Gotham City Gauntlet: Escape from Arkham Asylum is a steel wild mouse roller coaster at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. It opened to guests on April 16, 2011, giving the park its tenth coaster and wrapping riders in a Batman villain storyline as they try to break free of Arkham Asylum.
The ride itself wasn’t built new for New England. It started life as Road Runner Express at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom in 2000, then got a second act after that park shut down in 2009. Six Flags dismantled the Maurer AG-built Wilde Maus Classic model and shipped it north, repainting and rethemeing it around Catwoman, Harley Quinn, the Joker, Killer Croc, the Riddler, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and the Penguin for its new home.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags New England
- Manufacturer: Maurer AG
- Opened: April 16, 2011
- Height: about 49 feet
- Top speed: 28 mph
- Length: about 1,214 feet
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Riders climb a roughly five-story lift hill in four-person cars before the wild mouse layout takes over, whipping the train through 17 tight hairpin turns packed into a compact footprint. Unlike a looping coaster, the thrill here comes from the sharp, unbanked turns that fling riders side to side rather than upside down, with the full circuit lasting about a minute and a half.
Each car is wrapped around a different Batman villain, turning the queue and the ride itself into a bit of themed storytelling tied to the park’s Gotham City-inspired section. It’s built as a family coaster, with a 46-inch height minimum that opens it up to younger riders who aren’t ready for the park’s bigger steel giants.
From Kentucky to Massachusetts
Before it ever ran in New England, this exact coaster operated for nearly a decade as Road Runner Express at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. When that park closed at the end of 2009, Six Flags moved several of its rides to other properties rather than scrapping them, and this wild mouse coaster was one of the ones that got a second life in Agawam.
The relocation meant Six Flags New England picked up a proven, compact coaster design without the cost of building one from scratch, while giving the ride a fresh Batman-villain identity that fit the park’s existing superhero theming.
Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.
Park apps, mobile ordering and photos kill a battery by 3 p.m. This one snaps on magnetically, so there's no cable to snag on a restraint.
Ride with your glasses on and keep them. Many parks allow glasses on rides if they're strapped, so check the ride rules first.
Small enough to ride with on most coasters, big enough for a phone, card and keys. Two zippers mean nothing falls out upside down.
Gotham City Gauntlet FAQs
What type of coaster is Gotham City Gauntlet?
It’s a steel wild mouse family coaster, a Wilde Maus Classic model built by Maurer AG, known for tight hairpin turns rather than inversions.
How tall do you have to be to ride Gotham City Gauntlet?
Riders must be at least 46 inches tall to ride.
Is Gotham City Gauntlet a new coaster?
The ride structure dates back to 2000, when it operated as Road Runner Express at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, before being relocated and rethemed for its 2011 debut at Six Flags New England.
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Photo: Chris Hagerman from New Port Richey, FL, US / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.