1: Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point
Believe the hype. It will live up to your expectations. This ride spits out every other and eats it for breakfast the next day. Endless airtime. Intense transitions. Long duration. This is quite simply a masterclass of thrill engineering and the most incredible ride in the world. That doesn't mean you could sit on it for an hour - you would probably die.
2: Maverick, Cedar Point
If anything, Maverick has grown on me since my 2013 trip. Unlike most of my top coasters. Maverick is re-rideable, smooth, comfortable - but also wildly creative in its layout - a brilliant launch and fantastic first drop and intense corners. Probably the most perfect coaster ever built. Taron? Say what? As with all Intamins - let this ride warm up and check it out later in the day for the best!
3: El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure
Wild. Airtime is insane. It is simply an epic, epic rollercoaster which gets almost universal praise from all who ride it. That said, since my 2013 trip the ride has become a little rougher, and that is why it is no longer higher than Maverick.
4: Skyrush, Hersheypark
The airtime on this coaster is almost too much. It makes you scream and shriek. It is like no other coaster experience. The lift hill alone is just madness. The first drop is incredible. As with all Intamins - let this ride warm up and check it out later in the day for the best!
5: Raptor, Cedar Point / variants
Raptor represents a kick ass layout on an awesome ride model. Genuinely, this is a top, top class inverted coaster and classic from B&M. Intense or what! Note that Raptor is actually better than Monster, as unlike the latter, Raptor runs 3 trains, warms up properly during the day and is far better taken care of.
6. Eejanaika, Fuji-Q Highland
This ride is actually quite vicious. But it's like nothing else I have done. I certainly couldn't ride again in quick succession but this is a thrill and intensity like no other ride.
7. Outlaw Run, Silver Dollar City
A fantastic ride in a fantastic park. It no doubt helps that my first experience of this coaster was at night - and the entire layout is shrouded in complete blackness. I couldn't recall the layout and as such, it was one of the best experiences I had ever had on a coaster. Check it out after dark for the best experience!
8. Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion
Millennium what? This ride is everything Millennium Force wishes it was - combining the speed of the Cedar Point icon with the tight twists of Maverick and the intensity of... well no other ride. The sustained G forces during the helix on this coaster will have your eyesight going blurry. It's something else. As with all Intamins - let this ride warm up and check it out later in the day for the best!
9: Fury325, Carowinds
In the evening, with the darkness falling, this is a beast of a coaster offering speed, airtime and comfort in one. Wow!
10: iSpeed, Mirabilandia
Crazy pacing and relentless twists. The first 30 seconds are sensational. As with all Intamins - let this ride warm up and check it out later in the day for the best!
The following rides deserve a mention as they are amazing in their own way, and some of my favourites too:
Time Traveler (Silver Dollar City), Gran Monserrat (Parque Espana), Wodan (Europa-Park), Space Mountain (Magic Kingdom), The Smiler (Alton Towers) & Schwur des Karnan (Hansa-Park).