As a new poster, I thought this would be a good way to warm myself up in the forums!
1. Steel Vengeance (Cedar Point) - I know this coaster gets a lot of hype, but I think it's the rare coaster that lives up to every bit of hype it gets! I've been riding coasters for almost 40 years, and this is as close to a "perfect coaster" as I have ridden! It does everything you could want a coaster to do except launch, and isn't short, which gives it the edge over coasters like Lightning Rod, in my opinion. We'll see if Iron Gwazi can dethrone it, but for my taste, I think it'll be a while before something does!
2. Fury (Carowinds) - As you can see, I refuse to add the number on when referring to this ride. So silly, in my opinion! The tallest non-launched coaster in the world lives up to expectations, as its height, speed, airtime combo is fantastic, and the ride is tremendously well paced. To me, aesthetics are very important on a coaster, when it comes to separating similarly favored coasters on my list, and Fury wins like crazy here. I love the color, I love the interaction with the front gate, and I love the tunnel under the walkway. The treble clef element, and a fantastic lighting package are just icing on the cake!
3. Maverick (Cedar Point) - It's very close between this and the next coaster on my list, but I'll go with this one simply for the fact that it does more, and does it with less in the height and speed department. Maverick is such a unique coaster, and no matter how many times I ride it, it never gets old. The one-two punch of Steel Vengeance and Maverick in the back of Cedar Point, is almost unparalleled. and even throwing out nostalgia, or a home park bias, I don't foresee this coaster ever falling out of my Top 10.
4. Millennium Force (Cedar Point) - Here's where my list gets controversial, and probably induces some eye rolls. Yes, I know enthusiasts like to take a dump on this groundbreaking coaster now, but in its day, it was transcendent in a way few coasters other than Magnum had been before it. The rush of the coaster's never relenting speed still energizes me 20 years later, and I still have yet to ride it with a first-timer non-enthusiast who didn't think it was one of the best coasters they'd been on, and incredibly intense. Yes, I used that word. This coaster IS objectively intense, and objectively forceful, contrary to its butchered name in some circles. Sure, I fully admit that nostalgia, and familiarity with this coaster gives it a boost that otherwise it probably doesn't merit. But this is my list, and to me, MF is a coaster that I wouldn't give up for any of the others on this list below it, if I could only ride one coaster the rest of my life. Therefore, here it is at #4.
5. The Voyage (Holiday World) - My #1 wooden coaster just makes it into my Top 5, and The Voyage is an incredibly deserving coaster! For non-stop intensity, I never thought I'd ride a coaster better than The Voyage, and while Steel Vengeance outdoes it now in my opinion, The Voyage is still right behind it. A night ride on this beast, especially with the trims off, is as unrelenting, and wild of a coaster experience as you'll ever find! While I've never been bull riding, I compare the latter half of this coaster after the triple-down in the tunnel, especially with trims off, to what it seems riding a bull would be like - and I love it! I know some people find this coaster too intense, or too rough for their taste, but even as somebody who has a low tolerance for what I consider to be "rough" coasters, I think this one isn't too bad. There have been some very worthy challengers to its throne, which you'll be seeing below here, but for my taste and opinion, none have been able to do as much, or do it as relentlessly well, as The Voyage!
6. Twisted Timbers (Kings Dominion) - This is probably one of the first big surprises in my list for a lot of people, as I feel Twisted Timbers never gets as much love as it merits. Opening in the shadow of Steel Vengeance (even though it opened first, and I rode it first), definitely plays a part in that, I think. As does being at a lesser regarded park than Cedar Point or Dollywood. But for my money, it simply doesn't get much better than Twisted Timbers - I love this coaster! It is smaller in stature than some of the other top RMC coasters, but I think it packs an amazing punch throughout its non-stop blitz through its layout. I'd say this is the most underrated, or least ballyhooed coaster in my personal Top 10, and certainly deserves more love and recognition in my opinion!
7. Lightning Rod (Dollywood) - This is often in contention with Steel Vengeance among enthusiasts for the best RMC, at least Stateside, but I actually have it as my 3rd rated RMC, though it's very close with Twisted Timbers. Honestly, the biggest thing holding LR back for me, is its length, as it's just so short. I feel like what's there is awesome - awesome enough to get into my Top 6 - but it definitely leaves me wanting more at the end. I haven't had any issues with reliability the two times I've been there since it opened, so I guess I've been lucky. I rode it both first year before the modifications made after that year, and also before this latest incarnation, without the front car's hood decoration on. So that is what I'm basing my experience on. Still a great, awesome roller coaster though, don't get me wrong! Just not as highly rated for me as I know it is for a lot of people.
8. El Toro (Six Flags Great Adventure) - Another coaster that is ranked lower for me than a lot of people, is this magnificent wooden coaster in New Jersey. Now, just because it's not in my Top 5. doesn't mean I don't think it's a great coaster, and its airtime is the stuff of legends (not The Legend, to be clear). It's just that at the end of the day, there happen to be 7 coasters that I'd choose over it if I could only ride one coasterIt's for the rest of my life, which is pretty much how I come up with the nitty gritty of deciding my rankings. It's a shame more coasters like El Toro haven't been made, because it is truly one of the greatest wooden gifts to mankind! (One category it leads my rankings in, is it's my favorite traditional wooden coaster (non-RMC), that has all wooden supports (unlike The Voyage). So it's got that going for it!
9. Storm Chaser (Kentucky Kingdom) - As underrated as I feel Twisted Timbers is, perhaps Storm Chaser is even more underrated! While most have it toward the lower end of their RMC rankings, I have it here at 4th, and in my Top 10. I still feel like that first airtime hill is the single greatest airtime moment I've ever experienced on a coaster, and the pacing of the ride is spot on! Now, it was my first RMC, so it was my introduction to the zaniness that is RMC, and I acknowledge that could play a role in it being so highly rated for me. It is still the RMC I have the most laps on, as I rode it 20 times my one and only visit to KK in 2016. So I do have that experience. I'll be going to KK again later this year for the Keys to the Kingdom event, so I'll see how I feel after riding it again, to see if it's lost anything over the years, and as I've gotten more experience with RMCs.
10. Phantom's Revenge (Kennywood) - Here's another coaster that I feel is often underrated, and unheralded, though I have noticed that changing in recent years, which is good. My favorite non-Giga Hyper, Phantom's Revenge is the first coaster that really showed me what a steel ejector airtime machine was (with all due respect to Magnum, which is not one of my favorite coasters, in spite of it being at CP.) The setting of the coaster is so unique, as is its design, and that counts a lot towards my valuation of it. Directly after riding Leviathan last year, I slid that above this in my rankings, but as recency bias has worn off, I feel like Phantom's Revenge is still my preferred coaster between the two. Definitely more than worth the drive to Pittsburgh and Kennywood. and there are a bunch of other great caosters there too, making it a must do park for anybody who hasn't gone yet!
Here's the rest of my Top 25 without the lengthy write-ups!
11. Leviathan (Canada's Wonderland) - I'd heard this was the "weakest" Giga before riding it. There's nothing weak about this awesome coaster!
12. Behemoth (Canada's Wonderland) - Back to back coasters for CW, as my fave B&M Hyper is basically as good as their Giga! Fantastic!
13. Mako (Sea World Orlando) - Back to back B&M Hypers, as we get into the sweet spot in my rankings for this great coaster type! Barely beaten by Behemoth.
14. Goliath (Six Flags Great America) - Another fantastic RMC creation, often thought of as the "worst", but other than being short, it's awesome!
15. Diamondback (Kings Island) - The B&M Hypers keep piling up, as the 3rd one makes my Top 15. This one gets WAY too much "hate", as it's amazing!
16. Ravine Flyer II (Waldameer Park) - My 4th rated Wooden coaster, the greatness of this one elevates the remote small park to a must-visit.
17. Shivering Timbers (Michigan's Adventure) - Another underrated and often overlooked coaster, due to its "meh" park, ST absolutely delivers massive thrills!
18. Yukon Striker (Canda's Wonderland) - My favorite Dive Machine, YS isn't just a great one of those, it's a great coaster, period! No one trick pony here!
19. Kraken (Sea World Orlando) - Another of my sentimental favorites, this is my favorite B&M Floorless, and I've ridden pretty much all the US ones.
20. Expedition Everest (Disney's Animal Kingdom) - One of the most expensive coasters ever built, is also one of the best! Not bad for a Vekoma! lol
21. GateKeeper (Cedar Point) - This much maligned coaster is unfairly dissed, as it's one of the best I've ridden, and I get a great ride every single time!
22. Thunderbird (Holiday World) - Most rank this above GK, but it's just below it for me. The launch is great, but the rest doesn't compare to GK for me.
23. Mystic Timbers (Kings Island) - Another coaster that moves up my rankings the more and more I ride it. Fantastic GCI coaster, with non-stop airtime!
24. Storm Runner (Hersheypark) - A Top 5 launch coaster in my opinion, I don't see this awesome coaster get the attention I feel it deserves!
25. Manta (Sea World Orlando) - My top rated B&M Flyer, this also gives SWO 3 coasters in my Top 25, joining CP and CW in having that honor.
Honorable Mentions: Banshee, White Lightning, Tatsu, Nitro, Cornball Express
