Roller coasters areamusement rides developed foramusement parks and modern theme parks. Early iterations during the 16th and 17th centuries, popularized in Russia, involved wooden sleds that carried riders down large slides made from ice. The first roller coasters to attach a train to a wooden track appeared in France in the early 1800s.[1] Althoughwooden roller coasters are still being produced,steel roller coasters were introduced in the mid-20th-century and eventually became more common. They can be found on every continent exceptAntarctica.[2]
Amusement parks often compete to build the tallest, fastest, and longest rides to attract thrill seekers and boost park attendance.[3] Ranked by height, speed, length, and number ofinversions, roller coasters often became the focal point for competing parks. Computer-simulated models led to innovations that produced more intense thrills while improving quality and durability.[4] The debut ofMagnum XL-200 in 1989 atCedar Point introduced the first complete-circuit roller coaster to exceed 200 feet (61 m) in height,[5][6] marking a pivot point in the industry and a new era sometimes referred to as the Coaster Wars.[4] This period saw increasing competition as parks sought to be the latest to set a new world record, and some records were held for less than a year.[7]
The pace of competition eventually slowed, however.[4][7] The now-defunctKingda Ka, previously the tallest coaster in the world at 456 feet (139 m),[8] held the height record from 2005 until its closure in 2024.[4][7]Formula Rossa, formerly the world's fastest at 149 mph (240 km/h), held the speed record for 15 years.[9]Steel Dragon 2000, with its track length of 8,133 feet (2,479 m), was the longest in the world for more than 25 years. These records were eventually surpassed byFalcons Flight in 2025, which opened as the tallest, fastest, and longest roller coaster in the world. Other notables includeThe Beast, the world's longest wooden coaster since its opening in 1979, featuring a track length of 7,361 feet (2,244 m),[10] andThe Smiler, which set a world record with fourteen inversions in 2013.[11]
^abRecord was held byKingda Ka from May 2005 – November 2024, featuring a height of 456 feet (139 m) and a drop distance of 418 feet (127 m).[8]
^Falcons Flight has been advertised with a height of 640 feet (200 m). This is the difference from the highest point to lowest point. Tallest freestanding element is the 534.8 feet (163.0 m) camelback hill.[14]
^Drop height estimated at 345 ft (105 m) according toTripSavvy.[17]
^abcRecord was held bySon of Beast from May 2000 – June 2009. It had a height of 218 feet (66 m), a drop distance of 214 feet (65 m) and a maximum speed of 78 mph (126 km/h).[18]
^Record was held byDodonpa from December 2001 – May 2003, with a maximum speed of 106.9 mph (172.0 km/h).[21]
^Record was held byKingda Ka from May 2005 – November 2010. It had a maximum speed of 128 mph (206 km/h).[8]
^Record was held byLightning Rod from June 2016 – September 2020, before its conversion into a steel roller coaster. It had a drop distance of 165 feet (50 m) and a maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h).[23]
^Record was held byThe Ultimate from July 1991 – August 2000, with a length of 7,442 feet (2,268 m).[25]
^Record was held bySon of Beast from May 2000 – July 2006, which featured 1 inversion. The vertical loop was removed following an incident in July 2006.[18]
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