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On a clear day it was possible to see both the New York City and Philadelphia skylines from the top of Kingda Ka’s peak. The tallest rollercoaster ever built held the title from 2005 until last week, when Six Flags Great Adventure announced it had shut for good.
Even at 19 years old, the ride was a unique experience for US enthusiasts. From a standing start, riders were fired to a speed of 128mph vertically up a 456ft “top hat” hill before plunging down the other side. Kingda Ka’s closest sibling – Top Thrill 2 at Cedar Point in Ohio – remains standing-but-not-operating after a botched redesign.
Fans aren’t convinced by Six Flags’ promises of a bold replacement, and are upset they didn’t get a chance to plan one final ride.
Depending on technicalities, the new tallest coaster is either Superman: Escape from Krypton at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California, or Red Force at Ferrari World in Spain. But Intamin, a specialist manufacturer, is already building a new record-breaker: Falcons Flight at Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia.
It will be taller, faster and longer than any other coaster ever built, and forms part of a huge tourism megaproject being pushed by the Saudi government.
For decades, the USA was the home of the roller coaster. But like skyscrapers, the Middle East now sits high above.
