For today's review, we're going back in time to ride SUPERMAN: Escape From Krypton when it was still alive at Six Flags Magic Mountain. After waiting in a TERRIBLE line and choosing which side you want (You can go either forwards or backward), you board the trains. Once you get in the trains and you pull down the OTSR'S. We prepare for the launch.
After counting and waiting, the time has come. We LAUNCH!!!! Now, unlike other launched coasters. Superman does it a bit differently, instead of instantly launching the full 100MPH. This ride gradually builds up that speed. So you slowly go from snail speeds to 100MPH. And honestly, it's.... ummm..... I mean it's not bad. But.... ummm..... it's a bit forceless. It's still fun, but it's not Xcelerator good like it may seem. At least it was better on the forward side than the backward side. What makes matters worse is that by the time it hits the 100 MPH mark, you shoot up the tower and lose all of that speed. But hey, depending on how high you go, you are gonna get some GREAT hangtime and even some solid ejector airtime hitting up that spike. If you're on the forward side, you're staring straight up at the sky. If you're on the backwards side, you're staring right at the ground. Eventually, you roll back down and head back into the station.
So.... was it a good ride? Ummm. Well, it wasn't a bad ride at all, it was mostly just a gimmick... Yeah, I think that's how I can describe this coaster. One massive gimmick. It was fun and I do like it fine. But really, the only good part is that vertical spike and the brief period of time you hit the 100MPH mark on the launch. And sadly, this ride's time is up. Six Flags has been removing A LOT of high-maintenance rides without warning. Anaconda at King's Dominion, Nighthawk at Carowinds, La Vibora at Six Flags over Texas, Green Lantern at Great Adventure, Time Warp at Canada's Wonderland and Kingda Ka at Great Adventure (ESPECIALLY PISSED ABOUT THIS ONE CLOSING). All closed down without any warning or notice before they died. Even if the merger didn't happen, I knew Superman would eventually die one day. I hope that Lex Luthor stays, and they just use the tower for Lex Luthor while turning Superman's area into something else. Maybe a new flat ride or restaurant (I would say new coaster, but SFMM has plenty of those, and honestly, there's not much you can replace it with). If you missed out, then you honestly didn't miss much. This wasn't a great coaster. But it's still a bummer knowing that I'm never gonna hear that roar again and that a rare model is now extinct. Just please don't also tear down X2 Six Flags. =(
Final Score: 58/100
Opened March 15, 1997 as Superman The Escape
Refurbished on March 19, 2011, as Superman Escape From Krypton
Died: September 2nd, 2024
Manufacturer: Intamin
Last Ridden: September 11th, 2021 read more