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 Review of Jokers Wildcard @ Six Flags New England
0 Rating Posted by: Canobie Coaster on 4/23/2009 9:18:00 AM
Joker’s Wildcard got a new life this year after its infamous stint at the park until Six Flags inexplicably refused to cooperate with Massachusetts fire safety codes, leading to the attraction’s untimely demise back in 2005. Having never been on the enclosed version prior to its closing, I was somewhat disappointed since I’ve always been a fan of a great Chance Wipeout and I can only imagine what one tricked out with special effects and enclosed in darkness would have been like. However, my dream wasn’t totally squashed as the Joker stormed his way back onto the scene for the 2009 season, wiping out the unique Nightwing. Was it a fair tradeoff? In my eyes it was, as Joker instantly became one of my favorite flats at Six Flags New England.

Located in DC Superhero World (though it should be DC Villains World in my opinion because what superheroes still remain?), this mad clown takes the place of Nightwing, the park’s rare Huss Flyaway. However, in my opinion the ride simply isn’t as visually appealing, especially from a distance, as its predecessor, since it doesn’t really interact with Bizarro like Nightwing did or look intimidating off-ride. That being said, the ride, albeit looking small, does look very nice with the intricate card designs embedded onto the ride itself and the dominating sign perched above the ride’s entrance.

Onto the lines, which apparently used to plague this attraction while it was enclosed during its first stint with the park. After my visit this past weekend, I can say that lines were in no way a problem. Each time I rode, it was a walk-on, and compared to Canobie, this had lightning quick loading which was a pleasant and totally unexpected surprise. One final note, just be warned that the park strictly enforces a no-single rider policy, so be prepared to either find a partner or be forced to skip this fun flat.

First off, as with all Wipeouts, this one was still somewhat cramped and lacking leg-room. In no way is that the park’s fault, but it’s just a problem I have with the ride in general. Anyway, this one didn’t seem to be run all that fast compared to the other two I’ve been on, but there still was some nice pops of air going over the top and a little free-falling sensation. It just wasn’t as extreme as the other two I’ve been on and that can be attributed to the ride’s slower operating speed. The finale was quite good though, as it had some decent laterals that rival some of the best himalayas out there. Overall, the ride is pretty fun, though it does run a rather short cycle (maybe a minute and a half, but definitely no more).

Joker’s Wildcard is one of my favorite flats at SFNE, especially after all of the good flats they’ve removed over the years such as Time Warp, Nightwing, Rodeo, and Double Trouble, just to name a few. Sure it lacks height or any real intensity, but the ride is just pure fun while providing a very comfortable experience. However, Joker’s simply doesn’t compare to the other two Wipeouts I’ve ridden (Rye Playland’s and Canobie’s) due to the aforementioned slower operating speed and therefore weaker pops of air and laterals. Still, Joker’s Wildcard is well-worth riding on the way to Bizarro since it’s usually a walk-on and a fun, little flat.
 
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