Nitro, Six Flags Great Adventure - Review

Hypercoaster manufactured by Bolliger and Mabillard. The ride has 3 trains each containing 9 rows of 4 seats. The trains are designed for maximum exposure and feature sideless seats with clam shell lapbar restraints and no seat belts.

A 230foot high lift leads to a first drop of 215 taken at a 68º angle. The second hill features a steeply banked curve 90º to the left. A third hill follows before the train enters an overbanked 180º Hammerhead turn.

Yet another hill follows before you hit an s-curve. Next follows the Spiral, which is like an upward helix, which leads to a brake block. There then follows four speed hills of which the last one is the biggest and is situated over a stretch of water.

I like the l-shaped out and back design and how it is set out from the rest of the park; it heads out toward the lake and towers above the trees - this adds to the excitement as it takes you out into the unknown. I feel the overall ride experience could have been improved with some theming, tunnels and mist, and just that little bit more ferocity.

Riding in the front the track seems to disappear out of view on the first drop making it appear steeper than it actually is. Nearly all of the hills feature some degree of airtime, ranging from massive floater air in the front, to some strong ejector sensations in the back.

The first time I rode Nitro I found it to be an incredible experience, and I came so close to giving it the full ten, but since that would imply the ride is as close to perfect as it could be, I ended up giving it a nine. I have found Nitro to be quite variable as to the amount of airtime it delivers, some visits it has been generous, others it has been stingy. Some visits I have got off with a buzz, others I have disembarked feeling a little disappointed.

The ride is always smooth, and best enjoyed in the front for visuals, row 3 maybe for more airtime (both on inclines and declines) and on the outside seats to make the most of the overbanked turns. Overall, a fantastic ride that has delivered, but my last few visits it has been a little forceless, sort of like a 'weeee' instead of a 'wooow'.