Hidden behind seven cups and countless banana peels, Rainbow Road-the most legendary track in Mario Kart history-won’t appear until you’ve crossed the finish line on every Grand Prix circuit in Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2. Here’s how to unlock the gateway to this dazzling, cosmic racecourse and experience every twist and turn the Special Cup has to offer.
Below, you find all you need to know to unlock the Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World.
How to unlock the Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World
To unlock Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2, you must complete all seven Grand Prix cups in any order and with any placement-there is no need to win or finish on the podium, and the difficulty (CC) does not matter. Once you have finished the Mushroom, Flower, Star, Shell, Banana, Leaf, and Lightning Cups, the game will unlock the hidden Special Cup, which includes Rainbow Road as its final track. This unlock is permanent, and you will receive an in-game notification or cutscene confirming access to the Special Cup and Rainbow Road.
The Rainbow Road becomes available only after you have unlocked the Special Cup in the Grand Prix mode. It appears as an option for you after completing all the other seven cups. Here’s a list of all cups you need to finish:
- Mushroom Cup
- Flower Cup
- Star Cup
- Shell Cup
- Banana Cup
- Leaf Cup
- Lightning Cup
It doesn’t matter what CC you play the cup on, and it doesn’t matter if you even place in the race. You just need to play each cup.
Like the other cups, the Special Cup has four tracks: Acorn Heights, Mario Circuit, Peach Stadium, with Rainbow Road being the last one.
How to play Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World
To play Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World, you first need to unlock the Special Cup by completing all seven of the initial Grand Prix cups: Mushroom, Flower, Star, Shell, Banana, Leaf, and Lightning. It does not matter what CC level you race on or your finishing position in these cups; simply finishing each cup grants access to the Special Cup. Once unlocked, Rainbow Road is the final track in this Hidden Special Cup, allowing you to experience the iconic and vibrant course. After unlocking, you can replay Rainbow Road anytime through the Grand Prix Special Cup or in VS Race mode.
Once you have raced through Rainbow Road once and beat the Special Cup, you might want to give the course another try. We have tested and can confirm that you can enjoy this track by replaying the Special Cup in the Grand Prix mode or selecting it in VS Race mode.
According to some Reddit users, Rainbow Road can also appear in online play if you’re lucky. In online races, you can vote for one between three tracks randomly selected by the game, or you can pick “random.” If Rainbow Road comes among the first options, you can just select that – but the track may not be picked, since the game chooses randomly from what the players voted for.
If you are really burning to race Rainbow Road in an online lobby, your best bet is to vote “random” if Rainbow Road doesn’t come up as an actual option, since this can roll maps that weren’t among the initial voting options.
Did you just get a Nintendo Switch 2? Are you trying to unlock every character and outfit in Mario Kart World? Or maybe you’re trying out The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the first time and you need a walkthrough for those pesky stoplights in the Forsaken Fortress? Either way, we have your back when it comes to helping you sort stuff out.
We have guides explaining how to set up your console (moving data from your original Switch to your Switch 2) as well as guides for things like getting external storage sorted out.
What secret steps unlock Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World
Unlocking Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World requires completing a specific but straightforward set of steps-there are no hidden tricks, but you must finish every initial Grand Prix Cup to access it.
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Complete all seven Grand Prix Cups: These are Mushroom, Flower, Star, Shell, Banana, Leaf, and Lightning. You do not need to win first place; simply finishing each cup is enough.
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Podium finishes not always required: Most guides state just finishing is sufficient, though a few mention needing a top-three (podium) placement-bronze or higher-in each cup. The majority confirm even last place counts, as long as the cup is completed.
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Unlock the Special Cup: Once you finish all seven cups, a cutscene will trigger and the Special Cup will appear in the Grand Prix menu.
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Rainbow Road is the last track: Inside the Special Cup, complete preceding courses (Acorn Heights, Mario Circuit, Peach Stadium), and then you can race on Rainbow Road itself.
There are no cheat codes or hidden button presses for Rainbow Road-the “secret” is simply persistence through every circuit, regardless of skill level. Rainbow Road then becomes available in all modes, including free roam if you want to practice.
Caveat: Some sources mention needing a podium finish (top three), but most authoritative guides confirm finishing the races is enough. If you want to be sure, aim for at least third place in each cup.
What are the specific requirements needed to unlock Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World
To unlock Rainbow Road in Mario Kart World, you must meet the following specific requirements:
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Complete all seven Grand Prix Cups: Mushroom, Flower, Star, Shell, Banana, Leaf, and Lightning. This means finishing every race in each of these 28 tracks.
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No placement requirement: It does not matter what position you finish-last place is acceptable. You do not need to win or earn a podium placement in the cups.
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CC class does not matter: You can race at any CC (difficulty)-50CC, 100CC, 150CC, etc.-and still qualify.
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Unlock the Special Cup: Completing the seven cups triggers a cutscene and unlocks the Special Cup, which contains four tracks: Acorn Heights, Mario Circuit, Peach Stadium, and finally, Rainbow Road.
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Access Rainbow Road: Rainbow Road is the last course in the Special Cup. Completing the prior tracks in the Special Cup enables you to race on Rainbow Road itself.
There are no additional hidden requirements, codes, or multiplayer prerequisites; persistence through all the Grand Prix cups is sufficient. Some video guides and outdated sources mention needing at least a third-place finish, but the most current and authoritative written guides clearly confirm that simply finishing each cup, regardless of placement, unlocks Rainbow Road.
Caveat: In online play, Rainbow Road may appear as a random selection before being officially unlocked, but it won’t unlock the track for your single-player progression.
