The Joker opened at Six Flags New England on May 27, 2017, becoming the Agawam, Massachusetts park’s 13th roller coaster and taking over the former footprint of the Splashwater Falls log flume. Built by S&S Worldwide using its 4D Free Spin model with track fabricated by Rocky Mountain Construction, The Joker is one of four nearly identical clones found across the Six Flags chain, alongside sister versions at Six Flags Great Adventure, Six Flags Over Texas, and Six Flags Great America.
What sets this installation apart isn’t raw size but unpredictability: riders sit in wing-style seats attached to a free-spinning hub with nothing above their heads or below their feet, letting gravity and momentum determine how many times — and in which direction — they flip. The ride now sits within the park’s Gotham City themed area, having originally opened as part of what was then called Yankee Harbor before that section was rethemed around 2022.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Six Flags New England
- Manufacturer: S&S Worldwide (4D Free Spin model, track by Rocky Mountain Construction)
- Opened: May 27, 2017
- Height: 120 feet
- Top speed: 38 mph
- Length: 1,019 feet
- Inversions: None fixed in the track — riders free-spin independently up to about 6 times per ride
The Ride Experience
Trains on The Joker carry eight riders in wing-style seats arranged four across in two rows, with each seat mounted on a spinning hub rather than fixed to the car’s frame. As the train runs the roughly 1,019-foot layout, cresting a 120-foot lift and dropping 54 feet, onboard brakes and gravity work together to send riders spinning head over heels in an order that changes from cycle to cycle, so no two rides feel quite the same.
Because the flips aren’t dictated by a fixed inverted track element, The Joker technically registers no formal inversions despite the tumbling sensation — the disorientation comes entirely from the free-spinning seat mechanism rather than the coaster’s path through the air.
History and Theming
The Joker’s 2017 debut gave Six Flags New England its third coaster added in as many years and replaced a water ride that had occupied the site for decades. Themed around Batman’s arch-nemesis with purple-and-green support coloring, the New England version is distinguished from its Texas and Illinois siblings by having a single Joker-branded sign rather than a pair of signs facing each other. The attraction later became part of the park’s broader Gotham City zone alongside other DC-themed rides.
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The Joker FAQs
How many times does The Joker flip riders?
Because the seats spin freely rather than following a fixed track pattern, riders can flip up to around six times per ride, with the exact number and direction varying by cycle.
Who manufactured The Joker at Six Flags New England?
S&S Worldwide built the ride using its 4D Free Spin model, with the steel track fabricated by Rocky Mountain Construction.
When did The Joker open at Six Flags New England?
The Joker opened to the public on May 27, 2017, becoming the park’s 13th roller coaster.
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Photo: Jeremy Thompson / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.