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Is Nemesis over-rated?

RicketyCricket

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Taron
Following on from a discussion in the Icon construction thread...

For me, it fully justifies its reputation as one of the worlds greatest.

I'm generally not a huge fan of Inverts as the restraints are too restrictive and as others have mentioned the only good views are on front row.

Inferno, Montu, Black Mamba are all great coasters but not top 10 worthy due to the above reasons.

Nemesis is the exception to this rule for me. The ground disappearing from below your feet as you go into that first inversion is just incredible every single time.. And the rest of the rides not bad either ;)

I get that people prefer different types of coasters but I think 'over rated' is harsh. It may not your cup of tea but Nemesis is rated so highly for a reason - its just the best at what it does.
 
I couldn't agree more! I recently had the pleasure of sitting in the far right seat on the back row – and wow! Nemesis was already my #1 coaster, for the reasons you list above @RicketyCricket, but the ride in that particular seat just cemented it as the best rollercoaster I've ever ridden (and that was after I experienced Wicker Man)! :)
 
Nemesis Overrated! Blasphemy!

Not a chance. It's so good, I don't think it COULD be overrated.

Pretty much everything is perfect as far as I'm concerned. The intimidation, the atmosphere, the music, the setting, the intensity, the roar the fact that it gets better and better over the course, the incredible helix.

As far as I'm concerned it's a work of sublime genius that is unlikely to ever be bettered. The fact that it thrashes huge 200 foot tall coasters despite it's modest height and drop makes it even more amazing.

Nemmie is so far ahead of any other UK coaster it's not even a contest.

Icon looks great, but my money is on Nemmie to retain it's crown at least in my eyes by a country mile.

We are bloody luck to have it... Just a shame the genius that went into creating it has been largely absent since.

Take a look at my thread "Was Nemesis a fluke" from a couple of years ago to see the love.
 
Obviously don't take this as fact but in the recent TPR poll Nemesis came 22nd, which to me shows that it is still a highly regarded coaster even with the likes of RMC coming onto the scene.

Personally, I put Montu above it but they are very close. :)
 
Outside of enthusiast circles I don't think it is rated particularly highly, even when it was on 1 train it still generally had the shortest queue of the major coasters.
 
If anything it's underrated by the GP, purely because it doesn't have the specs that the big/unique record-breaker coasters have. I remember riding next to a couple last year, and overhearing them saying that they preferred Galactica purely because the flying position was unique to them. It's the prime case study of Merlin's approach to rides vs. 90s Tussauds' - it doesn't have the USP to maintain fervent popularity (though obviously they milk the "world's most intense ride experience" for what they can), but it's of such high quality that it has remained relevant.

I think there's a heck of a lot to celebrate about Nemesis' design, so I think it deserves what praise it continues to get.
 
I think everyone I've ever been on Nemesis with (friends & family, generally not theme park enthusiasts) has come off having had great fun.

It's a very solid coaster and very memorable, a staple experience. It doesn't get the mass crowds heading straight for it anymore unlike the others, but that hardly means anything about the merit of the ride really. I don't think people would visit Alton Towers and not bother to ride it.

It could also be to do with how people get around the park. Whenever I've visited in the past, Nemesis has had as long a queue as Air. Since Galactica came about, I've only visited once with it open on an off-peak day, but it had the same as Nemesis again (15 mins), while Smiler and Thirteen had 45.

I don't really think it's unpopular or overrated, just lost its novelty. Then again, that dumb poll thing they did couple years back got it voted best ride in the park by the public, if that's anything to go by.

In terms of online, I think for years it was over exaggerated as "one of the top 10 coasters in the world", which doesnt really mean anything to anyone.

But it still deserves the love it gets as one of the best 1-minute thrill rides you could have, and how it does what it does amazingly well.
 
My nephews lady friend had heard all about it for years, rode it with us in a big family group for the first time last year.
Her response..."Is that it?"
 
Now, in my opinion, Nemesis is not overrated in some ways, but is a bit in others, if you get what I mean. Let me justify myself, but feel free to tear me to shreds for thinking these thoughts; it is a matter of opinion after all.

I will not deny that Nemesis is a stunning coaster, a feat of engineering. In fact, it’s definitely one of my favourite coasters I’ve ever ridden; my number 5 coaster out of 40, to be exact! I adore the coaster, and it’s definitely the best coaster at Alton Towers, in my opinion. It’s really intense (one of, if not the, most intense coaster(s) I’ve ever done!), its pacing is relentless, it’s fantastically smooth for a 24 year old coaster; it’s just out-and-out breathtaking! Definitely deserving of all its praise!

However, in terms of the UK, I do think that The Swarm is slightly better. Only slightly. Literally, Nemesis is my number 5 and Swarm is my number 4! It’s extremely close! I personally think that The Swarm is a very underrated coaster; it’s pretty intense, it packs a nice punch, it’s smooth, the seating position is unique; I just love it as a coaster! Admittedly, I’ve only ever ridden it twice; once in July 2014 and once in May 2015, so I may have to rejudge when I revisit Thorpe in May 2018. Also, in terms of B&M inverts, I would actually say that Montu is stronger. It had exactly the same intensity as Nemesis, in my opinion, but it was also longer and had even more elements. That's not to say that Nemesis isn't a fantastic invert, though. It's still my 2nd favourite.

Also, I am going to use other people I know as examples to back up my point. I, for one, adore Nemesis and think that it very much deserves the praise it gets. However, Nemesis being the best coaster at Alton is very much an opinion I am alone in thinking when I’m with my family. My Dad's favourite is Oblivion, my Mum's favourite is Wicker Man (she doesn't really like big, intense coasters. Her previous Alton favourite was Thirteen.) and my sister's favourite is The Smiler. In fact, I was once talking to my family about favourite coasters at Alton, and I said that my favourite was Nemesis. My sister then proceeded to say to me "I really don't get the hype for Nemesis. Why don't you prefer The Smiler? It's more intense than Nemesis, and it's longer and it has more inversions." Even though The Smiler is a very, very good roller coaster, I didn't quite get the same spark with Smiler as I got with Nemesis, if you get what I mean. So using my family's opinions, they definitely seem to think it's overrated. My entire family bar me also prefers Inferno at Thorpe to Nemesis, but we won't go there. It's very interesting to see the wide range of opinions on this matter, in my opinion.

So, in conclusion, I think that Nemesis is not overrated in terms of how good of a coaster it is, and it is completely deserving of all the praise it gets! However, I don't think that it is the best UK coaster or the best B&M invert, personally. Also, the GP don't seem to hold it on the same god-like pedestal that enthusiasts do.
 
I've only done 3 inverts. Nemesis, Montu and Dragon Challenge. Some may argue but Nemesis and Montu are pretty close in regards to intensity but Nemmy has the edge as it's relentless, in a far better and nicer location and way better themed. John Wardley and B&M nailed it and there's no way it's over-rated.

DC was ok but felt rough and I never thought much of them.
 
Funny how it rarely gets a big queue now though...nothing like as popular as it was.

If queue size was anything to go by, then Thir13teen must be underrated ;)

Queue size has more to do with ride operations and ride put through.

My nephews lady friend had heard all about it for years, rode it with us in a big family group for the first time last year.
Her response..."Is that it?"

Obviously sat in the wrong seats. Nemesis ride great experience depends on where you sit ;)
 
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