Mario Kart World: Unlocking Rainbow Road

As teased in the Mario Kart World Direct, Rainbow Road makes a mysterious return — but not in the way you might expect. At the 4:59 mark of the showcase, the narrator drops a subtle clue: “Rumour has it that a certain colourful course will appear,” right as a glowing object shoots into the sky. That brief moment confirms what long-time fans suspected — the Road is back, but this time it’s hidden behind a clear progression wall.

Here’s how to unlock it in Mario Kart World.

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Unlocking Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World

Complete the seven cups to access the Special Cup (Image via Nintendo/ Youtube@/TheBitBlock)

To unlock it, you first need to unlock the Special Cup in Grand Prix mode. This cup becomes available only after you’ve completed all seven other cups in the game. It doesn’t matter which engine class (50cc, 100cc, etc.) you use or whether you win — just finishing each cup is enough.

Here are the seven cups you must complete:

• Mushroom Cup
• Flower Cup
• Star Cup
• Shell Cup
• Banana Cup
• Leaf Cup
• Lightning Cup

Once all these are done, the Special Cup becomes available. Rainbow Road is the last track in that cup. Here's the full Special Cup track list:

1. Acorn Heights
2. Mario Circuit
3. Peach Stadium
4. Rainbow Road

How to replay

After unlocking the Road, you can replay it by selecting the Special Cup again in Grand Prix mode. You can also access it through VS Race mode, where you can pick the Road directly without running the full cup.

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Can Rainbow Road show up online?

Yes, it can appear during online races — but it’s random. When voting for a track, the game gives you three options. If the Road is one of them, select it. If it doesn’t appear, your best option is to vote “Random.” This can occasionally select tracks that weren’t shown initially, including Rainbow Road. However, note that the latter method is not guaranteed for success.

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Check out more articles on the game and Nintendo:

• All confirmed Mario Kart World tracks and cups so far
• Nintendo Switch 2 Error Code 2813-0171 in Mario Kart World: Possible reason and potential fixes
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• 5 games you should consider buying for Nintendo Switch 2 at launch
• Will Switch controllers work on Nintendo Switch 2?
• Is it worth buying Hogwarts Legacy on the Nintendo Switch 2?
• How to transfer data from Nintendo Switch to Switch 2