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Top 10(ish): 2024 Edition - page 124

Ah right. Thanks for the clarification @TilenB; I'd love to get out to Gardaland myself some day!

I must admit I'm quite surprised at Raptor's roughness, as The Swarm at Thorpe Park is only a year younger and was still glass smooth when I rode it last year!
 
A few changes and re-ordering in my Top 10...

1. Phantom's Revenge
2. Hyperion
3. Mako
4. Hakugei (New entry!)
5. Maverick
6. Fluch Von Novgorod
7. Joris en de Draak
8. The Voyage
9. Nitro
10. Saw The Ride (Returning entry!)
 
Sorry if this is slightly irrelevant to this thread, but I've noticed that Copperhead Strike at Carowinds seems to be popping up in many of the American members' lists as of late (admittedly I haven't seen it in many top 10s, but top 20 seems to be quite common). However, I've also noticed that the similar looking Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach does not seem to rank anywhere near as high for British members or those who've ridden it with similar coaster counts. In fact, Icon seems to have recieved quite mediocre reception in comparison, with many criticising its weak launches, weak airtime and poor pacing (although I can't say I've noticed any of this in Icon myself). I find this very interesting, as the two rides look quite similar to one another in many ways and I'd almost argue that the East Coast of America has a more appealing-looking selection of signature thrill coasters than Britain does. I'd be intrigued to know why we think this is, and I'd be intrigued to know the thoughts of anyone who's ridden both?

On an unrelated note, I'm surprised at the absence of Karnan from your list @Serena, as Karnan basically seems like Novgorod on steroids and you have that in there! Other than that, great list, and very different to the norm; I'm glad to see my personal favourite Mako at #3!
 
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I've noticed that Copperhead Strike at Carowinds seems to be popping up in many of the American members' lists as of late (admittedly I haven't seen it in many top 10s, but top 20 seems to be quite common).

For reference, Copperhead Strike is #41 on my list of favorite coasters. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very fun little ride that has great hangtime and airtime as well as a decent length and mostly good pacing; however, I found the transitions to give hardly any whip (if any at all) and the ride as a whole to lack intensity. It’s a double-edged sword, both a negative and positive aspect of Copperhead Strike; the mild intensity opens up a huge opportunity for a more timid group of riders, meaning Copperhead Strike would be a great first looping coaster — but on the other hand, people that actively crave intense, positive G-loaded coasters like me won’t get much of a thrill out of Copperhead Strike, hence why it ranks 41st instead of 11th-20th (which, it has been for nearly everyone else).
 
Sorry if this is slightly irrelevant to this thread, but I've noticed that Copperhead Strike at Carowinds seems to be popping up in many of the American members' lists as of late (admittedly I haven't seen it in many top 10s, but top 20 seems to be quite common). However, I've also noticed that the similar looking Icon at Blackpool Pleasure Beach does not seem to rank anywhere near as high for British members or those who've ridden it with similar coaster counts. In fact, Icon seems to have recieved quite mediocre reception in comparison, with many criticising its weak launches, weak airtime and poor pacing (although I can't say I've noticed any of this in Icon myself). I find this very interesting, as the two rides look quite similar to one another in many ways and I'd almost argue that the East Coast of America has a more appealing-looking selection of signature thrill coasters than Britain does. I'd be intrigued to know why we think this is, and I'd be intrigued to know the thoughts of anyone who's ridden both?

On an unrelated note, I'm surprised at the absence of Karnan from your list @Serena, as Karnan basically seems like Novgorod on steroids and you have that in there! Other than that, great list, and very different to the norm; I'm glad to see my personal favourite Mako at #3!

I would say it may be because of the experience itself is more unique stateside then it is in the UK and Europe. We typically have the big crazy stuff and the quirky, small, blast filled ride is just more unique. I mean, that may have been my first Mack ride meanwhile some members have been on a large number in comparison. The reverse could be said for RMC for example. All about availability and the type of ride in the country/continent in question.
 
On an unrelated note, I'm surprised at the absence of Karnan from your list @Serena, as Karnan basically seems like Novgorod on steroids and you have that in there! Other than that, great list, and very different to the norm; I'm glad to see my personal favourite Mako at #3!

Karnan is cool, but I found it a bit...faffy. There's lots of hanging about waiting for it to do it's lifthill tricks. Lots of waiting around to get to the first drop. The flow of Novgorod is significantly better in my eyes. It has better themeing, the dark ride section is excellent and the launch is so punchy!
 
Karnan is cool, but I found it a bit...faffy. There's lots of hanging about waiting for it to do it's lifthill tricks. Lots of waiting around to get to the first drop. The flow of Novgorod is significantly better in my eyes. It has better themeing, the dark ride section is excellent and the launch is so punchy!
Ah right, thanks for the clarification @Serena! On the whole, it would seem that you have an acquired taste for Gerstlauer Euro-Fighters that I clearly don't have, as I see Saw in your list too at #10, whereas Saw is nowhere near my top 10 (#53, to be exact!) and I've only done 65 coasters!

Each to their own, though; I love seeing lists that are a bit different to the norm! It shows what different people like in a coaster, which has always really interested me!
 
Sorry for double posting, but I seem to remember many of you mentioning historic rankings a page or two back, which gave me the idea to compile myself a mini ranking for each year (or in some cases, two year period as it didn't really change between some years) since I became an enthusiast! I never started properly keeping a top 10 until 2016, but I've made myself a 2014/15 top 5 and a 2013 top 3 based on my memories of how much I liked rides at the time. So, let's start our trip down memory lane:
Matt N's Top 3 of 2013
Coaster Count at the time: 8
  1. Rita (Alton Towers)
  2. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  3. The Smiler (Alton Towers)
Matt N's Top 5 of 2014/15
Coaster Count at the time: 25
  1. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  2. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (Universal Studios Florida)
  3. Stealth (Thorpe Park)
  4. Rita (Alton Towers)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
Matt N's Top 10 of 2016/17
Coaster Count at the time: 38 (2016)/39 (2017)
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
  2. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  3. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  4. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  6. The Smiler (Alton Towers)
  7. Incredible Hulk (Universal's Islands of Adventure)
  8. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando)
  9. Megafobia (Oakwood Theme Park)
  10. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa)
Matt N's Top 10 of 2018
Coaster Count at the time: 56
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
  2. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
  3. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  4. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  6. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  7. The Smiler (Alton Towers)
  8. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando)
  9. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  10. Wicker Man (Alton Towers)
And finally...
Matt N's Present Top 10 (as of May 2019)
Present Coaster Count: 65
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
  2. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
  3. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  4. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  6. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  7. Mine Blower (Fun Spot Kissimmee)
  8. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando)
  9. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  10. Incredible Hulk (Universal's Islands of Adventure)
Hope you enjoyed my little look through memory lane! For clarity, I have ranked all 64 coasters I've ridden now (I started a full coaster ranking of everything I've ridden in late 2018), but I decided to condense it to the top 10 to keep it simple. I do have the full thing stored in a spreadsheet, however, as well as all of what I just posted!
 
It's been a while, and now I've been to Cedar Point, so time for a new top 10 I think.

1. Twisted Colossus
2. Top Thrill Dragster
3. Taron
4. Steel Vengeance (It's undoubtedly fantastic, but I just don't find the combination for seatbelts and really intense airtime that comfortable, so it's less fun to ride than TC, Taron or TTD for me, probably doesn't help that I'm 6'3' and a bit overweight!)
5. Helix
6. Millenium Force
7. Shambhala
8. Maverick
9. Wodan
10. Troy

I feel like my list has changed a lot recently, mostly because as I get older I'm getting more impressed by rides that are a mixture of intense and comfortable (Taron, Twisted Colossus) over rides that are intense but throw you about a little too much (Steve, Wodan). I'll get back on X2 this October so will see how that stands up, I remember loving it but it also being too over the top. I also didn't want to put Kingda Ka and Red Force on here, just because they're so similar to TTD. Obviously Kingda is way rougher and Red Force is much slower and not as high, but they're both a lot of fun. I just love those launches!
 
It's been a while, and now I've been to Cedar Point, so time for a new top 10 I think.

1. Twisted Colossus
2. Top Thrill Dragster
3. Taron
4. Steel Vengeance (It's undoubtedly fantastic, but I just don't find the combination for seatbelts and really intense airtime that comfortable, so it's less fun to ride than TC, Taron or TTD for me, probably doesn't help that I'm 6'3' and a bit overweight!)
5. Helix
6. Millenium Force
7. Shambhala
8. Maverick
9. Wodan
10. Troy

I feel like my list has changed a lot recently, mostly because as I get older I'm getting more impressed by rides that are a mixture of intense and comfortable (Taron, Twisted Colossus) over rides that are intense but throw you about a little too much (Steve, Wodan). I'll get back on X2 this October so will see how that stands up, I remember loving it but it also being too over the top. I also didn't want to put Kingda Ka and Red Force on here, just because they're so similar to TTD. Obviously Kingda is way rougher and Red Force is much slower and not as high, but they're both a lot of fun. I just love those launches!

I've seen that those who are taller or bigger tend to not like SV more then those who are average height and weight, and it's all about comfort.
 
I've seen that those who are taller or bigger tend to not like SV more then those who are average height and weight, and it's all about comfort.
I also found SV a bit uncomfortable, primarily because I felt stapled for the two rides I got. For now, though, I have SV in the “TBD” category as I feel that I need to make it back and give that coaster a proper marathoning.
 
Sorry for double posting, but I seem to remember many of you mentioning historic rankings a page or two back, which gave me the idea to compile myself a mini ranking for each year (or in some cases, two year period as it didn't really change between some years) since I became an enthusiast! I never started properly keeping a top 10 until 2016, but I've made myself a 2014/15 top 5 and a 2013 top 3 based on my memories of how much I liked rides at the time. So, let's start our trip down memory lane:
Matt N's Top 3 of 2013
Coaster Count at the time: 8
  1. Rita (Alton Towers)
  2. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  3. The Smiler (Alton Towers)
Matt N's Top 5 of 2014/15
Coaster Count at the time: 25
  1. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  2. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (Universal Studios Florida)
  3. Stealth (Thorpe Park)
  4. Rita (Alton Towers)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
Matt N's Top 10 of 2016/17
Coaster Count at the time: 38 (2016)/39 (2017)
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
  2. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  3. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  4. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  6. The Smiler (Alton Towers)
  7. Incredible Hulk (Universal's Islands of Adventure)
  8. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando)
  9. Megafobia (Oakwood Theme Park)
  10. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa)
Matt N's Top 10 of 2018
Coaster Count at the time: 56
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
  2. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
  3. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  4. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  6. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  7. The Smiler (Alton Towers)
  8. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando)
  9. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  10. Wicker Man (Alton Towers)
And finally...
Matt N's Present Top 10 (as of May 2019)
Present Coaster Count: 65
  1. Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
  2. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)
  3. Montu (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  4. SheiKra (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  5. Nemesis (Alton Towers)
  6. The Swarm (Thorpe Park)
  7. Mine Blower (Fun Spot Kissimmee)
  8. Kraken (SeaWorld Orlando)
  9. Kumba (Busch Gardens Tampa)
  10. Incredible Hulk (Universal's Islands of Adventure)
Hope you enjoyed my little look through memory lane! For clarity, I have ranked all 64 coasters I've ridden now (I started a full coaster ranking of everything I've ridden in late 2018), but I decided to condense it to the top 10 to keep it simple. I do have the full thing stored in a spreadsheet, however, as well as all of what I just posted!

When you turn 18, I'm going to pay for you to fly to Ohio and visit Kennywood, Kings Island, and CP to get you to 100. KILLING ME SON!
 
When you turn 18, I'm going to pay for you to fly to Ohio and visit Kennywood, Kings Island, and CP to get you to 100. KILLING ME SON!
My parents have said they'll take me to Europa Park as an 18th birthday present (a big bucket list park of mine), which currently has 13 operating credits and counting, so that should get me some way towards 100! I've set myself the target of wanting to get to 100 before the age of 20, so I want to get 100 creds just as much as you want me to!

But thanks for the offer, by the way! ;)
 
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