Invertigo Kings Island: Vekoma Shuttle Coaster Guide

Invertigo is a Vekoma inverted shuttle coaster at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, best known for seating riders in face-to-face rows as the train is launched backward and forward through a vertical loop and a cobra roll. It’s one of only four Invertigo-model coasters Vekoma ever built, making it a genuinely rare ride type in the modern coaster landscape.

The ride opened on April 17, 1999 as Face/Off, themed to the 1997 action film of the same name as part of the Paramount Parks era. When Cedar Fair acquired the park and stripped away movie branding, the coaster was renamed Invertigo on April 20, 2008. It got a fresh aqua-and-blue paint scheme in 2012, and after its sister ride Stinger closed at Dorney Park in 2017, Cedar Fair transferred those trains to Kings Island, making Invertigo the last of its kind still operating in the United States.

Stats at a Glance

Park: Kings Island (Mason, Ohio)
Manufacturer: Vekoma
Model: Invertigo (inverted shuttle coaster)
Opened: April 17, 1999 (as Face/Off); renamed Invertigo in 2008
Height: 131.3 ft (40 m)
Top speed: 50 mph (80 km/h)
Length: 1,013.8 ft (309 m)
Inversions: 3, each traversed twice (forward and backward)

The Ride Experience

Riders board in pairs of back-to-back rows so they face each other rather than the direction of travel, an unusual setup for a coaster of this style. The train is pulled backward up one spike, then released to launch forward through a vertical loop and a cobra roll before climbing the opposite spike. Gravity then sends it backward through the same elements in reverse, giving riders two very different perspectives on the same three inversions during the roughly 90-second cycle.

With over-the-shoulder restraints and forces reaching about 5 G, the ride is intense for its modest footprint, closer in feel to a compact thrill machine than its 1,013-foot track length would suggest.

From Face/Off to Invertigo

The coaster debuted as Face/Off, one of several Kings Island attractions themed to Paramount film properties during the park’s ownership by Paramount Parks. When Cedar Fair bought the Paramount parks chain in 2006, it began removing licensed movie theming, and the ride was rebranded Invertigo in 2008.

The coaster’s rarity grew after Dorney Park’s nearly identical Stinger was dismantled following the 2017 season. Rather than scrap the trains, Cedar Fair moved them to Kings Island for the 2018 season, leaving Invertigo as the only operating example of Vekoma’s four-unit Invertigo model left in the U.S.

Explore more: Explore more roller coasters.

Invertigo Photo Archive: 2000–2022

These are original ThrillZing photos of Invertigo taken at Kings Island: as Face/Off on August 15, 2000, April 7, 2001, April 13, 2002, July 31, 2005 and August 13, 2006, restored and upscaled from the original camera files, and as Invertigo in July 2022, shot on an iPhone. They show the Vekoma inverted boomerang’s entrance signs, riders dangling face to face on the spikes, trains through the cobra roll and loop, and hanging riders silhouetted at sunset. All photos are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license with credit to ThrillZing and a link to this page.

July 2022

An Invertigo train on the teal spike above the blue-roofed ticket windows at the front gate, Kings Island, July 2022 — A train up the spike above the ticket windows, July 29, 2022. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Invertigo's teal spike, loops and blue supports rising behind the front-gate ticket windows, Kings Island, July 2022 — The spike and loops behind the ticket windows. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Invertigo's teal track and blue supports in silhouette against the sun, both spikes and the loops in view, Kings Island, July 2022 — The layout against the afternoon sun. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Invertigo's full layout under a wide sky of clouds, seen from the plaza, Kings Island, July 2022 — The whole layout under a big sky. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

An Invertigo train hanging on the teal spike between the blue supports, seen from below, Kings Island, July 2022 — A train hanging on the spike. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

An Invertigo train higher up the spike toward the platform at the top, Kings Island, July 2022 — Higher up the spike. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

An Invertigo train curving into the loop above a blue support, seen from the queue, Kings Island, July 2022 — A train curving into the loop from the queue. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

An Invertigo train running down through the loop past the blue supports and queue netting, Kings Island, July 2022 — Down through the loop. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Invertigo riders upside down at the top of the teal loop above the queue's blue netting, Kings Island, July 2022 — Riders upside down over the queue. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Invertigo riders upside down in the teal loop above the blue netting, in a square crop, Kings Island, July 2022 — Riders over the netting, a square edit. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

August 2006

A Face/Off train passing overhead on the yellow track, a striped tower ride behind at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2006 — A Face/Off train passing overhead on the yellow track, a striped tower ride behind at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 13, 2006. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A tangle of Face/Off's red supports with the yellow loops beyond at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2006 — A tangle of Face/Off’s red supports with the yellow loops beyond at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 13, 2006. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Looking up through Face/Off's yellow loop and red supports at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2006 — Looking up through Face/Off’s yellow loop and red supports at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 13, 2006. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Face/Off's red supports and yellow track at dusk from beside the queue at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2006 — Face/Off’s red supports and yellow track at dusk from beside the queue at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 13, 2006. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

July 2005

April 2002

Riders dangling from an Invertigo train on the spike at Kings Island, April 2002 — Riders dangling from an Invertigo train on the spike at Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

An Invertigo train on the yellow spike, riders facing each other at Kings Island, April 2002 — An Invertigo train on the yellow spike, riders facing each other at Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

The top of Invertigo's spike at Kings Island, April 2002 — The top of Invertigo’s spike at Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train on the spike above the season pass building under gray clouds at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2002 — A Face/Off train on the spike above the season pass building under gray clouds at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train hanging on the spike under dark storm clouds at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2002 — A Face/Off train hanging on the spike under dark storm clouds at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

The top of Face/Off's yellow spike and red support against a gray sky at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2002 — The top of Face/Off’s yellow spike and red support against a gray sky at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Face/Off's yellow loop and red supports rising above budding trees at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2002 — Face/Off’s yellow loop and red supports rising above budding trees at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 13, 2002. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

April 2001

A Face/Off train in the inversions with the Drop Zone tower and Son of Beast's loop behind at Kings Island, April 2001 — A Face/Off train in the inversions with the Drop Zone tower and Son of Beast’s loop behind at Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train climbing a spike between the two lift spikes at Kings Island, April 2001 — A Face/Off train climbing a spike between the two lift spikes at Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train on the lift spike above the queue plaza with Drop Zone behind at Kings Island, April 2001 — A Face/Off train on the lift spike above the queue plaza with Drop Zone behind at Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train in the cobra roll seen from the plaza at Kings Island, April 2001 — A Face/Off train in the cobra roll seen from the plaza at Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

The Face/Off sign with its red swirl above the station roof and bare trees at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2001 — The Face/Off sign with its red swirl above the station roof and bare trees at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train nearly vertical on the spike above the plaza at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2001 — A Face/Off train nearly vertical on the spike above the plaza at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Face/Off's spike and loops seen from the parking lot at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2001 — Face/Off’s spike and loops seen from the parking lot at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Face/Off beside the front gate and parking lot, seen from the Eiffel Tower at Paramount's Kings Island, April 2001 — Face/Off beside the front gate and parking lot, seen from the Eiffel Tower at Paramount’s Kings Island, April 7, 2001. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

August 2000

A Face/Off train hanging on the spike against the sunset beside the loops at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2000 — A Face/Off train hanging on the spike against the sunset beside the loops at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 15, 2000. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

Face/Off's spike rising above the season pass sales windows at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2000 — Face/Off’s spike rising above the season pass sales windows at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 15, 2000. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

A Face/Off train of riders hanging face to face on the spike above the trees at Paramount's Kings Island, August 2000 — A Face/Off train of riders hanging face to face on the spike above the trees at Paramount’s Kings Island, August 15, 2000. *Photo: ThrillZing (CC BY 4.0)*

🎢 Park Day Gear

Disposable Rain Ponchos (Family Pack)
Cheaper than the $15 poncho at the gift shop and you get a whole bag. Toss one in every backpack for water rides and pop-up storms.

Check price on Amazon

Amazon Basics Cooling Towels
Soak, snap and drape. A cooling towel takes the edge off a 45-minute midday queue in July.

Check price on Amazon

Anker MagGo Power Bank (10,000mAh)
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.

Check price on Amazon

See all Park Day Gear → · As an Amazon Associate, ThrillZing earns from qualifying purchases.

🎟️ Tours & Things to Do Near Kings Island

Top-rated experiences you can book for the same trip.