Six Flags Great America had gone six years without opening a brand new coaster, so I was sure their next addition would be a massive, world-class ride that would rival some of the best coasters on the planet.
What we got instead was Wrath of Rakshasa, the latest in a recent line of dive coasters from Swiss coaster maker Bolliger & Mabillard that are slightly smaller than the originals, but focused on more than just their namesake dive elements.
Rather than be disappointed that the ride wasn’t precisely what I prescribed for my home park, I went into my first Wrath of Rakshasa rides just hoping it would be an enjoyable addition to the park’s already-stacked 16 coaster lineup, and at least be among the top-third of that list.
Wrath of Rakshasa flies by the entrance (Theme Park Tribune)
The ride experience
If you’re not familiar with the older B&M dive coasters, they were generally over 200 feet tall, with the emphasis being almost entirely on their steep drops. They usually sport two, the second being off a mid-course brake run.
Wrath of Rakshasa represents a bit of a middle ground between those bigger models, like Griffon at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and the smaller scale additions seen since the pandemic, like Emperor at SeaWorld San Diego.
The first drop on Wrath of Rakshasa (Theme Park Tribune)
The new Great America coaster rises 181 feet for its first drop, suspending riders for a moment before the 96-degree angle delivers a heavy dose of airtime. It uses that first drop’s speed for a series of five inversions — no second drop or mid-course brake run here — twisting in and around guest paths.
Having experienced other dive coasters, I’m used to these models offering somewhat graceful inversions, far from the whippy intensity found on B&M’s inverted coasters. Wrath of Rakshasa has that feeling down so strongly that it’s almost more like riding a wing coaster once you’re past the first drop.
It’s not really any slower than its dive coaster counterparts at 67 miles per hour, but something about how it eased through its elements felt like there was a bit of intensity missing that you would’ve expected. I had hoped getting away from the original dive coaster formula would have resulted in something less like floater airtime.
Coming out of the dive loop on Wrath of Rakshasa (Theme Park Tribune)
However, just because it’s not groundbreaking doesn’t mean it’s not a good ride.
Besides that first drop — and you can always count on a beyond-vertical drop being fun — my favorite element was the corkscrew. It’s not just any old corkscrew, as you rise up over the ride’s exit building and come out of the element by suddenly dropping to the left, leading into a turn right into the barrel roll. It’s quite a quick succession of elements, seemingly only made possible by squeezing the ride into a small plot next to Demon.
One other part of the ride experience worth mentioning is how you store loose articles. Wrath of Rakshasa adopted the same system as Yukon Striker at Canada’s Wonderland where you place items in bins that are then transported up and over the track.
The loose item storage on Wrath of Rakshasa (Theme Park Tribune)
This may seem like a minor addition, but it stops every rider from having to climb over the train to stow items before sitting down, which can make a huge difference in maximizing efficiency throughout the day. I hope more Six Flags rides adopt this system to speed up loading times.
The new B&M rattle
Hardcore coaster fans — otherwise known as coaster enthusiasts, or “thoosies” — have sworn that in recent years, new B&M coasters have enough of a noticeable rattle or roughness that it significantly detracts from the ride experience.
Up close of Wrath of Rakshasa (Theme Park Tribune)
Wrath of Rakshasa was prematurely lumped into this “trend” by some fans based solely off testing footage, and even worse, some fans declared it to be an uncomfortable ride based off this supposed roughness.
I haven’t been on every new B&M that’s opened in recent years, but I can attest that some at least felt rougher than they should for being brand new, like Penguin Trek at SeaWorld Orlando. Wrath of Rakshasa, however, wasn’t rough at all. I more heard than felt some rattling while sitting on an outside seat, but nothing that I felt made the ride less enjoyable.
To those overly critical thoosies: maybe wait until you actually ride a coaster before declaring it rough?
Another view of the dive of Wrath of Rakshasa (Theme Park Tribune)
The verdict
Wrath of Rakshasa is not going to change anyone’s minds when it comes to dive coasters, nor will it quiet anyone worried about Bolliger & Mabillard’s recent additions. But who can really complain too much about a new coaster with a beyond vertical drop and five inversions?
While it’s not the kind of groundbreaking headliner that I think Six Flags Great America needs, it’s still a solidly thrilling addition to the park’s lineup.
Grade: B
Editor’s Note: This review was based on my own opinion and perspective. I experienced Wrath of Rakshasa during a passholder preview using the Six Flags pass that I paid for myself. I was not granted any special media access by Six Flags in order to conduct this review.