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Rank your ridden B&M inverted coasters

Matt N said:
Fair enough, I suppose! But Nemesis isn’t an awful lot longer than Inferno, if any longer than Inferno, and that gets rated very highly. Even the Batman clones, which have a very similar layout to Inferno, get rated far more highly.

I suppose everyone has their own different opinions, however!
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The setting has a lot to do with Nemmy being rated so highly Matthew. If it was plonked all on one level like a batman clone it wouldn't be half the coaster it is.

Landscaping and near miss elements can make a good coaster an outstanding one for me.
 
Like others have said, I think Inferno is just a bit beige.

The pre-lift and first drop are great, but I find the rest of the layout fairly forgettable. Visually it looks the part, and as an overall package it’s certainly not the worst coaster in the world, but compared to other inverts I find it a bit soulless when riding. The best coasters for me have something special thrown into the mix to catch you off guard and build the ride back up when you least expect it. It’s why so many modern B&Ms used to get so much schtick for dying at the end, resorting to just sweeping turns or helices. Rides like Nemesis and Oz’Iris slip in one last element to regain your attention at the end of the ride.

Don’t get me wrong, Inferno does it’s job, and many parks would have it as their headliner, but compared to other Inverts out there it isn’t mindblowing.
 
Ninferno's tag to its older sister in Staffordshire certainly doesn't help either. It's essentially the same as having an amazing movie come out, then 9 years it has a sequel which is just a bit "meh". I think Thorpe did a decent job of utilising the space where it occupies, but I think overall with the layout, it doesn't really suit an invert that well. To give it some credit though, looking at a lot of other inverts, I don't think it's the worst one. Great Bear and Silver Bullet just to name two look worse imo
 
I still find that it's the Thorpe locals who love Inferno over Nemesis and vice versa for the Alton locals. Inferno may have a good pre section but Nemesis is more intense just because it's relentless until u enter the brake run
 
Ted said:
Ninferno's tag to its older sister in Staffordshire certainly doesn't help either. It's essentially the same as having an amazing movie come out, then 9 years it has a sequel which is just a bit "meh". I think Thorpe did a decent job of utilising the space where it occupies, but I think overall with the layout, it doesn't really suit an invert that well. To give it some credit though, looking at a lot of other inverts, I don't think it's the worst one. Great Bear and Silver Bullet just to name two look worse imo
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Great Bear was actually a pleasant surprise when I rode it. Went on with low expectations thinking it would be one of the poorest B&M inverts and it was surprisingly good. Enjoyed it more than Inferno.
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
I still find that it's the Thorpe locals who love Inferno over Nemesis and vice versa for the Alton locals. Inferno may have a good pre section but Nemesis is more intense just because it's relentless until u enter the brake run
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Funnily enough, I have actually visited Alton Towers far more than I have visited Thorpe Park, but Nemesis just doesn't do it for me like it used to anymore in comparison to Inferno. Maybe it's because my tastes have changed towards more rerideable coasters as opposed to out and out intense ones?

As I said, I admit that Nemesis definitely has its moments where it is very intense (the helix is probably more intense than any individual part of Inferno), but I think Inferno has stronger pacing and is more consistent through the layout, personally, and I just find it a lot more enjoyable on the whole.
 
jon81uk said:
I still think describing a coaster as consistent is not a good thing. If a train went round a track continuously at 30mph it would be consistent, but it would not be exciting.
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Of course a coaster with no change in speed would not be overly thrilling, but I find Inferno changes speed enough to make it exciting, but also maintains a consistent enough pace to feel thrilling and maintain a nice level of g-force throughout without being too intense.

Nemesis, on the other hand, while there are many bits of it that feel very fast and thrilling, I find that it doesn’t maintain that pace in the same way that Inferno does. The main dead spot on the ride for me is the turnaround directly after the loop; I’ve had some rides on it where it really loses speed quite dramatically trying to lurch its way up into that, and I do also find that the turnaround just before the loop is sometimes taken a little slowly. I do think the limitations of the coaster’s location do begin to show themselves at these 1 or 2 points in the layout. I think Nemesis is somewhat inconsistent in that I have had vastly variable rides on it over the years compared to some of the other coasters I’ve been on.

Another thing that I think takes away from Nemesis a little these days is that on my more recent rides, I have experienced definite head banging at a few points in the layout (most notably the zero-g roll and the corkscrews). While it’s not rough by any means, Nemesis is not exactly a glass smooth coaster, and it has left me with somewhat sore ears after my recent rides, which does take away from it a bit for me. As I say, it’s not unbearably rough by any means, but it does take away from the ride a bit for me, and I’d probably say it’s one of the rougher B&Ms I’ve ridden (although that’s more a testament to B&M’s overall smoothness than any slight against Nemesis). I personally found rides like Inferno and Montu a lot smoother; the two sides of Dragon Challenge at IOA seemed to suffer from a similar problem, but to a slightly greater extent, and those two rides had much weaker layouts than Nemesis, in my opinion, so they rank noticeably lower than the other 3 inverts I’ve been on for that reason.

I’m not trying to say that Nemesis is a bad coaster at all, far from it! There are many very fast, thrilling sections of Nemesis, and for the most part, it definitely packs a punch! Wardley and B&M did a brilliant job of defying everything working against them, and the ride was and still is truly unlike anything else in the world! I do still very much enjoy the ride; I think it’s a good coaster (a solid 7/10 for me), and it still holds a very special place in my heart for being one of my first big coasters.

However, I can’t seem to get on board the hype train for it as much as everyone else can these days. It’s a really good coaster, but it’s probably my least favourite UK B&M (controversial opinion, I know!), and as much as it has a lot going for it, it’s been leaving me feeling a little disillusioned after my recent rides, and not giving me that overall buzz and desire to reride that some of my very favourite coasters do.
 
Benjsh said:
Great Bear was actually a pleasant surprise when I rode it. Went on with low expectations thinking it would be one of the poorest B&M inverts and it was surprisingly good. Enjoyed it more than Inferno.
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Most people who I've spoken to who've been to Hersheypark have said that Great Bear has been certainty underrated before hand and then they ride it and it turns out to be very good! I'll probably visit Hersheypark over the next 5 years so one day I'll hopefully be able to experience it myself!
 
Matt N said:
Nemesis, on the other hand, while there are many bits of it that feel very fast and thrilling, I find that it doesn’t maintain that pace in the same way that Inferno does. The main dead spot on the ride for me is the turnaround directly after the loop; I’ve had some rides on it where it really loses speed quite dramatically trying to lurch its way up into that, and I do also find that the turnaround just before the loop is sometimes taken a little slowly. I do think the limitations of the coaster’s location do begin to show themselves at these 1 or 2 points in the layout.
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Whereas for me the slower portions help you appreciate the more thrilling sections more. Its like watching a comedy film, you need moments without jokes to find the jokes more funny, joke after joke means it gets repetitive.

John Wardley said about Nemesis
What we're doing in twisted steel is what a scriptwriter does with words. We're entertainers – in the business of creating thrills and mystery. Like a good writer, a good designer won't let people know what's coming: it should be a succession of steadily building surprises. The layout of Nemesis broke the rules, too. With a conventional rollercoaster, you're winched up high and dropped, so the ride gets tamer as it reaches the end. Showbiz is all about a big finale, though, and I wanted this ride to get better as it went on – even if it meant defying the laws of gravity. So I put the end station not at the bottom, but halfway up. This means that you swing way below the station in a big finishing dip, then come back up to the end.
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from https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/mar/12/how-we-made-nemesis

That kinda sums it up, a succession of steadily building surprises. Whereas on Inferno, I never feel any surprises after the "fire" tunnel.

It sounds like we are not going to agree on this though!
 
jon81uk said:
Whereas for me the slower portions help you appreciate the more thrilling sections more. Its like watching a comedy film, you need moments without jokes to find the jokes more funny, joke after joke means it gets repetitive.

John Wardley said about Nemesis
from https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2012/mar/12/how-we-made-nemesis

That kinda sums it up, a succession of steadily building surprises. Whereas on Inferno, I never feel any surprises at all.

It sounds like we are not going to agree on this though!
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I definitely get where yourself and Wardley are coming from, however as you say, I’m not sure we will ever fully agree!

I’m not really sure Nemesis is fully my kind of B&M, as I think I’ve grown to prefer the floatier, more rerideable B&Ms (e.g. Mako, The Swarm) over time. I do still always enjoy a ride on it, however!
 
Matt N said:
I definitely get where yourself and Wardley are coming from, however as you say, I’m not sure we will ever fully agree!

I’m not really sure Nemesis is fully my kind of B&M, as I think I’ve grown to prefer the floatier, more rerideable B&Ms (e.g. Mako, The Swarm) over time. I do still always enjoy a ride on it, however!
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I fully respect that as well. Has anyone ever been to Wallygator or Miribilandia and ridden Katun and monster?
 
Matt N said:
I’m not really sure Nemesis is fully my kind of B&M, as I think I’ve grown to prefer the floatier, more rerideable B&Ms (e.g. Mako, The Swarm) over time. I do still always enjoy a ride on it, however!
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I love Mako. But it is definitely a different type of coaster, its hard to compare a looping coaster with a non-looping one in some ways. The floatyness on Mako is great and the thrill on Montu and Nemesis is also great.
 
jon81uk said:
I love Mako. But it is definitely a different type of coaster, its hard to compare a looping coaster with a non-looping one in some ways. The floatyness on Mako is great and the thrill on Montu and Nemesis is also great.
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I admit that Mako is a completely different type of B&M; it and the likes of Nemesis could not be more different in every category besides manufacturer! I admit it perhaps wasn’t the best example to use when talking about B&M inverted coasters.

However, what I meant was that I think that style of B&M, with the floatier transitions that offer really nice hang time, appeal to me more. I’m thinking here of something like The Swarm, which I find really smooth & enjoyable, with lots of hang time, but also maintaining a level of g-force that’s high enough to feel thrilling, but low enough that the ride experience doesn’t feel too intense for me. The Swarm’s one of my personal favourite coasters, and my favourite UK B&M.

I don’t personally rate coasters that are really, really intense without necessarily being overly enjoyable (things like Olympia Looping come to mind, and to a lesser extent rides like Manta at SeaWorld Orlando) as highly as many others do, so I really like it when a ride strikes a nice balance between thrills and rerideability. The rides that do that are some of my personal favourite coasters.

To drag it back onto the topic of inverted coasters, some of the inverts I’m really looking forward to and really like the look of are some of the ones that look to have really nice floaty transitions, and quite a bit of hangtime, and maintaining enough g-forces to feel thrilling while not being excessively intense. Something like Oz’Iris at Parc Asterix really excites me; that looks like a thrilling invert, but also really fun, floaty and smooth, with g-forces that feel thrilling, but not too excessive. Exactly my sort of ride! If anyone’s ridden Oz’Iris, is this what it actually feels like?

I hope you understand where I’m coming from, even though I accept that we probably have vastly differing tastes.
 
Here’s mine.

1/ Oziris- ridiculously underrated and a superb coaster with an excellent layout and theming.

2/ Nemesis- A classic iconic coaster. The layout and setting legendary IMO.

3/ Black Mamba- spectacular theming and setting with a layout that is undoubtably great.

4/ Raptor (Cedar Point)- Forceful, impressive and feels like a great example of an “old School” B&M.

5/ Nemesis Inferno- Possibly Thorpe’s best coaster and unlike some of it’s rides has become better with age.

6/ Banshee- Easily my least favourite B&M invert (and one my least favourites overall). Found the coaster forceless, lacking excitement and pacing. The best restraints greatly ruined the ride for me as well.
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
Has anyone ever been to Wallygator or Miribilandia and ridden Katun and monster?
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I’ve done Monster and it’s still my number 1 (Coaster. Not just Invert.). It has some truly insane points where it really packs a punch. It is unfortunate that it’s plonked, unthemed and partially painted in a barren plot of industrial land, but for me it does nothing to hurt the ride experience. I’m intrigued to one day see how it compares to Raptor, as I know some people refer to Monster as being a bit more rough and ready than it’s older sibling.

Katun is one on my hitlist. I can see lots of parallels between it and Monster, so I’d expect it to come in high.
 
Ian said:
I’ve done Monster and it’s still my number 1 (Coaster. Not just Invert.). It has some truly insane points where it really packs a punch. It is unfortunate that it’s plonked, unthemed and partially painted in a barren plot of industrial land, but for me it does nothing to hurt the ride experience. I’m intrigued to one day see how it compares to Raptor, as I know some people refer to Monster as being a bit more rough and ready than it’s older sibling.

Katun is one on my hitlist. I can see lots of parallels between it and Monster, so I’d expect it to come in high.
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Raptor is excellent but it falls down a bit for me for having no themeing. I havent ridden Monster yet but it's essentially the exact same coaster layout so I kinda have in a way. Will hopefully get to do it one day.
 
I'm still trying to work out where Nemesis gets it's speed from because coasters like the Batman clones or Montu and definitely Banshee have massive drops whereas Nemesis just has a small pre drop and a a small drop yet the speed it gets is just amazing!
 
Pleasure Beach Valhalla said:
I'm still trying to work out where Nemesis gets it's speed from because coasters like the Batman clones or Montu and definitely Banshee have massive drops whereas Nemesis just has a small pre drop and a a small drop yet the speed it gets is just amazing!
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1. The drop is deceptive, the terrain makes it look smaller than it actually is.
2. The fact you are so close to the ground makes it feel like you are going faster.
 
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