AGAWAM – Calling all risk takers, thrill seekers, and comic lovers: Six Flags New England celebrated the inaugural ride and the unveiling of their new The Joker 4D Free Fly Coaster last week.  The coaster is named after the famous DC Comics villain.

The Joker is a 4D free-fly coaster, the first in New England. The 120 foot tall coaster, which is equivalent to 12 stories, reaches a speed of 38 miles per hour over a one-minute period.      

Riders have the thrill of sitting in a 4D wing vehicle that suspends the rider freely.  Passengers don’t have anything above their heads or below their feet, allowing the seats to rotate around the vehicle’s axis. 

The Joker has two drops that are beyond 90 degrees, which gives patrons the sensation of free falling.  The ride has five vehicles that can handle up to eight people per vehicle.  

The newest rollercoaster is the thirteenth coaster added to the theme park.  Park President John Winkler said, “The Joker 4D Free Fly Coaster utilizes the latest innovative technology, and perfectly captures the warped and unpredictable nature of The Joker.  The Joker 4D Free Fly Coaster is the first of its kind in New England and like no other ride our guests have ever experienced.  This is a great complement to our already stellar ride lineup and will be a big hit with thrill seekers.”

While most coasters that flip upside down have shoulder restraints, The Joker has both shoulder restraints and a chest pad to ensure the comfort of its riders.

Though I was wary at first, The Joker wasn’t as scary or stomach-churning as I had imagined.  I love rollercoasters and I don’t shy away from ones that go upside-down, however the “unpredictable” nature of never knowing when the ride is going to flip was intimidating.  

As it turns out, my hesitance was unnecessary.  Though the coaster clocks-in at a minute long, the time spent riding it felt short due to the 10 to 15 second climb up to the first drop.  The coaster I was on only spun fully upside-down once, but it did provide a lot of back-and-forth movement.

The Joker 4D Free Fly Coaster is located on the south end of the Park, across from Batman The Dark Knight.