Two-Face: The Flip Side was a Vekoma Invertigo shuttle coaster at Six Flags America in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, that let riders race face-to-face through a vertical loop and a boomerang turn, then run the whole circuit backwards. Opened in 1999, it was one of the signature additions Six Flags made after taking over the former Adventure World park, sending 28 riders at a time through 3 inversions (traversed twice) at 50 mph.
The coaster’s seven cars sat riders two abreast in rows facing the passengers across from them, so everyone watched each other’s reactions as the train shot through the loop and boomerang element. An accident in October 2007 caused by a malfunctioning safety sensor led Maryland regulators to shut the ride down indefinitely, and it never reopened at Six Flags America. It sat unused through the 2008 season before being dismantled, then was sold and rebuilt in Italy, reopening at Movieland Park as Diabolik in 2015.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags America (Upper Marlboro, Maryland)
- Manufacturer: Vekoma (Invertigo model)
- Opened: May 8, 1999
- Closed: 2007 (idled 2008, dismantled after; relocated to Italy)
- Height: about 131 ft
- Top speed: 50 mph
- Length: about 1,014 ft
- Inversions: 3 (experienced twice, forwards and backwards)
The Ride Experience
Riders boarded face-to-face in rows of two, an unusual seating layout that turned every loop and turnaround into a shared, unavoidable eye-contact moment with the person across the aisle. A chain-driven catch car hauled the train up a vertical spike on one end of the station, then released it to race forward through a vertical loop and a boomerang-style turnaround before climbing a second spike at the far end.
From there, gravity pulled the train back through the same elements in reverse, giving riders the disorienting experience of looping and turning both forwards and backwards in a single 90-second cycle. The DC Comics Two-Face theming, station graphics, and queue leaned into the villain’s split personality to match the ride’s dual-direction gimmick.
Closure and Legacy
The ride’s run ended after an October 2007 incident traced to a faulty safety sensor that caused an unexpected jolt, prompting Maryland’s Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation to order it closed until it could be proven safe. Six Flags America never reopened it, and the coaster stood dormant through 2008 before crews removed it from the park.
Rather than being scrapped, the Invertigo trains and track were shipped to Movieland Park near Verona, Italy, where the ride was rebuilt and reopened in 2015 as Diabolik, named for the Italian comic-book antihero — giving the Six Flags America original a second life overseas.
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Two-Face: The Flip Side Photo Archive: July 2001
These are original ThrillZing photos of Two-Face: The Flip Side taken at Six Flags America on July 14, 2001, restored and upscaled from the original camera files. They show the Vekoma Invertigo in its Gotham City paint: the Two-Face entrance sign, face-to-face trains hanging in the loop and cobra roll, the vertical lift towers, and the layout above the midway. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.
Two-Face: The Flip Side FAQs
Why did Two-Face: The Flip Side close at Six Flags America?
A malfunctioning safety sensor caused the train to stall and jolt unexpectedly in October 2007, prompting Maryland regulators to order the ride closed until it could be proven safe. It never reopened and was removed after standing idle through the 2008 season.
What made Two-Face’s layout unusual?
As a Vekoma Invertigo, it had no traditional lift hill. Chain-driven catch cars hauled the train up vertical spikes at each end of the track, and riders experienced the vertical loop and boomerang turnaround twice — once forwards, once backwards — while seated face-to-face with other passengers.
Does the ride still exist anywhere?
Yes. After leaving Six Flags America, the coaster was sold and rebuilt at Movieland Park in Italy, where it reopened in 2015 as Diabolik.
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Photo: Parthrb / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.