Ridden two new RMCs this past week and they were damn good ones...
1. Steel Vengeance - No surprise here really! Unlike Lightning Rod last year, this RMC actually lived up to the hype, at least as much as can be expected. I was lucky enough to experience platinum passholder ERT on this for the hour of 23.30 to 00.30 and never have I been flung into a new coaster in a more astonishing way. The airtime is obviously very strong and plentiful, some of RMCs best, but the real distinguishing factor here is how long SV keeps its unrelenting pace up for; right up until those final crazy little bunny hills the ride was hauling, leaving me in-awe and exhausted in the best possible way. A geniusly-crafted spree of intensity and daringly-twisted elements. Not sure it does anything that I haven’t experienced on an RMC before tbf, it really is the length and quality pacing that allows it to clinch the #1 RMC spot for me. There is room for improvement: it does lack a little in terms of sustained airtime vs the more common “shorter-lived” intense ejector pops (though nowhere near as much as LR), and the on/off trimming at the MCBR during normal-park-hour rides seemed random and did lessen the latter half’s craziness a bit. Only minor complaints though, this is one epic coaster and if only that nighttime ERT could’ve lasted the whole visit!
2. Twisted Timbers
3. Storm Chaser - It’s absolutely near-perfect for a coaster of its size and length (only falling short of #2 in that sense). The airtime is especially wild and ferocious, but also well-sustained over several larger hills, which is something a lot of RMCs lack for me. The overbanks are possibly my favourites of their kind too! I don’t know how they created such a great floating sensation but it’s awesome. It’s a seriously punchy start to the layout with 4 fantastic airtime hills and those 2 glorious overbanks, which then leads into the classic “crazy little bumps” section before dipping into a contrastingly mediocre helix finale. Yeah, it’s just that ending that kills it a tiny bit; and it feels extra awkward from being on such a tear just moments before. It’s a small flaw, but when #1 and #2 are still rampaging all the way to the brakes, it matters. But god, the more I think about the rest of this coaster, the more I love it. Plus, those inverting first drops? I’m a huge fan.
4. Wildfire
5. Iron Rattler
6. Twisted Cyclone
7. Goliath
8. Wicked Cyclone
9. Outlaw Run
10. Joker
11. Twisted Colossus
12. Lightning Rod
13. New Texas Giant
14. RailBlazer
The consistent top quality of RMC is entirely unparalleled, it must be said. RailBlazer is by far my least favourite (didn’t like the restraints) but it’s still in like my top 10% of coasters. That said, they’re not above petty criticism