Review: Wrath of Rakshasa at Six Flags Great America

Bolliger & Mabillard’s latest Dive Coaster has dove on to the scene. But like any high profile new attraction, does it live up to the hype?

In the interests of offering a fair assessment, some personal circumstances should be noted; I visited Six Flags Great America for the first time a week after Wrath of Rakshasa’s opening in June, and was seated the edge of the front row. My opinions may be complimented by those of my companions as well as locals who’ve experienced it regularly since its debut.

With that in mind, there is much to discuss about the coaster, and I can organize my thoughts into four broad topics. So strap yourself in and hold on for dear life, because we’re going to discover, dare, and dive into Wrath of Rakshasa.

Presentation

Six Flags Great America has gone all out to ensure Wrath of Rakshasa is a dazzling showpiece in a park stocked full of them. The bright blue and yellow layout eats up the nightlines within the center of the park and dominates that stretch of County Fair. When you’re on the midway beneath, it’s impossible to look away.

The queue is spruced up with thematic set pieces, most prominently information boards offering insight on the demon from Hindu mythology (no D&D campaign today). The highlight is a statue of a Rakshasa-in-a-box, displaying the beast for all the world to see.

Throughput

Wrath of Rakshasa can run up to three trains at a time, each of which seat 21 passengers. With strong operations and consistent dispatches, lines move very quickly. We joined with a couple of switchbacks left in the queue, and even with slower dispatches timed a total waiting time of 28 minutes. For a brand new thrill coaster on a Saturday afternoon, the feat was remarkable.

Part of Rakshasa’s throughput muscle can be credited to its loose article system. A majority of riders will place smaller items into the baskets, which are then lifted over the platform for pickup on the other side. It’s a similar system that originated with Yukon Striker at Canada’s Wonderland, and one that minimizes a common headache for ride operators.

Layout

B&M’s Dive Coaster layouts have seen a bit of an evolution over the years. Earlier designs kept layout elements to a minimum, placing greater emphasis on the drops and inversion or two. Wrath of Rakshasa meanwhile has a more creative end element-packed layout to the point that I view it more as a modernized version of B&M’s sit-down inversion machines, rather than a true 2000’s-era dive coaster. Allow me to elaborate.

Wrath of Rakshasa begins with a 180-foot climb up the lift hill, and once at the top offering a panoramic view of the park. Teetering over the edge of the beyond vertical drop, riders will find themselves peering down at Demon’s ascent and the Lobster twirling below. So far, it’s all typical Dive Coaster business.

From there on however, the ride offers no relief until the brakes. Yes, the plunge does what would be expected of a slightly-beyond-vertical freefall, but the coaster’s strength resides in its five consecutive inversions, which make up the bulk of the layout. Riders twirl over the midway throughout both dives and rolls, each more disorienting than the last. Definitely try these out from the edge seats on each row, where you’ll be thrown around a little more.

A compliment I must give to the layout is how the twists and turns grow tighter as the train slows down, allowing for Rakshasa to maintain a constant breathtaking pace. You’ll definitely feel like you’ve experienced a full ride while on the brake run, in more ways than one.

Tracking

It’s no secret that there’s been a bit of a perceived quality shift from B&M in recent years; while they’ve begun embracing more creative layouts, enthusiasts have become prone to noticing a shakier ride experience. Some have derided B&M’s newer products as garbage, others couldn’t be less bothered, and Wrath of Rakshasa represents the debate at its most divisive.

Weighing in with my experience, I would have taken delight in dismissing that critique as vastly overblown. From my edge seat however, there was a consistent vibration after the first drop, prompting the restraint to chafe my tailbone to the point of becoming a little sore. My friends felt and noticed nothing from the middle seats, given that they’re located directly above the chassis. Regardless, although Wrath of Rakshasa might be too shaky for coaster enthusiasts to handle, the general public can stomach it just fine. And such is life.

At the end of the day however, Wrath of Rakshasa has proven to be a fantastic new attraction for Six Flags Great America. It dazzles on the park’s skyline, dares riders to discover the beast of a coaster, and dives in undeniable style. I enjoyed my ride on it and hope to return soon.

Have you ridden Wrath of Rakshasa yet and what did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!