Top/Favorite Hyper Coasters

[Jpizzle]

If anything over 200 ft-

 

1. Intimidator 305

2. Skyrush

3. Millennium Force

 

If only 200-299 ft-

 

1. Skyrush

2. Superman SFNE

3. Nitro

Edited May 6, 2017 by Jpizzle

[AJK]

Anything over 200 (including drops):

 

1. Millennium Force

2. Top Thrill Dragster

3. Goliath @ SFMM

4. Magnum (Goliath & Magnum are really close)

5. Valravn

6. X2

7. Wicked Twister

 

Strict hyper coaster classifications (200-299 feet):

1. Goliath @ SFMM

2. Magnum

3. Valravn

4. X2

5. Wicked Twister

 

Strict hyper coaster classifications (200-299 feet) that are actually true hyper coaster layouts:

1. Goliath @ SFMM

2. Magnum

 

Strict hyper coaster classifications (200-299 feet) that are actually true hyper coaster layouts after I ride Magnum again this year:

1. Magnum

2. Goliath @ SFMM

[RollerManic]

This thread used to be a lot of fun to read through and see where the traditional, 200ft+ drop, hyper styled rides lined up in people's polls, but now this fluid classification thing is making this thread a little outrageous. Like Wicked twister? You can't be serious. It has absolutely nothing similar to hyper coasters other than being over 200ft. Alpengiest? Again, not similiar (and technically five feet short of the hyper definition).

 

Putting gigas in this is completely unfair because it seems well-accepted that they are simply bigger and badder hyper coasters that are usually received much better, especially by us thrill seekers who adore intensity or insane heights and speeds. How can we compare i305 to any B&M hyper? Of course i305 is going to win 9/10 times (me being one of the one-tenth exceptions.) Its not happenstance that all five gigas usually appear anywhere from the top 5 to top 10 in almost every list they appear in.

 

Even if you don't have many true hyper, it a lot more interesting to read about those you have ridden than trying to artificially inflate your list and decievingly make it lookmore complete.

 

That's just my two-cents. This has been bothering me in this thread. Of course, I wont stop you from continuing this, I just wanted to give my opinion on the matter to see if anyone else feels the same way.

[boldikus]

^ I agree with almost all of that. It was my intention in starting this thread to rate a specific style of ride. People seemed to get it @ first. However I understand its TPR and people are gonna reach.

 

But my main gripe is people just posting a list of coasters, and not talking about what they like about each.

[coasterbill]

This thread used to be a lot of fun to read through and see where the traditional, 200ft+ drop, hyper styled rides lined up in people's polls, but now this fluid classification thing is making this thread a little outrageous. Like Wicked twister? You can't be serious. It has absolutely nothing similar to hyper coasters other than being over 200ft. Alpengiest? Again, not similiar (and technically five feet short of the hyper definition).

 

Just give up and put Wild Eagle as your favorite hyper coaster. Wishing for common sense is really a waste of time. Just roll with it

[DILinator]

This thread used to be a lot of fun to read through and see where the traditional, 200ft+ drop, hyper styled rides lined up in people's polls, but now this fluid classification thing is making this thread a little outrageous. Like Wicked twister? You can't be serious. It has absolutely nothing similar to hyper coasters other than being over 200ft. Alpengiest? Again, not similiar (and technically five feet short of the hyper definition).

 

Just give up and put Wild Eagle as your favorite hyper coaster. Wishing for common sense is really a waste of time. Just roll with it

 

Or Maverick... Maverick acts REALLY hyper, so it SHOULD be classified as one, right? RIGHT???

[thrillseeker4552]

I'm not sure if I've posted in this thread, but oh well, I'll post again anyway. My opinion has probably changed anyway!

 

1. Skyrush

 

- appropriate gap -

 

2. Nitro

3. Superman the Ride (SFNE)

4. Diamondback

5. Superman: Ride of Steel

6. Magnum XL-200

7. Desperado

8. Goliath (SFMM)

 

I will also be riding Intimidator for the first time this summer, and possibly even Apollo's Chariot, as well as going on Diamondback again, so the rankings may change of course.

 

I forgot Steel Force in this list, so I would lay it down between Superman: Ride of Steel and Magnum XL-200.

 

Update on my summer plans: I'll be riding Intimidator for the first time and re-riding Magnum XL-200 and Diamondback, so my opinions will likely change.

[BigBad]

But my main gripe is people just posting a list of coasters, and not talking about what they like about each.

 

I've meant to reply for more detail for a while

 

Diamondback

I rode this on a trip where I hit a lot of intense coasters, particularly Intimidator 305. Kings Island was at the end of my trip, and it was so nice to have a fun, floaty coaster. Every hill had sustained air. It wasn't ejector, but it was strong floater air. The splashdown is nice to look at.

 

Skyrush

The airtime is unbelievable on this. It's stronger than El Toro, and the trains are much more open, truly giving the feeling of being ejected from the car. This would be my favorite coaster (and Fury wouldn't be a close second) if not for the known flaw of uncomfortable restraints (note that I'll ride many times each visit, anyway). Going over those hills really does get kind of painful, and I think I would enjoy the twisties if I had a little bit more support while being flung left and right.

 

Nitro

That turn on the first hill always blows my mind. I turn sideways, yet I don't fall to the side. I get the physics, but the visual is always interesting. Then there are a bunch of floaty hills and some fun turns.

 

Phantom's Revenge

This coaster is from my childhood. There are fun hills and drops, and I always thought the double-down was insane. The drop through the Thunderbolt was a highlight of the original Phantom and was fun on the Revenge, too.

 

Steel Force

This also is a coaster from my childhood. I've always liked the long turnaround helix. The hills on the return trip are fun, too.

 

Magnum

This has the location and this history, plus some pretty amazing ejector moments. It would rank higher if not for some roughness. I've always like the turnaround. I can't think of any others coasters (certainly among those I've ridden) that have a horizontal boomerang/batwing like that.

 

Intimidator 232

The layout is slightly weaker than Diamondback and Nitro (and Fury), and then it gets trimmed. I never rode in the middle, which might explain what I noticed about the airtime, but the front row had good air on the way up hills but then none on the way down while the back lagged behind, and the back had no air on the way up.

 

SuperBizarro

This will rise if I get to ride on a warm day. The only time I rode was a day in the 40s that had the trains running slow and not whipping over hill crests. Even locals remarked about it. The layout is pretty interesting. I like how it has the out-and-back style with large hills, but then it transitions to a twister section with helices (which were fun, even on the cold day) before getting back to airtime. The setting by the river is nice, too.

[JJLehto]

How can we forget the original hypercoaster!?

 

[WestCoasterKing]

I will never ever count any shuttle coaster. The train must reach the height to count not just the structure.

[coasterer]

I rode Mako this weekend. For those of you into ranking things, are we in general agreement that it's the best of the B&M hypers with 4 across seating? I wasn't super blown away by it upon riding it the first time, but after a few more laps and a bit of reflection, I think it was smoother, cleaner, and had more airtime than most of the others. It has a pretty classic layout, but does enough at the end to stand out. The first drop was really great, and my favorite part of the entire layout was the low speed hill before the MCBR.

 

I still think Behemoth is the best of the lot for B&M's hypers, but if we're just talking 4-across seating, my list now ranks Mako, Goliath (SFOG), Nitro, Raging Bull, Apollo's Chariot.

 

Thoughts?

[DoinItForTheFame]

So, after a trip back to Great Adventure (A park I haven't been to in forever) Diamondback has finally been replaced as my number one hyper. . . Nitro is a beast!! I wish I had that thing in my home park!! Omg. I was not prepared for that life changing experience!!

[Superbatboy]

Most overrated=Goliath (SFOG)-It's a great ride, but there are other B&M hypers that are more interesting. I just wasnt blown away by it like I thought I'd be. Definitely better than Nitro, and Intimidator though

 

Most underrated=Apollo's Chariot-Was definitely surprised and blown away by it. The backseat provides some strong air and the layout is unique and feels like the old school B&M that it is.

[bgtlover]

I rode Mako this weekend. For those of you into ranking things, are we in general agreement that it's the best of the B&M hypers with 4 across seating? I wasn't super blown away by it upon riding it the first time, but after a few more laps and a bit of reflection, I think it was smoother, cleaner, and had more airtime than most of the others. It has a pretty classic layout, but does enough at the end to stand out. The first drop was really great, and my favorite part of the entire layout was the low speed hill before the MCBR.

 

I still think Behemoth is the best of the lot for B&M's hypers, but if we're just talking 4-across seating, my list now ranks Mako, Goliath (SFOG), Nitro, Raging Bull, Apollo's Chariot.

 

Thoughts?

Mako is my personal favorite of the B&M hypers I've been on. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I rode it and it got better each time after. The POV released when they announced the ride didn't do it justice. I was a bit skeptical as to whether they played it too safe on this one; especially the height. I'm glad my feelings were wrong. Prior to riding Mako, Apollo's Chariot was my favorite hyper.

 

 

Most overrated=Goliath (SFOG)-It's a great ride, but there are other B&M hypers that are more interesting. I just wasnt blown away by it like I thought I'd be. Definitely better than Nitro, and Intimidator though

 

Most underrated=Apollo's Chariot-Was definitely surprised and blown away by it. The backseat provides some strong air and the layout is unique and feels like the old school B&M that it is.

 

This is interesting because Goliath is my least favorite hyper, even though I still rank it in my top 20. I also believe AC is very underrated.

[Henry M]

For me, Expedition GeForce, as it is the closest thing to a hyper I have ridden. Besides, it feels like one, so really it should count.

[DoinItForTheFame]

. . . Besides, it feels like one, so really it should count.

 

You know, now that you mention it, Wildfire at SDC kind of feels like a hyper coaster, well, if you took out the inversions and all... So it should count too.

 

For everyone who seems to have forgotten...

 

"A hypercoaster is any roller coaster with a height or drop measuring greater than 200 feet (61 m). The term was first coined by Arrow Dynamics and Cedar Point with the release of the world's first hypercoaster, the Magnum XL-200, in 1989."

[Henry M]

"A hypercoaster is any roller coaster with a height or drop measuring greater than 200 feet (61 m). The term was first coined by Arrow Dynamics and Cedar Point with the release of the world's first hypercoaster, the Magnum XL-200, in 1989."

 

So...alpine coasters can be a hyper??? If we are being mega technical here, only Arrow coasters over 200 feet can be called a hyper coaster.

[Jason Maier]

Nitro is my favorite hyper-coaster

[coneyislandchris]

How the hell this post escaped me for the past six months, I have no clue.

 

Anyway! Let's check the signature.

 

Hyper: Phantom's Revenge

 

Yup, still the case for now. If you had asked me before May of last year, I would have said Skyrush without a doubt, but getting back to Kennywood twice last year after over a decade of absence just reinforced my love of that ride and its incredible second drop. The straightaway leading up to it, cresting the hill, and just seeing a humongous valley below you as you duck underneath the Thunderbolt... the massive turnaround... and the bunny hills that feel like they're going to just casually toss you from the car on the way back to the station? It's fantastic. I loved it back when it was Steel Phantom, and I love it even more now.

 

Skyrush is still a very, very close second. After that, I would go with Nitro due to proximity and re-rideability, Intimidator at Carowinds for awesome sustained airtime, and Superman: The Ride at SFNE for the overall package.

 

Least favorites are probably Diamondback (which is strange, because I liked Intimidator but didn't really care for this one), Magnum XL-200 (I know it has its share of fans, but it honestly did nothing for me the one time I rode it), Steel Force (eh, it's just OK), Goliath at SFMM (wouldn't be so bad if it didn't have that hard stop at the MCBR), and Apollo's Chariot (was just kind of bored on this one).

[Prof Kaos]

Finally rode my second hyper (I know, I'm still a rookie): Diamondback at KI. The only other hyper I have to compare to is Behemoth at CW.

 

Behemoth still reigns supreme in my mind. Diamondback was good, and had a little more variety in its experience than behemoth, but its airtime wasn't as strong.

 

I only rode Diamondback once, and I've had the privilege of riding Behemoth many times, and that will skew the data, but Diamondback wasn't even close in terms of airtime. I have to assume that it was a really subpar ride for Diamondback, but I didn't want to spend the day re-riding it, Banshee was my priority for the day, as CW has no good looping coasters.

[WestCoasterKing]

For everyone who seems to have forgotten...

 

"A hypercoaster is any roller coaster with a height or drop measuring greater than 200 feet (61 m). The term was first coined by Arrow Dynamics and Cedar Point with the release of the world's first hypercoaster, the Magnum XL-200, in 1989."

 

Arrow built the first coasters over 200 feet and they coined the term 'hyper' in 1989, but for a long time every coaster over 200 feet, even those by other manufacturers, were all a certain type of non-inverting airtime coaster. With the exception of Steel Phantom (which only reaches 200 plus feet on a technicality) there were no inverting coasters taller than 200 feet until Manhattan Express in 1997 and then there wasn't another until 2002 with X or 2005's SheiKra depending on your definition of an inversion.

 

Sorry, no, shuttle coasters do not count because the train never reaches the stated height. I don't give damn about structure height. It should be the height the rider reaches. Period!

 

Over time the term 'hyper' has become more synonymous with the type rather than the height. Even Intamin uses the terms 'mega', 'giga' and 'strata' for height, and 'hyper' for style. B&M also only uses 'hyper' for style and doesn't use "giga' or 'strata' at all (all B&M gigas are called such by their respective parks. not by the company). Technically coasters between 200 and 299 feet are still classified as 'hyper' because it was the first term coined, but most enthusiasts that I know only use the term for a certain style of coaster. I don't know a single enthusiast who calls Xcelerator or Valrayn hyper coasters. Not one.

[boldikus]

New hyper credit means I get to update my list.

 

1. Skyrush

2. Superman: The Ride (SFNE)

3. Phantoms Revenge

4. Nitro

5. Magnum xl200

6. Goliath (SFOG)

7. Superman: Ride of Steel (SFA)

8. Apollos Chariot

9. Steel Force

[Canobie Coaster]

I basically have tiers for my hypers.

 

These 3 are all incredibly close, but I am going with Phantom since it has by far the best restraints and gives an equally as wild ride.

 

1) Phantom's Revenge

2) Skyrush

3) Superman the Ride

 

The next 3 are the best of the B&M hypers I've been on. The air seems to be stronger than their usually floater.

 

4) Goliath (SFOG)

5) Goliath (La Ronde)*

6) Behemoth

 

7) Apollo's Chariot

8) X2 (not a traditional hyper but over 200 ft)

9) Ride of Steel

10) Nitro

 

11) Magnum XL-200

12) Raging Bull

13) Intimidator

14) Diamondback

15) Dive Machines

 

16) Steel Force

 

17) Goliath (SFMM)

 

I know it's just below 200ft but it's close enough I'm ranking it.

[CedarFanboy]

1) Skyrush

2) Phantom's Revenge

3) Intimidator

4) Steel Force

5) Apollo's Chariot

[sfriday1998]

Don't have too many hyper credits but......

 

1. Superman: TR (SFNE)

 

2. Nitro, SFGrAdv