There are two kinds of people in this world: those who are terrified of roller coasters, and those who would never stop riding them if they could help it. Depending on the speed, height, and steepness of the turns, roller coasters can be either exhilarating or terrifying.
Buckle up, because we're about to begin our look at the scariest roller coasters in the world, with a video that will make you fear heights.
10. Colossus, England
People who have recently eaten or suffer from motion sickness should avoid boarding Colossus. This most terrifying roller coaster in England completes a record-breaking 10 loops in less than two minutes.
The last of these loops occurs just when you think the ride is over and you can finally get your heart back in your mouth. The ride is ranked among the top 10 scariest rides in the world.
9. Steel Dragon 2000, Japan
Built in 2000 (the Chinese New Year) at the Nagashima Spa Land amusement park, the Steel Dragon is best known for its first ascent, which takes over a minute before the cars plunge 93 meters down. The top speed the cars reach during this dizzying ride is 150 km/h.
Steel Dragon is one of the world's longest roller coasters, stretching 2,478 meters and taking over four minutes to complete. But it's that first "hill" and its steep descent that make Steel Dragon one of the most terrifying roller coasters.
8. Kingda Ka, USA
If the fall of the Steel Snake was terrifying, then Kingda Ka is absolutely terrifying. It's the tallest roller coaster in the world, reaching 139 meters (or 45 stories) in length, making it closer to the sky than any Egyptian pyramid. This sometimes leads to unpleasant incidents.
For example, on July 26, 2012, a boy was sent to the hospital after suffering minor injuries in a bird strike. Operations at the attraction were briefly interrupted, but then resumed as normal.
Kingda Ka is also one of the fastest rides in the world, with carts accelerating to over 200 km/h in 3.5 seconds.
7. Bizzaro (aka The Superman The Ride and Superman – Ride of Steel), USA
A roller coaster once known as Superman's evil twin and archenemy is bound to be quite scary. Despite being only 63 meters tall, Bizzaro has become one of the scariest coasters in the world thanks to two factors:
- The falling speed of the minecarts is astonishing - 124 km/h.
- The sides of the carriages only reach up to the passengers' ankles, leaving them feeling exposed and full of adrenaline.
6. Formula Rossa, UAE
Built at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, directly above the Formula 1 race track, this ride is the world's fastest roller coaster as it tries to emulate the thrill of racing in a real red Ferrari.
To achieve this, Formula Rossa uses a hydraulic launch system, similar to that used by aircraft carrier-based fighter jets, to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h within the first two seconds of flight.
Although the coaster can't maintain its 240 km/h speed for most of the ride, riders in the front seats of the "cars" are required to wear protective goggles.
5. Phantom's Revenge, USA
Like Bizzaro, Phantom's Revenge's claim to being the world's scariest roller coaster lies less in its height and more in the speed of its fall.
Phantom's Revenge can hurtle down and under the support of another roller coaster at speeds of 85 mph.
It happens so fast and so frantically that it makes passengers believe, at least for a moment, that they might be decapitated when their cart doesn't fit through the gap under another ride.
4. Yukon Striker, Canada
This roller coaster opened only recently, in 2019, but has already earned a reputation as one of the most exciting and scary rides in the world.
The steel track is 1,105 meters long and has a 68-meter elevation. The cars travel at a speed of 130 kilometers per hour.
Yukon Striker is currently the only Dive Coaster in the world, featuring a 360-degree loop. Unlike other roller coasters, where the ride travels up a lift slide directly to the first drop, Dive Coaster's lift slide extends to a flat section of the track. A holding brake then stops the ride before the vertical drop, giving riders time to marvel at the thrill before they plummet.
3. Expedition GeForce, Germany
GeForce isn't known for its speed or height (though it has both). Instead, this German-made roller coaster derives most of its thrills from its simple geometry, sending riders careening down a steep 82-degree slope.
In 2010, during the launch of the GeForce, the fourth car derailed. No reasonable explanation was found for how or why this happened. Although no ridegoers were seriously injured, they all had to be rescued by firefighters.
2. The Bullet Coaster, China
The fastest roller coaster in China and the fifth fastest roller coaster in Asia is the star attraction of the Happy Valley theme park in Shenzhen.
The Bullet Coaster is comparable in height to a 20-story building, except it doesn't have five huge "humps" so steep that you'll feel your stomach rise up into your throat.
To top it all off, the cars travel at 135 km/h, and the shrill screams of excited and frightened passengers constantly echo throughout the park.
1. Dodonpa, Japan
This roller coaster uses compressed air to propel its trains and still holds the record for the fastest acceleration of any roller coaster in the world.
It accelerates the trolleys from 0 to 180 kilometers per hour in 1.8 seconds. As a result, passengers experience acceleration forces of up to 3.3g. By comparison, astronauts experience only 3g at launch, albeit for a significantly longer period.
The force of that initial acceleration alone should be enough to thrill even the most hardcore roller coaster fan.