Rainbow Road (Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS)

The stage.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS includes a battle stage titled Rainbow Road (レインボーロード). Although it's based on the famous Mario Kart series of tracks, this version is not for racing, but high-carnage melee.

Rainbow Road from Mario Kart 7 directly influenced this stage's design. Several key locations from the map are used as 2D brawling platforms.

Stage Layout

It's a cruise stage in Super Smash Bros. where there's a fixed platform that rapidly zips through the entire track, stopping at points along the way (sort of like Delfino Plaza an Halberd from Super Smash Bros. Brawl.)

The primary platform is a long rectangular piece that glows with an assortment of colors. The outer edges alternate from yellow to violet. There is really not much to see on the platform besides bloodshed, the stops are what makes the course.

Beep Beep

The Shy Guys return from Brawl to wreak more havoc upon the battle stage. Again, they solely use Standard Karts, and when these shy guys run into a player, they go flying. There is also a warning before they come to run into you with their karts.

If a combatant is left behind or is cast down from Rainbow Road, they erupt into a pillar of fire for punishment.

Destinations

Mario, Kirby, and Samus inside the rotating rainbow tunnel.

Here are the fixed locations that this cruise stage makes a pit stop by. They are notable features of the real Nintendo 3DS Rainbow Road.

• Near the huge Saturn-like planet. The rings are not accessible, but ascending platforms allow for more acrobatic action.
• The bouncing white mushroom is the second stop, but it doesn't bounce anymore.
• The vibrating, holed section of track right before the crater filled moon. Its vibe is gone.
• Next, the cratered moon (don't worry, the Chain Chomps are gone) with a few small inclines comes up.
• Players also stop inside the huge cylindrical roadway, in which a rotating red strip can carry fighters into a fiery explosion.
• Finally, the dangerous Glider section is accessible, with a few holes and ramps. Shy Guys are still a nuisance here with their damn Gliders.

Trivia!

The official Rainbow Road trophy from Super Smash Bros..

• This is the second Mario Kart course to be featured on a Smash Bros. games, the first of which was Mario Circuit from Super Smash Bros. Brawl (now titled Figure-8 Circuit).
• A few minor differences from the original track are:
  • Boost Pads/Glider Ramps are missing.
    • Yet somehow, the Shy Guys are able to access their Gliders...
  • The mushroom and broken road don't bounce anymore.
  • The rings of Saturn are missing their deadly holes.
• A trophy commemorating the track can be obtained and viewed in the Trophy Hoard.
• Rainbow Road has two soundtracks to play from, the original piece from Mario Kart 7, and then a special "Rainbow Road Medley".
• This is the only Mario Kart-themed Super Smash Bros. stage to not return in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Gallery

Pikachu and Mario have at it on the platform.

King Dedede vs. Rosalina vs. Yoshi near the rings of Saturn.

Another Shy Guy drive-by, rhyme intended, on the Bouncy Mushroom.

The Glider portion of Rainbow Road.