The Creation Of Other 4D Coasters

X2 paved the way for other coaster manufacturers to come up with their own 4D coasters. There have been two other Arrow-designed 4D coasters installed outside of the USA, but X2 is truly the only of its kind in the states. Two other 4D coasters have come after it, however. These smaller models are both compact and feature smaller ride vehicles and shorter tracks. The first was the Intamin ZacSpin.

One of the most well-known, or rather infamous, iterations of this model was Green Lanter: First Flight at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The ZacSpin did not have extra rails to influence the spin of the ride vehicles and instead relied on the momentum of the dips and curves of the track. This would lead to the ride vehicles either spinning too much or too little depending on the weight distribution of the riders.

Additionally, riders also complained that the restraints were uncomfortable, and this made for downright painful flips. Green Lantern: First Flight closed in 2017 after only six years in operation. There are a few ZacSpin models still operating in other countries, but even after announcing a second-generation model, Intamin has yet to build any more of these coasters in the states.

S&S had more success with its 4D model. S&S may have had an advantage over Intamin as they had retained the ability to use Arrow’s previous patents and ideas. Their model, the 4D Free Spin, would be similar to the ZacSpin, however, the tracks would be a bit more spread out and the ride vehicles would look more similar to the X2 model but smaller.

Additionally, these coasters would have a different axis of rotation and the addition of magnets along the track to influence the spins. These changes, paired with more comfortable restraints made these coasters much more favorable to riders. There are currently seven coasters of this model still operating in the US including The Joker at several Six Flags parks. Interestingly, these coasters use a track that was designed by Rocky Mountain Construction and X2 designer Alan Schilke had a hand in creating it.

It is always exciting to see what coaster designers will come up with next. The next coaster will bring out a plethora of other possibilities. Whether it be breaking height and speed records or entering into the fourth dimension these developments are always exciting and possibilities for the next big thing are endless.