A hypercoaster is a roller coaster with a height or drop measuring at least 200feet.[1] [2] The term was first coined by Arrow Dynamics and Cedar Point in 1989 with the opening of the world's first hypercoaster, Magnum XL-200, which features a height of 205abbr=offNaNabbr=off. The next hypercoaster, Pepsi Max Big One, opened five years later at Blackpool Pleasure Beach featuring a height of 213feet.
Other roller coaster manufacturers may or may not recognize the term hypercoaster when naming their models. Intamin calls their hypercoaster model a Mega Coaster, and Bolliger & Mabillard labels theirs a Hyper Coaster. The competition between amusement parks to build increasingly taller roller coasters eventually led to the next height classification for roller coasters known as giga coasters, which have a height or drop measuring at least 300feet. This was soon followed by the world's first strata coasters – exceeding 400feet – with the release of Top Thrill Dragster in 2003.
The world's first hypercoaster was Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point, which cost $8 million to construct. Cedar Point hired Arrow Dynamics for the design and construction began in 1988. Since its debut on May 6, 1989, Magnum XL-200 has accommodated over 36 million riders.[3] Cedar Point's official blog states that after building the ride, "...discussion was focused on just what a roller coaster such as Magnum should be called. After all, it had no loops like most of the other large steel coasters of the time and was so much bigger and faster than its non-looping brethren. After a couple of years, the name everyone agreed upon was hypercoaster."[4]
Hypercoasters were originally built for speed and airtime, to counter the trend of constructing bigger and bigger looping coasters. To accomplish this the elements of a hypercoaster often include a large first drop, several additional drops of declining height, a large turn or helix, and then many airtime-inducing hills. Hypercoasters are commonly designed with an out and back layout, although there are occasionally hypercoasters that use a twister layout, such as Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America, and others that combine both, such as Diamondback at Kings Island.
Hypercoasters are highly-ranked in the annual Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards. In 2006, Six Flags New England's Superman: Ride of Steel (later named Bizarro and Superman The Ride) was ranked first place. Others such as Magnum XL-200 (third), Nitro (fourth), and Apollo's Chariot (fifth) followed closely behind in the top five, with hypercoasters making up the majority of the Top 10 Steel Coasters.[5] By 2010, hypercoasters completely filled the top 10, as well as 16 of the top 20.[6]
Hypercoasters were first manufactured by Arrow Dynamics in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Since then, a number of companies, including Bolliger & Mabillard, Intamin, D. H. Morgan Manufacturing, and Giovanola have designed and constructed hypercoasters.
Though hypercoasters are typically steel roller coasters, Son of Beast at Kings Island was the first and only wooden hypercoaster. Due to a number of issues, the ride was eventually demolished in 2012.[7] [8]
In 2018, Cedar Point opened the first hybrid hypercoaster, Steel Vengeance. Steel Vengeance is the first hypercoaster manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction.[9]
| Hyper Coaster | |
| Imagedimensions: | 250px |
| Status: | in production |
| First Produced: | 1999 |
| No. Of Installations: | 20 |
| Manufacturer: | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Rows: | 8 |
| Riders Per Row: | 4 |
| Restraint: | Clamshell restraints |
| Rcdb Number: | 8314 |
Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) has produced 18 models over 21 years of production of hyper coasters, making it one of the more successful models manufactured by the company.[10]
The first installation of the hyper coaster was Apollo's Chariot located in Busch Gardens Williamsburg.[11] [12] It was one of the two models released in 1999, the other being the Floorless Coaster. It was made in a similar style to the TOGO, D. H. Morgan Manufacturing, and Arrow Dynamics hypercoasters. In 2012, B&M produced its first giga coaster, Leviathan at Canada's Wonderland, exceeding 300 feet in height. Bolliger & Mabillard do not use the term giga, but have continued to produce roller coasters in this class.[13]
The typical design of B&M's hyper coaster model includes a large lift hill then a large drop with a steep angle of descent, and typically includes airtime hills. One exception, Raging Bull at Six Flags Great America does not have this standard "out-and-back" layout, but rather features a "twister" layout.[14]
The trains feature seven to nine cars of one row with four seats, resulting in each train seating 28 to 36 riders. Depending on the dispatch time and the number of trains, the coasters typically have a capacity of 1,200 to 1,500 riders per hour. Each seat features a unique clamshell restraint. Some trains used on B&M Hyper Coasters feature staggered seats, where the two outer seats are located farther back than the two center seats, creating a more open experience. Currently, this staggered seating arrangement is only featured on four coasters: Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, Diamondback at Kings Island, Thunder Striker at Carowinds, and Shambhala at PortAventura Park.
The B&M Hyper Coaster has been the most successful model in the Golden Ticket Awards.
| Coaster | 2009[15] | 2010[16] | 2011[17] | 2012[18] | 2013[19] | 2014[20] | 2015[21] | 2016[22] | 2017[23] | 2018[24] | 2019[25] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitro | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 5th | 5th | 7th | 11th | 10th | |
| Apollo's Chariot | 5th | 4th | 7th | 4th | 5th | 7th | 6th | 6th | 11th | 6th | 8th | |
| Goliath (SFOG) | 4th | 5th | 4th | 9th | 7th | 9th | 12th | 14th | ||||
| Diamondback | 7th | 11th | 10th | 14th | 4th | 11th | 9th | 8th | 10th | 14th | ||
| Behemoth | 12th | 13th | 15th | 15th | ||||||||
| Raging Bull | 14th | |||||||||||
| Thunder Striker | 7th | 8th | 10th | 7th | 8th | |||||||
| Leviathan | 15th | 6th | 8th | 7th | 6th | 8th | 9th | |||||
| Fury 325 | 4th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |||||||
| Mako | 15th | |||||||||||
The following is a list of roller coasters with a height of at least . Shuttle roller coasters are typically not classified as hypercoasters and are therefore listed separately.[26]
| Manufacturer | Number | Production | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intamin | 23 (5 Shuttle) | ||
| Bolliger & Mabillard | 20 | ||
| Arrow Dynamics | 5 | ||
| D. H. Morgan Manufacturing | 5 | ||
| Premier Rides | 4 (All Shuttle) | ||
| S&S Worldwide | 4 | ||
| Mack Rides | 4 | ||
| Rocky Mountain Construction | 3 | ||
| Giovanola | 2 | ||
| TOGO | 2 | ||
| Gerstlauer | 1 | ||
| Chance Morgan | 1 | ||
| Lagoon Amusement Park | 1 | ||
| Meisho Amusement Machines | 1 (All Shuttle) | ||
| Roller Coaster Corporation of America | 1 | ||
| S&S Sansei | 1 | ||
| Vekoma | 2 (1 Shuttle) |
| Name | Park | Country | Manufacturer | Height | Opened | Status | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnum XL-200 | Cedar Point | Arrow Dynamics | 205feet | data-sort-value="1989-05" | May 1989 | Operating | [27] | ||
| The Big One | Blackpool Pleasure Beach | Arrow Dynamics | 213feet | data-sort-value="1994-05" | May 1994 | Operating | [28] | ||
| Desperado | Buffalo Bill's | Arrow Dynamics | 209feet | data-sort-value="1994-08" | August 1994 | Closed | [29] | ||
| Wild Thing | Valleyfair | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing | 207feet | data-sort-value="1996-05" | May 1996 | Operating | [30] | ||
| Fujiyama | Fuji-Q Highland | TOGO | 259feet | data-sort-value="1996-07" | July 1996 | Operating | [31] | ||
| Big Apple Coaster | New York-New York Hotel & Casino | TOGO | 203feet | data-sort-value="1997-0103" | January 1997 | Operating | [32] | ||
| Steel Force | Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing | 200feet | data-sort-value="1997-05" | May 1997 | Operating | [33] | ||
| Mamba | Worlds of Fun | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing | 205feet | data-sort-value="1998-0418" | April 1998 | Operating | [34] | ||
| Apollo's Chariot | Busch Gardens Williamsburg | Bolliger & Mabillard | 170feet | data-sort-value="1999-03" | March 1999 | Operating | [35] | ||
| Raging Bull | Six Flags Great America | Bolliger & Mabillard | 202feet | data-sort-value="1999-0501" | May 1999 | Operating | [36] | ||
| Ride of Steel | Six Flags Darien Lake | Intamin | 208feet | data-sort-value="1999-0515" | May 1999 | Operating | [37] | ||
| Goliath | Six Flags Magic Mountain | Giovanola | 235feet | data-sort-value="2000-02" | February 2000 | Operating | [38] | ||
| Superman The Ride | Six Flags New England | Intamin | 208feet | data-sort-value="2000-0505" | May 2000 | Operating | [39] | ||
| Superman – Ride of Steel | Six Flags America | Intamin | 208 ft(63 m) | data-sort-value="2000-0513" | May 2000 | Operating | [40] | ||
| Millennium Force | Cedar Point | Intamin | 310feet | data-sort-value="2000-0513" | May 2000 | Operating | [41] | ||
| Son of Beast | Kings Island | Roller Coaster Corporation of America | 218feet | data-sort-value="2000-0526" | May 2000 | Defunct | [42] | ||
| Steel Dragon 2000 | Nagashima Spa Land | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing | 318.3feet | data-sort-value="2000-08" | August 2000 | Operating | [43] | ||
| Nitro | Six Flags Great Adventure | Bolliger & Mabillard | 230feet | data-sort-value="2001-0407" | April 2001 | Operating | [44] | ||
| Titan | Six Flags Over Texas | Giovanola | 245feet | data-sort-value="2001-0427" | April 2001 | Operating | [45] | ||
| Phantom's Revenge | Kennywood | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing/Arrow Dynamics | 160feet | data-sort-value="2001-05" | May 2001 | Operating | [46] | ||
| X2 | Six Flags Magic Mountain | Arrow Dynamics | 175feet | data-sort-value="2002-01" | January 2002 | Operating | [47] | ||
| Silver Star | Europa-Park | Bolliger & Mabillard | 239.5feet | data-sort-value="2002-03" | March 2002 | Operating | [48] | ||
| Xcelerator | Knott's Berry Farm | Intamin | 205feet | data-sort-value="2002-06" | June 2002 | Operating | [49] | ||
| Thunder Dolphin | Tokyo Dome City Attractions | Intamin | 262.5feet | data-sort-value="2003-0501" | May 2003 | Operating | [50] | ||
| Top Thrill Dragster | Cedar Point | Intamin | 420feet | data-sort-value="2003-0504" | May 2003 | Closed | [51] | ||
| Superman el Último Escape | Six Flags México | Chance Morgan | 219.8feet | data-sort-value="2004-11" | November 2004 | Operating | [52] | ||
| SheiKra | Busch Gardens Tampa | Bolliger & Mabillard | 200feet | data-sort-value="2005-0521" | May 2005 | Operating | [53] | ||
| Kingda Ka | Six Flags Great Adventure | Intamin | 456feet | data-sort-value="2005-0521" | May 2005 | Operating | [54] | ||
| Stealth | Thorpe Park | Intamin | 205.1feet | data-sort-value="2006-03" | March 2006 | Operating | [55] | ||
| Goliath | Six Flags Over Georgia | Bolliger & Mabillard | 200feet | data-sort-value="2006-0401" | April 2006 | Operating | [56] | ||
| Zaturn | Space World | Intamin | 205feet | data-sort-value="2006-0429" | April 2006 | Defunct | [57] | ||
| Eejanaika | Fuji-Q Highland | S&S Worldwide | 249feet | data-sort-value="2006-07" | July 2006 | Operating | [58] | ||
| Griffon | Busch Gardens Williamsburg | Bolliger & Mabillard | 205feet | data-sort-value="2007-05" | May 2007 | Operating | [59] | ||
| Behemoth | Canada's Wonderland | Bolliger & Mabillard | 230feet | data-sort-value="2008-05" | May 2008 | Operating | [60] | ||
| Diamondback | Kings Island | Bolliger & Mabillard | 230feet | data-sort-value="2009-04" | April 2009 | Operating | [61] | ||
| Diving Coaster | Happy Valley Shanghai | Bolliger & Mabillard | 213.3feet | data-sort-value="2009-08" | August 2009 | Operating | [62] | ||
| Thunder Striker | Carowinds | Bolliger & Mabillard | 232feet | data-sort-value="2010-03" | March 2010 | Operating | [63] | ||
| Project 305 | Kings Dominion | Intamin | 305feet | data-sort-value="2010-04" | April 2010 | Operating | [64] | ||
| Wild Eagle | Dollywood | Bolliger & Mabillard | 210feet | data-sort-value="2012-03" | March 2012 | Operating | [65] | ||
| Leviathan | Canada's Wonderland | Bolliger & Mabillard | 306feet | data-sort-value="2012-0406" | April 2012 | Operating | [66] | ||
| Dinoconda | China Dinosaurs Park | S&S Worldwide | 226.4feet | data-sort-value="2012-0429" | April 2012 | Operating | [67] | ||
| Shambhala | PortAventura Park | Bolliger & Mabillard | 249.3feet | data-sort-value="2012-0512" | May 2012 | Operating | [68] | ||
| Skyrush | Hersheypark | Intamin | 200feet | data-sort-value="2012-0526" | May 2012 | Operating | [69] | ||
| Bullet Coaster | Happy Valley Shenzhen | S&S Worldwide | 196.8feet | data-sort-value="2012-07" | July 2012 | Operating | [70] | ||
| OCT Thrust SSC1000 | Happy Valley Wuhan | S&S Worldwide | 196.8feet | data-sort-value="2014-03" | March 2014 | Operating | [71] | ||
| Fury 325 | Carowinds | Bolliger & Mabillard | 325feet | data-sort-value="2015-03" | March 2015 | Operating | [72] | ||
| The Oath of Kärnan | Hansa Park | Gerstlauer | 239.5feet | data-sort-value="2015-0701" | July 2015 | Operating | [73] | ||
| Cannibal | Lagoon Amusement Park | Lagoon Amusement Park | 208feet | data-sort-value="2015-0702" | July 2015 | Operating | [74] | ||
| Flash | Lewa Adventure | Mack Rides | 200.2feet | data-sort-value="2016-01" | January 2016 | Operating | [75] | ||
| Flying Aces | Ferrari World Abu Dhabi | Intamin | 206.7feet | data-sort-value="2016-02" | February 2016 | Operating | [76] | ||
| Valravn | Cedar Point | Bolliger & Mabillard | 223feet | data-sort-value="2016-0507" | May 2016 | Operating | [77] | ||
| Coaster Through the Clouds | Nanchang Wanda Park | Intamin | 242.8feet | data-sort-value="2016-0528" | May 2016 | Operating | [78] | ||
| Mako | SeaWorld Orlando | Bolliger & Mabillard | 200feet | data-sort-value="2016-06" | June 2016 | Operating | [79] | ||
| Red Force | Ferrari Land | Intamin | NaN367 | data-sort-value="2017-04" | April 2017 | Operating | [80] | ||
| DC Rivals HyperCoaster | Warner Brothers Movie World | Mack Rides | 202.1feet | data-sort-value="2017-09" | September 2017 | Operating | [81] | ||
| Steel Vengeance | Cedar Point | Rocky Mountain Construction | NaN205 | data-sort-value="2018-05" | May 2018 | Operating | [82] | ||
| Draken | Gyeongju World | Bolliger & Mabillard | NaN206.7 | data-sort-value="2018-05" | May 2018 | Operating | [83] | ||
| Hyperion | Energylandia | Intamin | NaN252 | data-sort-value="2018-07" | July 2018 | Operating | [84] | ||
| Hyper Coaster | Land Of Legends Park | Mack Rides | NaN200.2 | data-sort-value="2018" | 2018 | Operating | [85] | ||
| Yukon Striker | Canada's Wonderland | Bolliger & Mabillard | NaN223 | data-sort-value="2019-05" | May 2019 | Operating | [86] | ||
| Steel Curtain | Kennywood | S&S Sansei | 220feet | data-sort-value”2019-07” | July 2019 | Operating | [87] | ||
| Zadra | Energylandia | Rocky Mountain Construction | NaN206 | data-sort-value="2019-22" | August 2019 | Operating | [88] | ||
| Orion | Kings Island | Bolliger & Mabillard | NaN287 | July 2020 | Operating | [89] | |||
| Candymonium | Hersheypark | Bolliger & Mabillard | 210 ft (64 m) | July 2020 | Operating | [90] | |||
| Iron Gwazi | Busch Gardens Tampa | Rocky Mountain Construction | 206feet | March 2022 | Operating | [91] | |||
| Beyond the Cloud | Suzhou Amusement Land Forest World | Mack Rides | NaN203.4 | July 2022 | Operating | [92] | |||
| Hyperia | Thorpe Park | Mack Rides | NaN236 | data-sort-value="2024" | May 2024 | Operating | [93] | ||
| Falcons Flight | Six Flags Qiddiya | Intamin | NaN619 | data-sort-value="2025" | TBD | Under construction | [94] | ||
| Iron Rattler | Six Flags Qiddiya | Vekoma | NaN208 | data-sort-value="2025" | TBD | Under construction | [95] | ||
| Spitfire | Six Flags Qiddiya | Intamin | NaN239 | data-sort-value="2025" | TBD | Under construction | [96] |
| Name | Park | Country | Manufacturer | Height | Opened | Status | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moonsault Scramble | Fuji-Q Highland | Meisho Amusement Machines | 229.7feet | data-sort-value="1983-06" | June 1983 | Defunct | [97] | ||
| Tower of Terror II | Dreamworld | Intamin | 377.3feet | data-sort-value="1997-0123" | January 1997 | Defunct | [98] | ||
| Six Flags Magic Mountain | Intamin | 415feet | data-sort-value="1997-03" | March 1997 | Operating | [99] | |||
| Six Flags Great Adventure | Premier Rides | 200feet | data-sort-value="1997-06" | June 1997 | Defunct | [100] | |||
| Mr. Freeze | Six Flags Over Texas | Premier Rides | 218feet | data-sort-value="1998-03" | March 1998 | Operating | [101] | ||
| Mr. Freeze Reverse Blast | Six Flags St. Louis | Premier Rides | 218feet | data-sort-value="1998-04" | April 1998 | Operating | [102] | ||
| Speed – The Ride | NASCAR Café | Premier Rides | 224feet | data-sort-value="2000-04" | April 2000 | Defunct | [103] | ||
| Wicked Twister | Cedar Point | Intamin | 215feet | data-sort-value="2002-05" | May 2002 | Defunct | [104] | ||
| Big Air | E-DA Theme Park | Vekoma | 209.3feet | data-sort-value="2010-12" | December 2010 | Operating | [105] | ||
| Turbo Track | Ferrari World Abu Dhabi | Intamin | 210feet | data-sort-value="2017-03" | March 2017 | Operating | [106] | ||
| Legendary Twin Dragon / Chinese: 传奇双龙 | Chongqing Sunac Land | Intamin | 229.6feet | data-sort-value="2021-02" | February 2021 | Operating | [107] |