chaos Deviot · 01-08-2012, 02:33 AM

Mario Kart 64, definitely.

**Loot** · 01-08-2012, 02:50 AM

Double Dash's Rainbow Road was pure adrenaline. Plus you could occasionally get Super Stars randomly from the falling stars, which has saved me from at least one Blue Shell.

Auron · 01-08-2012, 03:03 AM

I think I race the best on the Mario Kart Wii version, but I do like the nostalgic value of MK64. Same thing for the music too.

***Marilink*** · 01-08-2012, 09:03 AM

I love love love SNES Rainbow Road. It's my favorite Rainbow Road music, as well.

I, for one, would love to see a Rainbow Cup in the next Mario Kart Game. An all-out 8-course Grand Prix featuring every Rainbow Road to date? Yes please.

Luigiman7 · 01-08-2012, 02:58 PM

first has best music, 64 one is butts

for me it's seven, and the gba one is a close second

Auron · 01-08-2012, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ Blue J

I, for one, would love to see a Rainbow Cup in the next Mario Kart Game. An all-out 8-course Grand Prix featuring every Rainbow Road to date? Yes please.

Funny thing is, I was just playing Mario Kart the other day and I said the same exact thing.

**Loot** · 01-08-2012, 04:25 PM

Funny thing is, I've been hearing rumors of an All-Rainbow Road cup since Mario Kart DS

Spritedude · 01-08-2012, 05:12 PM

I'm gonna vote Mario Kart Wii. It definitely was the most difficult (I love a good challenge), because there were no walls or railings, and it had quite a few tricky jumps and tight turns. My favorite parts are the one where you're going practically straight down, swerving left and right to catch the boosts, and the part where you can use a mushroom to jump those huge circular holes.

Although when I think "Rainbow Road music", the only thing that comes to mind is the Mario Kart 64 version.

**X-3** · 01-08-2012, 05:16 PM

Between the ones I'm familiar with, probably 7.

***Marilink*** · 01-08-2012, 05:34 PM

^^Super Mario Kart's is much harder, IMO. It's much easier in MK7, but in its original game it really is the pinnacle of difficulty.

**Cravdraa** · 01-09-2012, 05:43 AM

It's hard to choose.
The original is one of the toughest and most memorable in the series. Star powered Thwomps? Yes.

I also have a particular fondness for MKSC RR because the entire course was lined with jumps instead of guardrails. Virtually the entire course becomes a short cut. On top of that, it had some highspeed amazing shortcuts you could take even without an item that took near split-second timing to pull off. Sign me up. I also enjoyed the Papermario theme, and the music was pretty unique.

Honestly, DD, DS, and Wii's Rainbow roads all blur together in my memory. They're all good tracks, but pretty similar too.

M64 is probably my least favorite. The visuals were nice, and the music was beautiful but the race was a snore. I'll give it points for the ridiculously huge shortcut you could take by hoping over the wall though. I liked it better when it turned up as a track in F-Zero X's Joker cup.

3DS, I have to give points for originality. Making it one huge track with only one lap gives it a feeling of building towards a climax. Plus it's hard to fault the visuals. Flying from one planet to another, speeding around the rings of a planet, tricking off of crater rims, weaving between asteroids... As far as environments go, it's easily the best, but I'll have to wait a while before I really know how it'll stick with me.

Jere · 01-09-2012, 06:26 AM

For now the Super nintendo track, hard as **** and when you have gone through the first special cup you know that it will be one heck of a ride especally if you finished under 4th in previus races.

Maximum Spider · 01-09-2012, 08:50 AM

SNES Rainbow Road gets my vote for the music alone.

Dizzy · 01-09-2012, 02:55 PM

So after playing the Rainbow Road of MK7, I have changed my vote.

Scarecrow · 01-09-2012, 09:49 PM

I voted Mario Kart Wii. Good times.

Bomby · 01-09-2012, 10:28 PM

The one you go when you die.

View Poll Results: What game had the best Rainbow Road?
Super Mario Kart	3	23.08%
Mario Kart 64	3	23.08%
Mario Kart: Super Circuit	0	0%
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!	0	0%
Mario Kart DS	0	0%
Mario Kart Wii	5	38.46%
Mario Kart 7	2	15.38%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll \| Withdraw Vote

01-08-2012, 02:23 AM	#1
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,701 Times in 2,581 Posts Blog Entries: 20	Best Rainbow Road? Every Mario Kart game to date (excluding the Arcade GP games) features Rainbow Road as the final racetrack. It's usually one of the longest and toughest courses in the game. Today I ask you, which iteration is your favorite? What course did you find the most difficult? The most fun? The most boring? Which one had the best music? Vote in the poll and share your opinions. Here's a rundown of the tracks: *Super Mario Kart* The first version of Rainbow Road is probably the most difficult, mainly due to the fact that it has no guardrails at all. The course also features 90-degree turns and rainbow Thwomps that will cause you to spin out just by bumping into them. Thankfully, it's pretty short. *Mario Kart 64* This Rainbow Road is almost antipodal to the one from SMK. Instead of being short, intense, and dangerous, it's long, boring, and pretty safe aside from the roving Chain Chomps. On the plus side, it has a lot of pretty visuals, and hands down the best music of any version of the track. *Mario Kart: Super Circuit* This version of the course is a bit more like the original. Most of the stage does not feature guard rails, and sharp turns abound. Falling stars and thunder clouds serve as active threats to the racers. There's also a shortcut or two that can be accessed by using Mushrooms. *Mario Kart: Double Dash!!* The Rainbow Road of Double Dash!! features a lot of curves with few guardrails, and plenty dash panels that can send you careening off the edge of the track if you aren't careful. There's also a pipe that will launch you from the bottom of the course back up to the top.

01-08-2012, 02:58 PM	#8
Luigiman7 ヽ(◔ ◡ ◔)ノ.･ﾟ*｡･+☆ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: ~)´◡｀(~ Gender: Posts: 17,605 Thanks: 1,134 Thanked 1,012 Times in 713 Posts Blog Entries: 8	first has best music, 64 one is butts for me it's seven, and the gba one is a close second __________________ ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人＼ＷＯＮ’Ｔ　ＹＯＵ　ＢＥＣＯＭＥ　Ａ　ＭＡＧＩＣＡＬ　ＧＩＲＬ？

01-09-2012, 06:26 AM	#15
Jere Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sutme Gender: Posts: 3,650 Thanks: 404 Thanked 331 Times in 256 Posts Blog Entries: 3	For now the Super nintendo track, hard as **** and when you have gone through the first special cup you know that it will be one heck of a ride especally if you finished under 4th in previus races. __________________ From where it counts: Lapland

01-08-2012, 02:24 AM	#2
Valigarmander The Bee's Knees Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The land of rain and trees (Oregon) Gender: Posts: 29,755 Thanks: 1,649 Thanked 5,701 Times in 2,581 Posts Blog Entries: 20	*Mario Kart DS* Mario Kart DS's Rainbow Road is fairly straightforward for the most part. It's defining features, though, are the loop and corkscrew at the center of the stage. Particularly dickish players can place items in them to cause opponents to fall off. *Mario Kart Wii* This Rainbow Road is a lot like the one from Double Dash!!. The main difference is that this one features different paths that racers can take. Certain parts of the road are wavy, which can be used by racers for a speed boost. *Mario Kart 7* Rainbow Road in Mario Kart 7, like the Wuhu Island courses, is a long stage divided into three segments, and has only one lap instead of three. It's also the only Rainbow Road to feature segments that aren't actually on rainbow road (for example, the rings of a planet or the surface of a moon). Dangers include Chomps, and the usual rail-less edges of doom. It's quite hard for me to say which Rainbow Road I enjoyed the best. I think I'll go with the one from Mario Kart 64, though. Even though the track itself wasn't very dangerous, and it was long as hell, it was the interactions with the other racers that made it fun. And it sure was pretty.

01-08-2012, 02:24 AM	#3
Dizzy Podiaphobe Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Posts: 19,359 Thanks: 1,764 Thanked 1,162 Times in 805 Posts Blog Entries: 116	I vote Rainbow Road Wii.

01-08-2012, 02:33 AM	#4
Chaos Deviot The Betrayer Join Date: May 2004 Location: Mt. Moon Gender: Posts: 1,813 Thanks: 171 Thanked 52 Times in 49 Posts Blog Entries: 1	Mario Kart 64, definitely.

01-08-2012, 02:50 AM	#5
Loot Apparently I'm a mod? Join Date: May 2001 Location: LEGITIMATE BUSINESS Gender: Posts: 13,208 Thanks: 236 Thanked 1,237 Times in 659 Posts	Double Dash's Rainbow Road was pure adrenaline. Plus you could occasionally get Super Stars randomly from the falling stars, which has saved me from at least one Blue Shell.

01-08-2012, 03:03 AM	#6
Auron Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Inside Gender: Posts: 6,743 Thanks: 5 Thanked 325 Times in 198 Posts	I think I race the best on the Mario Kart Wii version, but I do like the nostalgic value of MK64. Same thing for the music too.

01-08-2012, 09:03 AM	#7
*Marilink* Gotta catch 'em all! Supermod! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Location, Location. Gender: Posts: 29,118 Thanks: 2,536 Thanked 1,823 Times in 1,008 Posts	I love love love SNES Rainbow Road. It's my favorite Rainbow Road music, as well. I, for one, would love to see a Rainbow Cup in the next Mario Kart Game. An all-out 8-course Grand Prix featuring every Rainbow Road to date? Yes please.

01-08-2012, 04:25 PM	#10
Loot Apparently I'm a mod? Join Date: May 2001 Location: LEGITIMATE BUSINESS Gender: Posts: 13,208 Thanks: 236 Thanked 1,237 Times in 659 Posts	Funny thing is, I've been hearing rumors of an All-Rainbow Road cup since Mario Kart DS

01-08-2012, 05:12 PM	#11
Spritedude Calibrating... Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Centennial State Gender: Posts: 1,425 Thanks: 70 Thanked 84 Times in 51 Posts	I'm gonna vote Mario Kart Wii. It definitely was the most difficult (I love a good challenge), because there were no walls or railings, and it had quite a few tricky jumps and tight turns. My favorite parts are the one where you're going practically straight down, swerving left and right to catch the boosts, and the part where you can use a mushroom to jump those huge circular holes. Although when I think "Rainbow Road music", the only thing that comes to mind is the Mario Kart 64 version.

01-08-2012, 05:16 PM	#12
X-3 Useful as an Owl Join Date: Jan 2004 Gender: Posts: 15,947 Thanks: 753 Thanked 1,213 Times in 790 Posts Blog Entries: 10	Between the ones I'm familiar with, probably 7.

01-08-2012, 05:34 PM	#13
*Marilink* Gotta catch 'em all! Supermod! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Location, Location. Gender: Posts: 29,118 Thanks: 2,536 Thanked 1,823 Times in 1,008 Posts	^^Super Mario Kart's is much harder, IMO. It's much easier in MK7, but in its original game it really is the pinnacle of difficulty.

01-09-2012, 05:43 AM	#14
Cravdraa VGF RPG Mod Join Date: May 2001 Location: It's Round on the sides and high in the middle. Gender: Posts: 8,470 Thanks: 171 Thanked 662 Times in 404 Posts	It's hard to choose. The original is one of the toughest and most memorable in the series. Star powered Thwomps? Yes. I also have a particular fondness for MKSC RR because the entire course was lined with jumps instead of guardrails. Virtually the entire course becomes a short cut. On top of that, it had some highspeed amazing shortcuts you could take even without an item that took near split-second timing to pull off. Sign me up. I also enjoyed the Papermario theme, and the music was pretty unique. Honestly, DD, DS, and Wii's Rainbow roads all blur together in my memory. They're all good tracks, but pretty similar too. M64 is probably my least favorite. The visuals were nice, and the music was beautiful but the race was a snore. I'll give it points for the ridiculously huge shortcut you could take by hoping over the wall though. I liked it better when it turned up as a track in F-Zero X's Joker cup. 3DS, I have to give points for originality. Making it one huge track with only one lap gives it a feeling of building towards a climax. Plus it's hard to fault the visuals. Flying from one planet to another, speeding around the rings of a planet, tricking off of crater rims, weaving between asteroids... As far as environments go, it's easily the best, but I'll have to wait a while before I really know how it'll stick with me.

01-09-2012, 08:50 AM	#16
Maximum Spider Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: I'll take Street Fighter over Dragonball any day. Gender: Posts: 2,549 Thanks: 0 Thanked 192 Times in 127 Posts	SNES Rainbow Road gets my vote for the music alone.

01-09-2012, 02:55 PM	#17
Dizzy Podiaphobe Join Date: Oct 2007 Gender: Posts: 19,359 Thanks: 1,764 Thanked 1,162 Times in 805 Posts Blog Entries: 116	So after playing the Rainbow Road of MK7, I have changed my vote.

01-09-2012, 09:49 PM	#18
Scarecrow Lost in Cyber-Space Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Someplace you don't need to know Gender: Posts: 902 Thanks: 61 Thanked 58 Times in 45 Posts	I voted Mario Kart Wii. Good times.

01-09-2012, 10:28 PM	#19
Bomby You just freaking blew Joe Biden's mind! Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: WHAT?house Gender: Posts: 19,492 Thanks: 513 Thanked 1,449 Times in 849 Posts Blog Entries: 5	The one you go when you die.