Mario Kart 8

Here we are. Exactly a year ago to the day, I posted about the first track in Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart Stadium. And now, 365 days later, I’ve reached the 32nd and final track that shipped with Mario Kart 8 when it was first released in 2014. Ostensibly, this is the Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 64, one of the most infamous tracks in Mario Kart history, but in reality, it has been changed so much that it might as well be a completely different course. The original N64 Rainbow Road was revolutionary for its time, but Mario Kart 8 completely revamps its visuals, creating a truly striking and gorgeous track.

The original track featured a colourful glass road that twisted through deep space. But in this version, we’re still within the planetary atmosphere – the track winds through a night sky, with neon lights, vibrant fireworks (in the shapes of various Mario characters), and glowing rails providing illumination. It has an almost carnival-like or festival atmosphere rather than the mysterious cosmic-adventure vibe exuded by most other Rainbow Roads. Below the track, a sprawling, brightly lit coastal city can be seen. If you look closely, you may spot the Princess Peach Statue of Liberty from Toad Harbour, indicating that Rainbow Road N64 takes place above that aforementioned track. In the centre of the city, there is a tower that faintly resembles the Eiffel Tower, with four ‘?’ Blocks, a Mushroom, and a spinning Star visible on top of it. Christmas trees can also be seen scattered throughout the city, hinting that it takes place around the holiday season.

The actual road in Mario Kart 64‘s version of this track was a translucent, kaleidoscopic glass path with star-shaped rails running the entire length of the course. Now, in this heavily remastered version, the road is formed by multicoloured tiles made up of glowing LED lights, and only a few areas – such as around the starting grid and on the outside of some corners – retain their railings. A majestic flying train, glowing in the night sky, follows the player throughout their journey; it is ridden by Toads, who sometimes throw Coins onto the track.

Mario Kart 8 doesn’t just restyle this course’s aesthetics; it also completely reinvents its track design. The longest track in Mario Kart history is no longer a race through the same (somewhat boring) galactic void for three laps, but an entirely new circuit divided into three parts. The road is full of Star Rings that function as boost pads, elevating the speed of the lengthy race. It also retains the Chain Chomp hazard from the original, but whereas they were lodged in the track in the N64 version, here they are bouncing on the road, meaning players have to carefully position themselves to avoid colliding with them in midair.

Since we’ve reached the end of the tracks that shipped with Mario Kart 8 when it was first released, I’m going to be taking a break from my Mario Kart journey. But after Christmas, I’ll be returning to this series to look at the tracks that featured in the game’s two DLC packs – starting with the Egg Cup and GCN Yoshi Circuit.