Does a steel coaster need inversions to be fun?

Sounds like an obvious question, I know. However, check out how well represented the non-looping mega and hyper coasters are in a previous forum about highly regarded coasters that individuals 'didn't get', and one begins to wonder. Personally, I think that there are very few steel coasters without inversions that are very good, although it would be a mistake to say that inversions are necessary to produce an enjoyable coaster

I strongly disagree! I find it hard to believe that you haven't ridden a steel coaster without inversions that wasn't good. But, hey to each their own. My opinion, no way inversions will never be needed, I don't think any element except acceleration/deceleration will be NEEDED in a coaster.

All I gotta say is: Goliath

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Coasters and Chronic
What a Combo!

Goliath, Phantoms Revenge, Apollo's Chariot, and S:ROS at SFNE all come to mind for being great inversionless steel coasters. Thats just me though.

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Knoebels visits in 2002. 6

Two words.. Millennium Force. Thank you and good night. :)

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Proud member of the Frequent Flyer Club of CBuzzCon '02

I like steel inversionless coasters that get creative with their layout. Raging Bull, Superman: SFNE, and Expedition GeForce are great examples of this. I don't understand all the hype out 'n back coasters get. Leave that layout to Woodies, come up with somthing creative.

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Thank You for challenging TOS: The Ride. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day, here at SFCB.

I would say, no, a steel coaster does not need inversions to be fun, but that is not to say that a steel coaster with inversions is not fun. It all depends on the design.

Some of my favorite steelies are "inversionless": S:RoS (both SFDL and SFA), Apollo's Chariot, Steel Force.

Some of my favorite steelies have inversions: Talon, Alpengeist, Montu, Great Bear, Kraken

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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"

Hi all, just to clarify, The intention in posting this topic was to see how these viewpoints could be reconciled with the frequency with which non-looping coasters such as Magnum and MF appeared in the previous 'coasters that you didn't get forum'.

These coasters seem to polarise opinion. I should reiterature that I don't think a steel coaster necessarily has to include inversions to be fun. However, my comments on the fact that very few non-loopers are much cop has to be put in context: I'm from the uk and non-looping steelies are in short supply! :)

S:RoS at SFNE answers this question.

Well, cant say about Goliath, but I really *did* wish that Titan @ SFoT had like a corkscrew at the end, kinda like Flight of Fear. With all of those positive Gs, I felt like there should have been a looping around.

But to answer the question, for me, in general, NO. Dont believe me? Go ride Matterhorn, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain @ Disneyland and get back to me :)
jeremy
--Matterhorn had me giggling like a schoolgirl

what about raging bull, try riding in row 9 with a loose lapbar hehehehehehehe i guarantee you'll love it

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Burn in Hell
Shockwave you Nazi
(the first drop was awesome) other than that uhhhhh good riddance

i dont know about everyone here, but inversions really dont do much for me at all. big loops are fun, because it comes out like a steep drop. Zergo G rolls and inline twists are fun too, but if you could add a few more bunny hills with great airtime, or maybe a speedy helix, ill take it.

loopers like incredible hulk were nice and very fun, but ill easily take a non-looper instead. most people prefer alpengeist over apollo, but i was convinced i would like apollo more. sad to say i didnt have the opportunity to ride it last october, but maybe i will in about a week :-)

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#1-MF #2-S:RoS #3-WT

Joey Stewart said:
Two words.. Millennium Force. Thank you and good night.

Doesn't MF go past 90 degrees? But these arent inversions to CP.

I think that a spin (or 2, or 12) on any of the B&M hypers will give you a solid answer to this question. ;)

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Travio - Don't let gator hear you say that! (I kid, gator, I kid...)

I definitely agree with most, though. Inversions are not necessary for a great ride.

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"When will you stop all your buzzing?" - The Flaming Lips "Oh My Pregnant Head"

To me an inversion is just that..being turned completely upside down then right side up again. On MF your are only partially inverted so to me it doesn't count.

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Knoebels visits in 2002. 6

In Mitch Hawker's poll for 2001, 7 out of the top 10 were non-looping hyper coasters. On my personal list, I have an equal balance between looping (Fire, Montu, Deja Vu) and non-looping (AC, RB, MF).

I think that the important thing to recognize is that they are two different ride experiences. IMO, comparing looping to non-looping is like comparing wood to steel. At the very least, it's red apples to green apples.

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Why do you have to have a license to own a dog, but not to have a child?

I have come to the decision that if it is an inverted coaster, inversions are cool. Sit down coasters, IMO, are all about speed and air time. Inversions take away from both and make it a less pleasant ride.

Some of the most popular steel coasters of all time do not have inversions, such as Magnum, Millennium Force, Steel Force, Superman: Ride of Steel, Goliath, Steel Dragon 2000, Raging Bull, Nitro ... etc.

I always thought it was truly the non-inverting steel coasters that were the best, not the ones with inversions.

I just can't let a comment like THAT sit there without rebuttal....I do enjoy the Beemers "speed coasters"...I just don't get the *feeling* of the speed....the layouts are cool, the restraints excellent, but the trains plain eliminate the "throw papa from the train" aspect....

I'd gladly put the I-trains, or even the Gio trains, on a Beemer hyper and then be perfectly content.....S:RoS clearly has THE layout for me, AIR-time and POWERFUL helices....but the trains are what make it my favorite! The best of the B&M hypers, Nitro (IMO) has an awesome layout too, but I always feel "too safe" if that makes any sense.....AC had decent airtime, a little too "floaty" for me....Bull just plain stopped too many times....I thought we were going to start picking up passengers...

But to answer the question....NO, coasters are actually best with no inversions or with straight-up vertical loops, the way God and Anton intended....;)