Superman: Ride of Steel sits in the back of the park, along the banks of the Connecticut River. Its imposing red hill soars to incredible heights and dominates the Six Flags New England skyline. Like a flame that lures moths, the coaster beckons riders even as it threatens to light their adrenaline on fire and scare the kryptonite out of them. This Ride of Steel demands nerves of steel.

From the start, everything about Superman is coaster perfection. The cars have raised seats and low-slung sides. Instead of an over-the-shoulder harness (there are no inversions), an unobtrusive seat belt and a single-arm safety bar add to the car's open and exposed feeling.

The coaster uses a traditional lift hill. The train click-clack-clicks up, up, up, and a-way up. If you're able to get your mind off of the ensuing madness, the views of the river are lovely. The high-speed first drop is pure coaster nirvana. With a 70-degree angle of decent, the train accelerates to nearly 80 mph. It hugs the track and yields a surprisingly smooth ride throughout-- even at faster-than-a-speeding-bullet speed.

How can a coaster rise 208 feet and drop 221 feet? At the bottom of the first hill, the train enters an underground, fog-enshrouded tunnel. Incredibly disorienting, it is among the ride's best features. As the train leaves the tunnel to ascend the second hill, Superman delivers its first dose of delirious airtime. The coaster is an airtime-lover's dream.

Even after the train turns around and heads back towards the station, Superman never lets up. It's one of those rare coasters that positively screams until it hits the magnetic brakes at its conclusion. A series of camelback hills keeps the major airtime coming. The track then snakes in and around the park's DC Superheroes area before it dives into a second fog-filled tunnel. A couple of smaller bunny hills offer yet more airtime. A final banked helix sends Superman's riders flying into the station. The returning passengers invariably look elated and sport frozen grins born from equal parts of terror and joy. And that, my thrill-seeking friends, is the very essence of a great roller coaster experience.

There are similar Superman: Ride of Steel coasters at Six Flags Darien Lake in New York and Six Flags America in Maryland. While they are wonderful rides, everything about the New England version--the track layout, how the track integrates with the surrounding park, the airtime, the smooth ride, the relentless speed--is better. It's just an incredible coaster achievement.

Can a roller coaster ride become a life-altering experience? Well, that may be stretching the truth. But, in Superman's case, not too far.

Other Theme Parks With "Superman: Ride of Steel"

Six Flags "America" Baltimore/Washington, DC
Warner Bros. "Movie World" Madrid, Spain