Superman: The Ride is a steel hypercoaster at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts, built by Intamin and designed by Werner Stengel. When it opened on May 5, 2000 — then named Superman – Ride of Steel — it immediately set the bar for out-and-back thrill rides in the northeastern United States, climbing 208 feet before plunging down a 221-foot drop at up to 77 mph.
Over more than two decades of operation the coaster has earned a reputation as one of the finest steel roller coasters in the world, topping the industry’s Golden Ticket Awards for best steel coaster five times. After a stint as Bizarro from 2009 through 2015, the ride reclaimed its Superman theme in 2016 and continues to draw coaster enthusiasts from across the country.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts
- Manufacturer: Intamin (Mega Coaster model)
- Opened: May 5, 2000
- Height: 208 ft (63 m)
- Drop: 221 ft (67 m)
- Top Speed: 77 mph (124 km/h)
- Length: 5,400 ft (1,600 m)
- Inversions: 0
The Ride Experience
Superman: The Ride sends riders up a 208-foot chain lift hill before dropping them 221 feet — more than the lift height because the valley dips below the ride’s starting elevation — at a maximum vertical angle of 72 degrees. The out-and-back-twister layout delivers a sustained sequence of airtime hills and banked curves generating up to 3.6 Gs, producing the kind of floater and ejector airtime that earns the coaster consistent placement near the top of enthusiast polls worldwide.
Two nine-car trains each seat 36 passengers two-across in two rows per car, covering the 5,400-foot circuit in about two minutes and 35 seconds. A brief tunnel section mid-course adds a moment of darkness before the train charges through the final airtime hills toward the brake run, making the experience feel full and varied despite carrying zero inversions.
A Legacy of Name Changes and Record Rankings
The coaster debuted in 2000 and quickly climbed worldwide steel-coaster rankings. In 2009 Six Flags rebranded it as Bizarro, fitting the ride with a purple-and-dark-blue paint scheme and themed onboard audio, though the track itself went unchanged. The park reversed course in 2016 by restoring the Superman identity and briefly offering optional virtual reality headsets, which were removed before the 2017 season after mixed rider feedback.
A maintenance update during the 2024–2025 off-season removed the remaining Bizarro-era audio equipment and restored the train capacity to 36 riders per train. Decades after its debut, Superman: The Ride holds five Golden Ticket Award titles for best steel coaster and remains a bucket-list destination for roller coaster fans visiting New England.
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Superman: The Ride FAQs
How tall is Superman: The Ride at Six Flags New England?
The lift hill stands 208 feet (63 m) tall. The first drop measures 221 feet (67 m) because it descends into a valley below the ride’s launch elevation.
How fast does Superman: The Ride go?
The coaster reaches a top speed of 77 mph (about 124 km/h) at the bottom of the first drop.
Was Superman: The Ride ever called Bizarro?
Yes. From 2009 through 2015 the ride operated under the name Bizarro, a DC Comics villain theme complete with a new color scheme and onboard audio. Six Flags returned it to the Superman branding in 2016.
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Photo: Jeremy Thompson / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.