Roller Coaster Reviews

More Past Roller Coaster Reviews

Raging Bull
Six Flags Great America
Born: 1999
Drop: 208′
Speed: 73 mph
Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Hyper Coaster
Review: Raging Bull’s a Bolliger & Mabillard hypercoaster from the same designers of the popular Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure and Apollo’s Chariot at Busch Gardens Europe. So I was excited when I arrived at Great America on a dreary day in 2006 …read more>>> Final Rating – 8.0 (Great)

Slippery When Wet
Hard Rock Park
Born: 2008
Make & Model: Premier Suspended Coaster
Review: In the heart of Hard Rock Park lies one the park’s few attractions that incorporate water. Slippery When Wet (likely named after the Bon Jovi album) is a suspended coaster designed by Premier Rides…read more>>>
Final Rating – 6.0 (Above Average)

Cyclone
Six Flags New England
Born: 1983
Height: 112′
Speed: 45 mph
Make & Model: William & Cobb Wooden Coaster
Review: Cyclone takes the cake. My first and hopefully last ‘1’. Six Flags New England has the honor of being home to what many consider the Best Coaster on the Planet. On the other end of the spectrum, Cyclone is there too. Unfortunately, I really can’t think of ANY positives for this ride …read more>>>
Final Rating – 1.0 (Demolish)

Batman – Dark Knight
Six Flags New England
Born: 2002
Speed: 55 mph
Make & Model: B&M Floorless Coaster
Review: Batman The Dark Knight was a floorless roller coaster with open cars. It had a mostly smooth ride, some decent theming, and a nice looking station. My favorite inversion, the zero-g roll, …read more>>>
Rating: – 7.0 (Good)

Italian Job: Stunt Track
Kings Island
Born: 2005
Speed: 40 mph
Make & Model: Premier Rides Launch Coaster
Review: The most noteworthy thing about the Italian Job coasters are the Mini Cooper themed trains. They’re straight from the ride’s namesake, the 2003 movie. With the aforementioned movie theme and en vogue Minis, right away Italian Job is the opposite of a timeless classic. …read more>>>
Final Rating – 6.5 (Above Average)

Chang
Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom
Born: 1997
Drop: 144′
Speed:63 mph
Inversions: 5 (Vertical Loop, Dive Loop, Inclined Loop, 2 Corkscrews)
Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Stand-Up Coaster
Review: Chang is an exception in more ways than one. It’s a stand-up roller coaster at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. That should be two big strikes against it. Stand-up coasters have a history of …read more>>>
Final Rating – 8.0 (Great)

Wildcat
Hersheypark
Born: 1996
Drop: 85′
Speed: 50 mph
Make & Model: Great Coasters International Wooden Twister Coaster
Review: Coaster enthusiasts often fall into two camps. Those who can excuse a rough ride on a wooden coaster and those who can’t. I’m in the latter camp. I don’t mind being thrown around a bit, but Wildcat just down right hurt. …read more>>>
Final Rating – 3.5 (Bad Approaching Below Average)

Great American Scream Machine
Six Flags Great Adventure
Born: 1989
Drop: 155′
Speed: 68 mph
Inversions: 7 (3 Vertical Loops, Boomerang(2), Double Corkscrews (2))
Make & Model: Arrow Looping Coaster
Review: Great American Scream Machine is an aging, old steel coaster at the New Jersey Six Flags. Not to be confused with the wooden coaster by the same name…read more>>>
Final Rating – 4.0 (Below Average)

Great Bear
Hersheypark
Born: 1998
Drop: 124′
Speed: 58 mph
Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Immelman, Zero-G Roll, Corkscrew)
Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Inverted Coaster
Review: I rode the Great Bear for the first time about 4 years ago. I hadn’t been on a a lot of B&M inverted roller coasters and I’m sure I was comparing it to its big brother Alpengeist…read more>>
Final Rating – 8.0 (Great)

Flight of Fear
Kings Dominion
Born: 1996
Speed: 54 mph
Inversions 4 (Cobra Roll, Roll Over, Corkscrew)
Make & Model: Premier Launch Coaster
Claim to Fame: First roller coaster in the world to utilize linear induction motors (LIMs) to launch trains.
Review: You can’t tell what you’re in for as you walk up to the Area 54-esque military testing facility that houses Flight of Fear…read more>>
Final Rating – 7.5 (Good-Approaching Great)

Shockwave
Kings Dominion
Born: 1986
Height: 95′
Speed: 50 mph
Inversions: 1 Vertical Loop
Make & Model: Togo Stand Up Coaster
Review: Shockwave probably should’ve been scrapped long ago. It’s got a decent first half, but I don’t think park-goers would shed any tears if it was removed…read more>>>
Final Rating – 3.5 (Bad Approaching Below Average)

Anaconda
Kings Dominion
Born: 1991
Drop: 144′
Speed: 50 mph
Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Sidewinder, Double Corkscrew)
Make & Model: Arrow Looping Coaster
Claim to Fame: 126′ underwater tunnel
Review: Does a 14-story drop to an underwater tunnel sound like fun? The Anaconda at Kings Dominion is a steel coaster with some pretty unique elements. It rises high above a pond (that used to be the much larger Lake Charles) before dropping 144 feet into an underwater tunnel…read more>>
Final Rating – 6.5 (Better than Average-Approaching Good)

Mr. Six’s Pandemonium
Six Flags New England
Born: 2005
Make & Model: Gerstlauer Spinning Coaster
Review: Mr. Six is much more than a wild mouse coaster with spinning cars like I thought it was going to be. I made the long haul to Mass. solo so I wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of waiting in line for 45 minutes to ride with a bunch of strangers. Then, I noticed a single rider’s line with virtually no wait. So I walked onto the ride…read more>>
Final Rating – 8.5 (Great-Approaching Excellent)

Mantis
Cedar Point
Born: 1996
Drop: 137′
Speed: 60 mph
Inversions: 4 (Vertical Loop, Dive Loop, Inclined Loop, Corkscrew)
Make & Model: Bolliger & Mabillard Stand-Up Coaster
Review: I never thought I’d see the day I would give a Bolliger & Mabillard designed coaster such a low rating. I like, if not love, all of their installations. Their roller coasters offer the smoothest rides while still delivering thrilling and innovative maneuvers. Well, now I have to say that I love “almost all” of their coasters…read more>>
Final Rating – 4.0 (Below Average)

Hypersonic XLC
Kings Dominion
Born: 2001
Drop: 133′
Speed: 80 mph
Make & Model: S&S Thrust Air Coaster
Claim to Fame: First compressed air launch coaster, 0 – 80 mph in 1.8 seconds, 90-degree drop
Review: With a compressed air launch that takes riders from 0 to 80 mph in less than 2 seconds and a 90-degree vertical climb and descent, you would think that Kings Dominion would have a winner…read more>>
Final Rating – 6.0 (Above Average)

Superman – Ride of Steel
Six Flags America
Born: 2000
Drop: 205′
Speed: 73 mph
Make & Model: Intamin Hyper Coaster
Review: This is by far the most ho-hum hyper coaster around. As coasters go, it’s not a complete failure, but compared to other hyper coasters it’s in the back of the class. The fact that this Superman at Six Flags America (near Washington D.C.) is even made by the same designers that built a masterpiece in another Superman: Ride of Steel located at Six Flags New England is baffling to me…read more>>
Final Rating – 7.0 (Good)

Mean Streak
Cedar Point
Born: 1991
Drop: 155′
Speed: 65 mph
Make & Model: Curtis Summers Wooden Coaster
Final Rating – 5.0 (Average)

Steel Force
Dorney Park
Born: 1997
Drop: 205′
Speed: 75 mph
Make & Model: Morgan Hyper Coaster
Final Rating – 7.5 (Good-Approaching Great)

Predator
Darien Lake
Born: 1990
Height: 95′
Speed: 50 mph
Make & Model: Curtis Summers Wooden Coaster
Final Rating – 2.0 (Horrible)