Rob Coasters
Rob Poster
It took far too long to hit 10 of these things.
Ideally, the coaster should go backwards for a significant portion of the layout (to stop stuff like Toutatis dominating when its only backwards bit is a very short swing launch section). What you consider to be 'significant' is up to you but I won't stop you from adding a ride that just has 'a' backwards bit.
10) Accelerator, Drayton Manor
Really not that special, and could have had a better introduction to family boomerangs, Accelerator definitely has its flaws mainly in the backwards portion being pretty slow and underwhelming compared to the forwards bit. There's a pattern with the Vekoma family boomerangs having their backwards portion being the worst part, and Accelerator is especially a victim of this.
9) Speed of Sound, Walibi Holland
This was bad. A combination of broken audio and rattle made this ride horrible from the word go. While I'm generally a vest defender when the ride is positives-centric, and they do eliminate headbanging, the lack of movement causes an immensely terrible experience when the ride rattles. "Best boomerang in the world" my arse, it just has some bare-essentials "theming", techno music and nothing else going for it. The forwards bit was awful, the backwards loop was terrible, and the backwards cobra roll was a low point of my entire Walibi Holland trip. By far the worst thrill coaster at the park.
8) Mandrill Mayhem, Chessington World of Adventures
Immediately diving into controversy, Mandrill Mayhem was a supremely disappointing ride for me in most senses. Ironically the backwards launch at the beginning of the ride was by far my favourite part, but when it comes back through the station is where the ride pretty significantly drops in quality gaining an uncomfortable rattle throughout. The spiral spike is weird and gimmicky in a bad way, and the reverse section is just sad with the way it bounces, with an especially jarring bit right in the entry to the backwards roll. A ride that I wished I liked more, but falls short on most fronts.
7) Velociraptor, Paultons Park
The second family boomerang and I'm already running out of things to say, this is a decently fun and decently themed ride for what it is and keeps its speed much better than Accelerator.
6) Saven, Farup Sommerland
The third family boomerang warrants even less to say, but had quite the more fun layout with more variance in its elements.
5) Wipeout, Pleasurewood Hills
While not safe from the deadly backwards cobra roll and a slight rattle, this one was generally riding better than Speed of Sound but that's about the highest praise I'll give it. I'll ride it on a return to Pleasurewood. But that would require time away from Cannonball Express and I'm not sure if Wipeout is special enough to justify losing some time on that enigma of a ride.
4) RC Racer, Walt Disney Studios Paris
Essentially a mini screamin' swing with shoulder restraints and roller coaster track, this ride was surprisingly fun on the backwards peaks but very short.
3) Luna, Liseberg
The fourth family boomerang being third place on a list of this kind speaks a lot on the quality of this list. Luna is the core definition of "it's better because it's bigger" which is something I don't often catch myself saying these days.
2) Th13teen, Alton Towers
While the first half of this ride can get in the bin, the second half shoves this ride so many spots up in the ranks. This backwards portion in the dark made the ride go from 'I really don't like this' to 'I understand why people like this ride'. Would like to experience backwards in the dark a bit more.
1) Revolution, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Nothing like a backwards launch into one of the strongest airtime hills I've experienced before a massively intense loop. While unfortunate that I cannot handle doing this ride more than once at a time due to its intensity, I still love it to bits and ride it every time I visit the park. Front over back, and I don't know who doesn't prefer it that way!
It would be cool one day to ride a coaster that is all backwards, but I don't quite know where any of those are that are within reasonable reach!
Ideally, the coaster should go backwards for a significant portion of the layout (to stop stuff like Toutatis dominating when its only backwards bit is a very short swing launch section). What you consider to be 'significant' is up to you but I won't stop you from adding a ride that just has 'a' backwards bit.
10) Accelerator, Drayton Manor
Really not that special, and could have had a better introduction to family boomerangs, Accelerator definitely has its flaws mainly in the backwards portion being pretty slow and underwhelming compared to the forwards bit. There's a pattern with the Vekoma family boomerangs having their backwards portion being the worst part, and Accelerator is especially a victim of this.
9) Speed of Sound, Walibi Holland
This was bad. A combination of broken audio and rattle made this ride horrible from the word go. While I'm generally a vest defender when the ride is positives-centric, and they do eliminate headbanging, the lack of movement causes an immensely terrible experience when the ride rattles. "Best boomerang in the world" my arse, it just has some bare-essentials "theming", techno music and nothing else going for it. The forwards bit was awful, the backwards loop was terrible, and the backwards cobra roll was a low point of my entire Walibi Holland trip. By far the worst thrill coaster at the park.
8) Mandrill Mayhem, Chessington World of Adventures
Immediately diving into controversy, Mandrill Mayhem was a supremely disappointing ride for me in most senses. Ironically the backwards launch at the beginning of the ride was by far my favourite part, but when it comes back through the station is where the ride pretty significantly drops in quality gaining an uncomfortable rattle throughout. The spiral spike is weird and gimmicky in a bad way, and the reverse section is just sad with the way it bounces, with an especially jarring bit right in the entry to the backwards roll. A ride that I wished I liked more, but falls short on most fronts.
7) Velociraptor, Paultons Park
The second family boomerang and I'm already running out of things to say, this is a decently fun and decently themed ride for what it is and keeps its speed much better than Accelerator.
6) Saven, Farup Sommerland
The third family boomerang warrants even less to say, but had quite the more fun layout with more variance in its elements.
5) Wipeout, Pleasurewood Hills
While not safe from the deadly backwards cobra roll and a slight rattle, this one was generally riding better than Speed of Sound but that's about the highest praise I'll give it. I'll ride it on a return to Pleasurewood. But that would require time away from Cannonball Express and I'm not sure if Wipeout is special enough to justify losing some time on that enigma of a ride.
4) RC Racer, Walt Disney Studios Paris
Essentially a mini screamin' swing with shoulder restraints and roller coaster track, this ride was surprisingly fun on the backwards peaks but very short.
3) Luna, Liseberg
The fourth family boomerang being third place on a list of this kind speaks a lot on the quality of this list. Luna is the core definition of "it's better because it's bigger" which is something I don't often catch myself saying these days.
2) Th13teen, Alton Towers
While the first half of this ride can get in the bin, the second half shoves this ride so many spots up in the ranks. This backwards portion in the dark made the ride go from 'I really don't like this' to 'I understand why people like this ride'. Would like to experience backwards in the dark a bit more.
1) Revolution, Blackpool Pleasure Beach
Nothing like a backwards launch into one of the strongest airtime hills I've experienced before a massively intense loop. While unfortunate that I cannot handle doing this ride more than once at a time due to its intensity, I still love it to bits and ride it every time I visit the park. Front over back, and I don't know who doesn't prefer it that way!
It would be cool one day to ride a coaster that is all backwards, but I don't quite know where any of those are that are within reasonable reach!
Well this was an unexpected new column in my spreadsheet but I like it. Previous posts were very helpful filling it out and likely more to add so have included too much here for reference. Fraught with grey areas though.