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Rank the Mack launch coasters

Matt N

TS Member
Favourite Ride
Mako (SeaWorld Orlando)
Hi guys. On this site, Mack launch coasters seem to be an incredibly popular ride type among our members, so I thought it would be really interesting to see how people rank the ones they've ridden. I've done 2, and here's my personal ranking of them:
  1. Icon (Blackpool Pleasure Beach) - What a breathtaking ride! The whole experience just comes together to make something truly amazing, in my opinion; there's decent airtime, the launches, while not quite having the punch of a hydraulic launch, were better than I was expecting, the ride is so smooth and it even has some surprising moments of intensity, in my opinion, especially during the second half! Currently my UK number 1 and my overall number 2! A simply outstanding coaster, if you ask me; BPB and Mack knocked it out of the park with this one! (10/10, #2 in overall rankings)
  2. Slinky Dog Dash (Disney's Hollywood Studios) - Much more fun than expected, actually! Even though there were a few spots where it could have gone faster, I thought it was well paced for the most part, had some nice gentle pops of airtime and was just immensely fun to ride, with some adorable theming! I did find it to rattle more than Icon, but the rattle certainly didn't affect the ride for me! Overall, I think Mack and Disney have done a fantastic job! (6/10, #24 in overall rankings)
If I were to ride all of them, however, I predict that it would go something like this:
  1. Helix
  2. Copperhead Strike
  3. Icon
  4. Time Traveler
  5. Blue Fire
  6. Star Trek
  7. Capitol Bullet Train
  8. Manta
  9. Slinky Dog Dash
But how would you rank the Mack launch coasters you've ridden?
EDIT: If they wouldn't mind, could a mod please move this to Rest of the World Parks & Attractions?
 
Of those I've done:

1. Helix
2. Blue Fire
3. My gran attempting to accelerate in her Vauxhall Astra
4. Someone gently breathing down a straw in my general direction
5. Icon
Wow, that's a low Icon ranking! If you wouldn't mind sharing, how come you don't like Icon?
 
Wow, that's a low Icon ranking! If you wouldn't mind sharing, how come you don't like Icon?
Look, it's fine, it does a job. I don't hate it, I was being half-sarcastic. The thing is, once you've ridden Helix, or even Blue Fire for that matter, you can see what the ride system is actually capable of. Icon doesn't live up to what it could be, and is nowhere near the levels of "awesome" or even just "joy" that the other two are.
 
Look, it's fine, it does a job. I don't hate it, I was being half-sarcastic. The thing is, once you've ridden Helix, or even Blue Fire for that matter, you can see what the ride system is actually capable of. Icon doesn't live up to what it could be, and is nowhere near the levels of "awesome" or even just "joy" that the other two are.
Ah right, thanks for the clarification @Burbs! If that's the case, I'm sensing that I'll find Blue Fire and Helix utterly mind-blowing!
 
Ah right, thanks for the clarification @Burbs! If that's the case, I'm sensing that I'll find Blue Fire and Helix utterly mind-blowing!
Blue Fire isn't mind blowing. As aforementioned, it is simply an absolute joy to experience, and the final inversion is great. Helix is bloody great, and is in my number 2 spot (was number 1 until I rode Untamed which just beat it for me). Having said that, I've not yet had the pleasure of travelling outside of Europe, so I imagine that will put Helix into perspective more generally when I do.
 
Look, it's fine, it does a job. I don't hate it, I was being half-sarcastic. The thing is, once you've ridden Helix, or even Blue Fire for that matter, you can see what the ride system is actually capable of. Icon doesn't live up to what it could be, and is nowhere near the levels of "awesome" or even just "joy" that the other two are.

Yep getting to ride Helix totally ruined Icon for me. The forces that ride pulls are breathtaking. The second launch into the airtime hill looking over Gothenburg at night has to be one of the best single moments on any coaster for me along with the zero g stall on Wildfire and wave turn on Zadra
 
It's not really even fair to compare Helix and Blue Fire to Icon and Slinky. Different kettle of fish

I agree with Burbs' rankings for the three I have been on. I think you'd struggle to find anyone (other than the hardcore PB fanboys) who rank them differently.
 
The only two I've done are blue fire and icon, I prefer blue fire because it feels more intense and has more inversions.
 
1. Helix
2. Icon
3. Blue Fire
4. Slinky

I'm sure people will wonder why I ranked Blue Fire under Icon. I actually like both rides equally but Icon is enjoyable to me for some reason, it's a got a better re-ride factor for me personally.
 
1. Helix

The rest I have done (including Icon) need not apply. They don't even belong in the conversation. Helix is a thing of beauty and a feat of incredible engineering. Wonderful coaster.
Copperhead strike looks solid. Looking forward to riding it this year but I don't think it will come close to Helix
 
Copperhead strike looks solid. Looking forward to riding it this year but I don't think it will come close to Helix

Haven't ridden it myself but doesn't look all that much better than ICON tbh. Helix still in a league of its own in the Mack Launch Category.
 
Of the ones I've ridden:

1. Helix
2. Blue Fire
3.Time Traveler
4. Copperhead Strike
5. Icon

Riding Star Trek this summer. I suspect it'll probably slot in between TT and CHS.
 
My list:

Helix
Time Traveller
Blue Fire
Capitol Bullet Train
Icon
Manta

Helix is obviously in a league of its own but TT is an absolute joy too. Blue Fire is only really there for the absurd roll at the end. The bottom three are pretty interchangeable really. I expect Star Trek to sit just above Capitol Bullet Train.
 
Helix
Blue fire
Star Trek
Icon
Slinky

if I’m honest I would want to put Slinky above Icon as Slinky does what you expect of a family coaster whereas Icon is hugely disappointing as a thrill ride. But it would be churlish to try an suggest slinky is a better ride.
 
1. Helix
2. Velociraptor
3. Blue Fire
4. Icon
5. Capitol Bullet Train

Despite number 2 essentially being a clone of number 3, I rate it more highly as I prefer the wide open desert setting of Velociraptor to the tight, compact nature of its predecessor.
 
Pretty straight forward for me:
  1. Helix
  2. Time Traveler
  3. Blue Fire
  4. Icon
  5. Manta
 
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