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Six Flags Great Adventure Coasters: Height, Speed and Thrill Compared (2026)

Nitro leads this comparison with a verified 80 mph top speed, while El Toro has the largest stated drop. Compare ride profiles, inversions, darkness and minimum heights.
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Nitro has the highest verified top speed in this comparison at 80 mph; El Toro combines a 176-foot drop with a published 70 mph top speed. But height and speed alone do not define a ride’s intensity: inversions, airtime, steepness, darkness and rider eligibility all matter. The figures below are Six Flags’ published specifications for selected prominent coasters, not a complete specification list for every coaster at the park.

Six Flags Great Adventure coaster comparison

Specifications are attributed to Six Flags’ official attraction pages unless noted. “Not verified” means a speed figure was not established in the sources used for this comparison; it does not mean the ride has no published speed elsewhere. Minimum heights can change, so check current park guidance before visiting.

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Coaster Published height or drop Published speed Standout features Minimum height
Nitro 233-foot lift hill; 215-foot drop 80 mph Hypercoaster layout with airtime hills, a hammerhead turn and a helix 54 in
El Toro 176-foot drop at 76° 70 mph Wooden coaster; Six Flags describes nine airtime opportunities 48 in
Medusa 142-foot climb; 132-foot drop Not verified Floorless coaster with seven inversions 54 in
Jersey Devil Coaster 130-foot hill; 87° drop Not verified Single-rail coaster with three inversions and airtime hills 48 in
Skull Mountain 37-foot actual drop; Six Flags says it feels like about 100 feet Not verified Indoor ride in darkness 48 in; 44 in when accompanied
THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster 45 feet Not verified Enclosed ride with six 180-degree turns 48 in; listed on the 2025 official park map

Six Flags’ pages are first-party sources for these figures, not independent measurements. Some official pages display speed, length or elevation fields as zero; those apparent display values are not treated as specifications here.

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Which coaster is tallest or fastest?

Fastest verified top speed: Nitro

Six Flags lists Nitro at 80 mph, the highest verified speed among the rides in this comparison. Its 233-foot lift hill and 215-foot drop help explain its scale, but a top-speed number does not capture the whole ride experience.

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Largest stated drop: El Toro

Six Flags lists El Toro’s drop at 176 feet, steeper than a simple height comparison suggests at a stated 76 degrees. The park also describes nine opportunities for airtime and lists a 70 mph top speed.

Sharpest stated drop angle: Jersey Devil Coaster

Jersey Devil Coaster’s published 87-degree drop is the sharpest angle in this group. Six Flags lists a 130-foot hill and three inversions. Its speed was not verified in the sources used here.

How the thrill profiles differ

For speed and sustained airtime: Nitro

Nitro is the clearest choice in this comparison for riders focused on a verified high speed and a sequence of hills. Its lift hill and drop are substantial, while the hammerhead turn and helix add changes in direction beyond the initial descent.

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For forceful airtime: El Toro

El Toro’s wooden-coaster profile, 76-degree drop and nine park-described airtime opportunities make it a different kind of challenge from Nitro. The park’s 2026 update says substantial sections of new track were installed to improve smoothness and consistency; that is Six Flags’ stated intent, not an independent ride test.

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For inversions: Medusa or Jersey Devil Coaster

Medusa leads this group in inversion count with seven and uses a floorless design. Jersey Devil Coaster has three inversions and a single-rail design. These distinctions matter to riders who prefer inversions and an exposed ride position over a conventional hill-and-drop focus.

For darkness and surprise: Skull Mountain and THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster

Skull Mountain’s actual drop is listed at 37 feet, but darkness can make the scale and timing harder to anticipate; Six Flags says it feels closer to 100 feet. THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster is also enclosed, with six 180-degree turns. The park’s claimed perceived height for Skull Mountain is a promotional description, not a measured drop.

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Check rider height and current operating details

Minimum heights vary from 48 inches to 54 inches for the listed rides. Skull Mountain is listed at 48 inches, or 44 inches when accompanied. THE DARK KNIGHT Coaster’s 48-inch minimum comes from the 2025 official park map, so it may not reflect a later change. Confirm ride availability, restrictions and accompaniment rules with Six Flags before your visit.

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2026 season context

Six Flags announced March 28, 2026 as Great Adventure’s 2026 opening date and described the destination as having more than 60 rides, slides and shows. This comparison covers selected major coasters rather than a verified specification set for the entire attraction roster. BAKUNAWA is a planned 2027 addition, not part of the current-season comparison.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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