The highlight of Six Flags America, Superman: Ride of Steel is a great roller coaster with a thrilling and, super, super first fall.
- Emotion scale (0 = Wimpy!, 10 = Yikes!): 7.5. Extreme height, acceleration and speed (although there are no reversals).
- Type: Steel out and back hypercoaster.
- Height: 197 feet.
- First drop: 205 feet.
- Max. speed: 73 mph
- Travel time: 2:10.
- Height restriction (minimum, in inches): 52.
Sight! Up in the sky!
Its red runway dominates the Six Flags America skyline. Just looking at Superman’s super high and steep first fall from a distance gets your adrenaline pumping. Up close, it takes more than a little nerve to get in line and tackle the oversized ride.
Mountain cars have raised seats and low sides. Instead of an over-the-shoulder harness (no reversals), a discreet seatbelt and single ratcheting seat bar add to the car’s open and exposed feel, scare it off best.
The roller coaster has a traditional lift hill (as opposed to a cable car lift or some kind of launch system). The train clicks, clicks, clicks up, up and UP, until it looks like it should be approaching the planet Krypton. Then all hell breaks loose. Superman delivers a high-speed delusional first fall followed by an equally exquisite second fall. There’s a nice airtime blast just before the second knockdown.
From there, the roller coaster loses a bit of its oomph. Superman certainly doesn’t limp, but the second half of the trip, with an overloaded double helix, doesn’t have the same punch as his first act. For roller coaster fans like us, it’s a waste of kinetic energy to take a 73 mph train and send it running in circles.
Superman is essentially similar to the Ride of Steel ride on Darien Lake in New York. The park was owned and operated by Six Flags when the ride debuted, and was also known as Superman: Ride of Steel at the time. Six Flags sold the park and the Superman brand was removed. In 2018, Six Flags bought back Darien Lake, but did not restore the Superman name on its marquee.
The Superman roller coaster at Six Flags New England (which was also known as Superman: Ride of steel; after a couple of name changes, it is now called Superman the Ride), is a second-generation version of the ride and is, in our opinion – not just a marked improvement over the exciting Maryland and New York machines, but our pick for one of the best steel roller coasters. Minimize propellers, add a second tunnel (which is filled with fog!), And keep airtime and excitement going.
All three roller coasters were designed and manufactured by Switzerland’s master travel manufacturers Intamin. The New England version is taller, faster, and screams positively all the way. It is also better located in that park for maximum visibility. Six Flags America Superman is late and in a more remote section of the park. Its relative speed feels slower without other rides and crowds of spectators rushing past.
The Maryland roller coaster is, however, wonderfully smooth. It includes some great bunny hills that provide some nice short air moments. More of those would have made the trip even more super.
