The support structure of the pretzel knot over the ice rink with the two pillars on each side might genuinely be some of the most beautiful roller coaster architecture I've seen.
The 229 is a Japanese pun based on various possible readings of the numbers. The first 2 in this case can be read as "fu" from the common word futatsu (two things), the second 2 can be read as "ji" using an obscure Chinese derived pronunciation (can be seen in one way to spell the common name Jiro), and lastly 9 can be read as "kyuu" which is the most common reading of 9. All together, 229 can be read as "fujikyuu," the name of the park. :) This is also why they chose the height level of 229 feet and also why they probably never lowered the lift height to deal with the excessive g-forces...
Honestly, I don’t believe that ANY engineer could have a coaster built that would be too intense for me! I simply love roller coasters. The more radical and intense, the better for me! Safety is of upmost the most significant quality of ANY coaster for me. It would all be in good fun. Well, just one man’s thoughts and opinion. Keep the peace.
I’m not scared to ride any roller coaster 🎢 the higher,faster,wilder it doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t matter to me if they build it I will ride it.!!!!
@@terrysweat4187 I got whiplash or mild concussion as a kid from a terrible local wooden coaster. Massive headache and sick from my head slamming. Maybe these days they are safer or would at least have head padding, but it is possible for them to be bad. Modern ones just spoiled people with their smooth tubes.
I rode it in 2000 when I was 14 visiting my aunt and uncle who were stationed in Japan with the navy. I rode it twice and I grayed out both times and it gave me a huge headache. However I would ride it again the intensity was off the charts.
I was wondering why the safety guidelines matter if the worst that can happen i passing out. That's a risk I'm willing to take as long as I'm already lying down (or won't fall out of my seat). Having a headache would be annoying, but a huge one even more so. Most guests probably wouldn't tolerate it. Still, it's nothing that an aspirin can't take care of, right?
I visited Fuji-Q for the first time during autumn 2000. I had no knowledge of online forums or even that rcdb had existed for 4 years back then. So the only knowledge I had was from a book that had pictures of mainly Moonsault Scramble and Fujiyama on the pages showcasing Fuji-Q. Imagine my surprise when we turned up and there was nothing but an emty plot of land where Moonsault Scramble once was. It had only been dismantled months prior to my visit. I still today think of it as the one that got away. Thank you for an excellent video with so much footage that I have never seen before.
I rode this the last summer it was open. It was our first ride of the day, and we were shocked the station was empty. We had no idea what we were in for and my girlfriend was done for the day after 1 ride.
I rode it in 1996 on a school trip to Japan. I remember how the backward pass through the station felt endless and how fast the inversion hit. I've never been pushed into my seat so hard. Crazy ride.
@@rmac3217 No, with all due respect, you've got that wrong, in both occasions coming down the hill and going up in to the pretzel, the train goes up relative to your body wanting to go forward, so you get pushed into your seat. In no occasion will your body be wanting to stay still because it's already moving with the coaster. It's the sudden shift in track that pushes you int the seat. The only time you will be pushed into your lap bars is on an air-time hill and there are none on this coaster.
It’s so cool you have all this footage of the coaster. I remember a few years ago wanting to see more of this ride but there were only a few pictures and only one video in the internet. It’s cool to see there’s so much more.
It's cool yea when you use the word in it means physical preposition like in the box or in the house and since you can't be physically inside the internet or your computer but you can be on your computer or the internet it is on
Let’s be honest: if this ride were open today and limited tickets were being offered via an email posted on this video, that inbox would be filled to the brim
That footage of Loop Coaster before the changes looks absolutely mental to the point that that you´re trying to convince yourself that it has to be sped up, until you realize that that this can´t be case based on other things in the video and how the camera moves. I can look at Moonsault Scramble and still wanting to ride it, but I most likely chickened out of the unmodified Loop Coaster if I saw it going through the loop at that speed.
There used to be the ‘space ring’ ride everywhere as well that spin you around ball cage, depending on it’s make and regulations the operator could actually give you astronaut training and potentially make your faint.
I still can't get over his Tampa Busch gardens video when he went on the water ride and the boat behind him smacked right into his, then he proceeded to ask every operator he passed on the ride if they knew what a block zone is XD
That Loop Coaster was F***ING NUTS!! Probably the most intense modern coaster ever built! Interestingly, although the loop and forward spike were removed after it closed in 2000, the station and the reverse spike (the one with the actual lift) are both still standing today! As for Moonsault, its still probably one of the most visually-striking coasters ever built. With both rides, I honestly have no idea what Meisho was thinking. Did they think the trains were gonna have sandpaper wheels and had to take high friction into account? Who knows. It’s even more confusing because in other areas, they were clearly ahead of the curve. Parts of the profiling on Moonsault looked really fluid for the time, like the middle sections of the spikes. Also, the wider track gauge with regular width trains meant the wheels were off to the side. I think that was probably done to sort of act as heartlining, since riders are closer to the design reference point (the running rails), much like a pipeline coaster.
It could be one of those very rare occasions where a ride company greenlights a design that really pushes the limit on what a roller coaster or other ride can do. I'm sure that there are many designers who would like to design rides that subjects daring riders close to g-forces that might cause them to black out. I guess that there is just this appeal to see how much you can safely subject to yourself, and furthermore if you can take it without actually blacking out. Plus, that feeling of being glued to your seat is just an exhilarating, addictive feeling. I think I remember one coaster designer saying that the ultimate coaster design is one where you have to be dragged off the coaster. But manufacturers have not been willing to actually push things to that limit. I do wish that the Moonsault Scramble were still active, or that there was another ride that has a similar amount of g-forces, but I guess that the only way to currently experience that amount is on acrobatic or trainer jet rides. I'm not sure that the average coaster rider would be open to forces that intense, and the re-rideability of the Moonsault is suspect at best.
Nice job finding the archive footage and just a side note, I would bet that most riders suffered at least a minor ocular blood vessel rupture and at worst a brain vascular injury if the 6.5 Gs was sustained for more than a few seconds, this thing had to be rough! The space shuttle went from 0 to 17,500 MPH with no more than a comfortable 3 Gs and got you into an earth orbit!
@@Syclone0044 According to The National Space Center, "The g-force of a rocket launch is limited by the cargo it is carrying. In the case of a manned mission, it is limited by what a human is able to endure.High levels of g-force can damage the body and at around 9gs most humans black out as blood struggles to reach the brain. Shuttle Astronauts normally experience a maximum g-force of around 3gs during a rocket launch.".
@@Syclone0044That’s more like a fighter jet. Also astronauts are rotated transversely to the direction of acceleration to mitigate the G-force. They do train in up to 10 Gs via centrifuge, though that’s more for total mind and body conditioning than to simulate a rocket launch
It takes more than 6 g's before riders are subjected to harmful gravitational effects. If subjected to 7 g's, you might pass out, but it again won't cause any permanent harmful effects. As one of the riders above stated, you might wake up with a pounding head (blood circulation will be cut off during acceleration, and then it is going to be trying to rush back into your head as soon as gravity will allow), it shouldn't be enough to cause harm to blood vessels at this point. For this reason, I would consider 7 g's to be the safe maximum a human can experience. As you go into 8 g's, that's when you'll start to have real problems.
Finally a decent video on Moonsault Scramble! ❤As insane as this ride was, that inversion was beautiful to look at. I've often wished Vekoma would build a boomerang with this inversion, but obviously with safer G forces. lol
@@boltgaming248 it wouldn't necessarily need to be taller. The pretzel inversion was comically smaller than the original total height of the coaster. It only needs to be tall enough to compete the inversion once. There's always the small lift on the top of the backwards drop of Vekoma Boomerangs. Moonsault scramble wouldn't have needed to be so tall if it had a lift on both hills. Since they only had one lift it needed to be tall enough to have enough momentum to complete the inversion once, climb the other drop, and complete the inversion a second time all just with potential and kinetic energy.
@@maxhagenauer24 When under high positive G’s, blood is being forced from the head to the feet so riders “grey out” due to the lack of blood flow to the brain. This can happen at +5gz. Loss of consciousness can also occur at +5gz. Moonsault Scramble had a total of +6.5gz. Many coasters don't go over +4gz these days.
I remember this!! I used to get ACE's Roller Coaster Magazine in the early 90's and this was one of those legendary coasters that remained mysterious for the longest time due to being pre-internet.
when talking about Japanese coaster manufacturers, everyone thinks of Togo, but really Meisho don't get enough attention. Of course, there's the madness that is their looping coasters and Moonsault Scramble, but the other thing that comes to mind was how in 1987, they took one of their shuttle loops, High Loop Coaster at Nasu Highland Park, turned the lift spike into a traditional lift hill, moved the loop elsewhere in the layout, and converted the coaster into a full circuit coaster. Craziest part is how online I saw a stat that said the first drop was at 75°! In 1987! I don't know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if, as long as you don't count Intamin's earliest drop towers as roller coasters, this coaster was the steepest coaster in the world until Oblivion opened
My 2nd credit was Meisho Coaster. It was the Thunderbolt at Dreamworld Australia. To be fair I was either 8 or 9 years old, but I passed out while going up the first Loop (it had 2 back to back loops) and didn't come too till somewhere near the end of the ride. So I don't remember much presides the nice view we got before the 1st drop. I rode it with my Dad cause I just made the height limit for the ride. It messed him up too. I also had back pain after riding it for a few days.
I gotta say that's one of the most beautifully structured coasters I've ever seen. It's a bummer it had so many problems and had such low capacity. It really was visually a work of art. I should be hitting up FujiQ Highland next year as part of my Japan trip (along with a bunch of other parks).
Dude! It was great meeting you yesterday at Carowinds! Thanks for the pic. It's kind of funny that I told you how much I love the problematic coasters series you do, and now here one is.
What we need is for someone to recreate this in VR, yes you wouldn't get the g-force or the sensation of the winding hitting your face but you would still get an experience very close to riding the original without needing millions of dollars to build your own.
I've ridden the Mindbender coaster in Edmonton Canada a few times, and it certainly had intense G forces. The tight 3rd loop pulled 5.5 G's and going through it felt like the longest 1.5 seconds of your life. Too bad it has closed after 37 years of operation. I'm glad I got to experience that amazing world record indoor coaster more than once.
I've heard that this thing actually pulled 7 Gs sometimes, I freaking love positive Gs when they are strong. It's extremely safe that modern coasters don't have positive Gs anywhere close to strong like these and Schwarzdof.
At 11:35 , a possibility for the noise could be the wheels of the train passing over a gap in the transfer track. You can hear the same noise on the other pass through the station before the final ascent, although I'm trying to figure out if the first passthrough also has that noise or if it's another noise that's getting drowned out.
The smallest vertical loops I've experienced was at Dreamworld's Thunderbolt rollercoaster. At the time it was also Australia's highest coaster. The Gs on those loops were insane!
an important note of course is that in a rocket launch and capsule return you get eyeballs in G loads vs head to toe. Despite being space themed, this coaster like most pulls G forces like a jet fighter does on the body.
I remember seeing that car back in 2018 when I visited and they were celebrating their anniversary. The first thing I thought was "I can only imagine how much force this vehicle took!".
Great video. Thanks for the memory. I lived in Japan between 1994-1999 I know this park and Toshimien very well. MoonSault was an awesome ride. You stated " a comical flow through the loop knots". There was nothing comical about that knot. If you were leaning in a particular position, you were locked in that position until you cleared the knot. My kids and I grunted as we traveled through that knot. I took my family to this park several times a year. This was my ride, and yes you could only ride this twice in one day. The G-forces were that brutal. As for that other Guinness book record holder, Fujiyama, the first time I rode that, I truly thought I was going to die. I was in absolute horror for that entire ride. After the ride, I had to sit down and seriously think about what just happened. Then I got on it again. We returned to the States in 2004, only to visit weak "thrill' American parks (Seaworld & Six Flags). Americans are soft when it comes to amusement parks. When I ride a coaster, I want a real thrill. I want to contemplate riding the thing. That's the point of spending $100 dollars per person to get in the park. You say 5.5 Gs are too much. I say Americans are weak when it comes to coasters. I'm glad I got to ride MoonSault before the Japanese got soft. Rule one: don't get on if you're scared. Rule two: know your limit. Rule three: don't let your friends talk you into riding these types of rides. It could ruin you for life.
It’s weird you can sue a theme park if you get on a ride with medical conditions, but can’t sue a car manufacturer if you crash on the way due to a medical condition.
I love roller coasters, but i'd stop well short of saying I'd like to feel like im about to die. This coster could legitimately permanently injure you if you rode it too much. I wouldn't call someone who won't ride that "soft." A great ride feels like it's dangerous but actually isn't. This ride actually was potentially dangerous.
@@Tahngarthor Yes they did, the person who sold you the car is basically the ride operator and he believed you when you said you can drive, they should be put in prison.
@R Mac you don't have to be able to drive a car to buy one. Your argument is flawed. Someone sellingbyou a car doesn't have to verify tat you can drive it znd thud bears no responsibility
thank you so much for making this video. ive had a strange fascination with this ride ever since visiting fuji-q highland in 2019. from its name, to its extreme g forces, something about this ride is unsettling to me, i love it.
I'm so happy you came out with a video on this coaster. You make some of my favorite roller coaster content. This roller coaster has fascinated me since I learned of it's existence. I think it has something to do with how tall it is as a shuttle coaster and that the pretzel element just looks really cool. I can't think of a single shuttle coaster with a similar height. It's a beast. I was almost sure you wouldn't have had a block zones section in this video lol have you ever considered making merch based off your signature "for those who don't know, a block zone..." line?
Would of loved to of ridden this just purely for the experience of such force. Anyways, love the video (as I always do) and the block zones never get old.
Here's to hoping that some coaster company has the balls to try to make a Moonsault Scrambler successor, "legal laws" be damned. Technically, the human body could easily survive 6 g's (albeit that it might not necessarily LIKE it)! The only people who it would kill would be people who probably shouldn't be riding intense rides anyways. Part of the appeal of rides is pushing the limits of your body, like as a dare. The amount of force pressing the riders into their seat must've been outstanding. They probably couldn't even move their arms during the loops. And the Intimidator could use some competition. It's a shame that the Scrambler didn't have a long life span.
A big reason why they probably went with 229 instead of 60 is marketing and psychology. 60 is a good number. But 229 is more appealing to humans. We generally like larger numbers better than small ones, alliteration is appealing and the hard "T" sound is a more attention getting/holding sound than the softer "S". It's these simple psychological tricks that would make it easier to grab people's attention in marketing and discussions about the coaster.
@@Th8rgoddess ah, sorry, mainly the phonology stuff considering this coaster is in japan where 60 is "jūroku" and 229 "nisen nijū kyū", the high numbers thing doesn't sound wrong though
@@blazerlazer55 I wasn't thinking about how the Japanese name would sound when I wrote this. So I get it. Though, strangely enough, people would prefer the "N" sound to the "J" because it's brighter.
last time I was this early to an ElToroRyan video, the park was closed for poor operating weather and I had to go to the McDonalds playplace, which I was surprised to find had 8 separate block zones!
as a space nerd i wanna note the upper g limit for the apollo launches were 4.2 g. they would throttle down to maintain that before staging soyuz is the most forceful launch i know offhand, which can hit as high as 4.5. 6.5 is insane for a rocket takeoff
Grew up going to Cedar Point every summer and remember the absolute RAGE my rollercoaster fan brother and friends had over this height record. A hotly contested title. I wish I could have ridden this. I love features like that knot more than the height!
watching this video on 1.75 speed, this (14:55) part made me audibly gasp. I was horrified at how fast the ride car went through that loop, until I realized that I had my video playing fast :') i might have had a heart attack
@@derekp308 The only thing to me that Nagashima has over Fuji-Q Highland is Steel Dragon 5,000. Nearly all of Fuji's coasters are record breaking, or formerly were. The same as Cedar Point.
I think these higher-force rides should be legal, but with much stricter rules on who can ride. They may not be very profitable that way, but at least they could exist. I would love higher force coasters and I feel there are many others who would also enjoy them. I've never even greyed out so personally I just don't find the forces all that intense. I'm an avid Smiler addict though, wouldn't mind that without OTS.
Could they have feasibly shortened the first drop and added a propulsion device on the second incline? Also are there any reports of people getting injured? Lol I imagine it had to have happened! Total craziness, very cool.
thank you professor ryan for sharing this fantastic lecture with us...i really appreciate all the effort you put into this university course you are creating on your youtube channel
I had the hardback version of GBWR. This coaster along w/ Magic Kingdom+ Celestial Suite (AstroWorld Hotel) my home town in Houston were featured in amusement park area of the book. I later become an ACE member in 1984 & worked @ defunct AstroWorld 1985-89. the photos + stats of this coaster WAS incredible. Only Schwarzkopf looping coaster (usually on the 2nd 3rd loops were capable of 6.5 Gs (graying the rider OUT)
this video taught me that a vertical loop size must be proportional to the speed of the train going down the drop; if it is much smaller than the drop, the G forces exerted on riders will be very high but not cause any pain. likewise, if it is too big then the train will fail to make it through the loop
I never knew the concept of the euthanasia coaster existed. Considering that there are states in the US that still have the death penalty, maybe people should lobby for them to ditch the chemicals and go for a killer ride instead.
HEY RYAN! MY NAMES ALSO RYAN Been watching your videos for years and it's so cool to see how far you've come from just kinex Rollercoasters. Love ya man, Your work is greatly appreciated. Keep it up :>
I remember having a Guinness Book of World Records from the mid-80s when I was growing up that had a picture of Moonsault Scramble and its listing as the tallest roller coaster. It looked weird nearly 40 years ago and it still looks weird today.
I like it how you threw “Project 305” in there when talking about g forces and modern coasters lol. Its in its own league. Im glad its at one of my two home parks lol. I cant wait to see what the do with “project 305”, and the updates/re-theming.
El Toro Ryan, Excellent review of Moonsault Scramble ムーンサルトスクランブル. This BEAST of a roller coaster always fascinated me during my early years of roller coaster enthusiasm, from the intimidating look of the loading station (dark and foreboding) to its heights and sheer intensity. Sadly, legends like this are forever lost but not forgotten, thanks to people such as yourself. I, too, am a bit of a nerd and appreciate the level of engineering detail you provide to the coaster community in your addictive reviews and predictions. So keep the reviews coming, and know that you, and your work are greatly appreciated. P.S. What are your thoughts on why Six Flags Great Adventure seems so reluctant to completely retract El Toro like Heide Park did to Colossus? Especially considering the two most recent accidents in 2021 (Partial derailment caused by the rear “up-stop” wheel) and in 2022 (The loud bang and jolting of an El Toro train during operation)?
Very interesting video - thanks! Out of interest, do you have a graph (or a link to a graph) of the recommended negative-g/duration for amusement rides? There are a few modern flat rides that I’m pretty sure fall under the same “illegality” of Moonsault Scramble due to excessive and sustained negative-g forces.
WOW!!! There would be no way in hell I could stand g’s like that. I’m very impressed with all the research you do on classic coasters like this. Definitely heard of the massive euthanasia coaster, something no human could survive. Keep up doing the fantastic research work & looking forward to more Coaster Idiots videos!!!
The sound that you hear in the station is actually the sound of the train screeching against the tire drives. If you listen to some videos of Big Boom, it sounds very similar. However, it is curious that there were things in the station that looked like friction brakes, AND the usual Meisho tire brakes usually take way longer to decelerate. However, on Moonsault, they are below the train as opposed to on the sides, so that might affect it.
i mean, at the very least, it seems to have been run pretty safely...? There were no accidents, no derailments, no crashes, no deaths, it seems to have been maintained and operated very well for what it was. Its only real problem was that it was designed by an utter madman lol. Still, I do think the core idea of a double inversion on a shuttle coaster is pretty cool! And the coaster itself was beautiful; those arched support structures framing the iconic pretzel loop, towering over the park, it's lovely to look at. I think with some tweaks in the design stage, this could have been a really, really damn good coaster.
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Reaction video of Tom Scott over coming his fear of roller-coasters???
Could probably make a UA-cam short about it
Hey, you did a really good job at making this video enjoyable! Thank you for your time and hard work you put into this video.
@@wesss93530 , , ,
The support structure of the pretzel knot over the ice rink with the two pillars on each side might genuinely be some of the most beautiful roller coaster architecture I've seen.
Genuinely wish more coasters tried to actually integrate the support structure with... Better aesthetics and function.
That support structure is legitimately gorgeous and ingenious. Fits perfectly with the area and is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
Fr! It’s a bit unnecessary, but really adds to the epic scale of the ride! Would’ve loved to see it irl!
@@alexlents4689 it probably wasn’t unnecessary considering how forceful this ride was
i completely agree, i was thinking that the whole time! what a piece of art!
The 229 is a Japanese pun based on various possible readings of the numbers. The first 2 in this case can be read as "fu" from the common word futatsu (two things), the second 2 can be read as "ji" using an obscure Chinese derived pronunciation (can be seen in one way to spell the common name Jiro), and lastly 9 can be read as "kyuu" which is the most common reading of 9. All together, 229 can be read as "fujikyuu," the name of the park. :)
This is also why they chose the height level of 229 feet and also why they probably never lowered the lift height to deal with the excessive g-forces...
Wow! Thanks for the info; it's fascinating to hear how other languages play with words.
It’s called Goroawase number wordplay.
I thought 229 ft was simply 70 meters metric, but that pun is really cool.
They made an illegally intense coaster for the pun. God I love the world sometimes
LOL
this is the type of coaster you build on RCT2 and none of the guests will ride it because the intensity is too high
Moonsalt scramble 1 looks too intense for me
Intensity Rating: ULTRA EXTREME
Yeah, I love those
Honestly, I don’t believe that ANY engineer could have a coaster built that would be too intense for me! I simply love roller coasters. The more radical and intense, the better for me! Safety is of upmost the most significant quality of ANY coaster for me. It would all be in good fun. Well, just one man’s thoughts and opinion. Keep the peace.
@@darincampbell171 what about the enthusias coaster
"Moonsault Scramble looks too intense for me"
Intensity: 15.66 (Ultra extreme)
Just looking at Corkscrew Coaster 1 makes me feel sick!
I'm happy others have played the greatest videogame of all time.
I’m not scared to ride any roller coaster 🎢 the higher,faster,wilder it doesn’t matter to me. It doesn’t matter to me if they build it I will ride it.!!!!
@@terrysweat4187 ur gonna have fun when euthenesia coaster is built
@@terrysweat4187 I got whiplash or mild concussion as a kid from a terrible local wooden coaster. Massive headache and sick from my head slamming. Maybe these days they are safer or would at least have head padding, but it is possible for them to be bad. Modern ones just spoiled people with their smooth tubes.
I rode it in 2000 when I was 14 visiting my aunt and uncle who were stationed in Japan with the navy. I rode it twice and I grayed out both times and it gave me a huge headache. However I would ride it again the intensity was off the charts.
Sadly I have a very low tolerance for nausea so if I went on it I'd probably barf everywhere after lol
I call bs.
@@retrovideogameszone8427why?
A friend of mine rode it in 1984 and 1996. He says it's still the most intense force he's ever felt on any ride. He turns 65 tomorrow.
I was wondering why the safety guidelines matter if the worst that can happen i passing out. That's a risk I'm willing to take as long as I'm already lying down (or won't fall out of my seat). Having a headache would be annoying, but a huge one even more so. Most guests probably wouldn't tolerate it.
Still, it's nothing that an aspirin can't take care of, right?
Based on its ridership, I would say Moonsault Scramble succeeded in being a youth-in-Asia coaster.
Well played sir.....well played.
God damnit lmao
👑
😊
damn
I visited Fuji-Q for the first time during autumn 2000. I had no knowledge of online forums or even that rcdb had existed for 4 years back then. So the only knowledge I had was from a book that had pictures of mainly Moonsault Scramble and Fujiyama on the pages showcasing Fuji-Q. Imagine my surprise when we turned up and there was nothing but an emty plot of land where Moonsault Scramble once was. It had only been dismantled months prior to my visit. I still today think of it as the one that got away. Thank you for an excellent video with so much footage that I have never seen before.
I rode this the last summer it was open. It was our first ride of the day, and we were shocked the station was empty. We had no idea what we were in for and my girlfriend was done for the day after 1 ride.
I rode it in 1996 on a school trip to Japan. I remember how the backward pass through the station felt endless and how fast the inversion hit. I've never been pushed into my seat so hard. Crazy ride.
The seniors at my high school went to Japan too.
Its your body that wants to stay still, not the train, so you would be pushed into the lap bar on the problematic first pass through.
@@rmac3217 No, with all due respect, you've got that wrong, in both occasions coming down the hill and going up in to the pretzel, the train goes up relative to your body wanting to go forward, so you get pushed into your seat. In no occasion will your body be wanting to stay still because it's already moving with the coaster. It's the sudden shift in track that pushes you int the seat. The only time you will be pushed into your lap bars is on an air-time hill and there are none on this coaster.
Leave it to ElToroRyan to talk about block zones on a shuttle coaster
I was expecting all 14 block zones to be talked about but Moonsault Scramble didn’t let him because of its 1 block zone …. 😢
Ryan standing at the front of the euthanasia coaster: “ need the credit.”
Underrated comment
Lol
Loool what a credit that would be 😅😅
It’s so cool you have all this footage of the coaster. I remember a few years ago wanting to see more of this ride but there were only a few pictures and only one video in the internet. It’s cool to see there’s so much more.
It's on the on the internet not in the internet
@@caseydominick7806 sorry, I’m not a native English speaker
@@caseydominick7806 not with that attitude it isnt.
ill tell Mark to leave you out of the Meta.
It's cool yea when you use the word in it means physical preposition like in the box or in the house and since you can't be physically inside the internet or your computer but you can be on your computer or the internet it is on
@@caseydominick7806 "It's on the on the internet not in the internet"
Fun fact: block zones don’t just apply to roller coaster trains. Conventional railroads and subways are also broken into block zones.
I did not know this, but it makes sense if you think about it. Thank you!
For those of you who are unfamiliar, the Euthanasia Coaster is what I built in every single one of my parks in Roller Coaster Tycoon as a child.
Did anyone ever ride them?
I am now faced with the temptation to do the same thing 😂
Let’s be honest: if this ride were open today and limited tickets were being offered via an email posted on this video, that inbox would be filled to the brim
I’ve yet to meet a coaster that gets me even close to graying out. I wish this monster still existed
Same, I hold the loss of moonsault up there with that of the blue streak and along with every enthusiast ever the airplane coaster.
It kind of sucks that the closest thing to experiencing this is probably only acrobatic plane rides that costs FAR more per ride.
That footage of Loop Coaster before the changes looks absolutely mental to the point that that you´re trying to convince yourself that it has to be sped up, until you realize that that this can´t be case based on other things in the video and how the camera moves. I can look at Moonsault Scramble and still wanting to ride it, but I most likely chickened out of the unmodified Loop Coaster if I saw it going through the loop at that speed.
There used to be the ‘space ring’ ride everywhere as well that spin you around ball cage, depending on it’s make and regulations the operator could actually give you astronaut training and potentially make your faint.
@@rmac3217 ohhhhh do you mean the one like a gyroscope , single rider, that pivots around the rider’s waistline?
i once heard that in its unmodified state it pulled well over 9 fucking g’s. it’s like they were trying to kill people
The block zone bit legitimately made me lol! Good job
For some reason, the block zone glitch noise creeped me the hell out after all that talk of the Euthanasia Coaster!
He does it for all his rollercoaster vids.
@@nevaehhamilton3493 I meant the joke he made in this one
I still can't get over his Tampa Busch gardens video when he went on the water ride and the boat behind him smacked right into his, then he proceeded to ask every operator he passed on the ride if they knew what a block zone is XD
That Loop Coaster was F***ING NUTS!! Probably the most intense modern coaster ever built! Interestingly, although the loop and forward spike were removed after it closed in 2000, the station and the reverse spike (the one with the actual lift) are both still standing today!
As for Moonsault, its still probably one of the most visually-striking coasters ever built. With both rides, I honestly have no idea what Meisho was thinking. Did they think the trains were gonna have sandpaper wheels and had to take high friction into account? Who knows. It’s even more confusing because in other areas, they were clearly ahead of the curve. Parts of the profiling on Moonsault looked really fluid for the time, like the middle sections of the spikes. Also, the wider track gauge with regular width trains meant the wheels were off to the side. I think that was probably done to sort of act as heartlining, since riders are closer to the design reference point (the running rails), much like a pipeline coaster.
the most intense wad Grand Centrifugal Railway pulling 13 G's and Flip Flap Railway number 2 pulling 12
This is the Japanese Zonga
If the cars were at a regular height, the loop diameter for the riders would be even lower
@@da22a Yeah, I suppose that could have been another reason
It could be one of those very rare occasions where a ride company greenlights a design that really pushes the limit on what a roller coaster or other ride can do. I'm sure that there are many designers who would like to design rides that subjects daring riders close to g-forces that might cause them to black out.
I guess that there is just this appeal to see how much you can safely subject to yourself, and furthermore if you can take it without actually blacking out. Plus, that feeling of being glued to your seat is just an exhilarating, addictive feeling.
I think I remember one coaster designer saying that the ultimate coaster design is one where you have to be dragged off the coaster. But manufacturers have not been willing to actually push things to that limit.
I do wish that the Moonsault Scramble were still active, or that there was another ride that has a similar amount of g-forces, but I guess that the only way to currently experience that amount is on acrobatic or trainer jet rides. I'm not sure that the average coaster rider would be open to forces that intense, and the re-rideability of the Moonsault is suspect at best.
One of the roller coasters of all time.
gotta hand it to meisho, they had an idea and they sent it
the most intense coaster if you ask me
truly
Same here.
@@boltgaming248 it’s either this one or that one random euro fighter looking coaster with a drop pulling 7Gs
I'd never thought much about how that little second lift on a Vekoma Boomerang does a lot to make the *first* pass through the inversions bearable.
My ears still hurt
Nice job finding the archive footage and just a side note, I would bet that most riders suffered at least a minor ocular blood vessel rupture and at worst a brain vascular injury if the 6.5 Gs was sustained for more than a few seconds, this thing had to be rough! The space shuttle went from 0 to 17,500 MPH with no more than a comfortable 3 Gs and got you into an earth orbit!
So they pretty much end up like Scotty Fischer. (Has PTSD because they didn't show inside him)
Wait what?? I thought the Space Shuttle pulled 8-10 Gs. Are you sure about that 3G figure? I mean we’re talking solid rocket boosters.....
@@Syclone0044 According to The National Space Center,
"The g-force of a rocket launch is limited by the cargo it is carrying. In the case of a manned mission, it is limited by what a human is able to endure.High levels of g-force can damage the body and at around 9gs most humans black out as blood struggles to reach the brain. Shuttle Astronauts normally experience a maximum g-force of around 3gs during a rocket launch.".
@@Syclone0044That’s more like a fighter jet. Also astronauts are rotated transversely to the direction of acceleration to mitigate the G-force. They do train in up to 10 Gs via centrifuge, though that’s more for total mind and body conditioning than to simulate a rocket launch
It takes more than 6 g's before riders are subjected to harmful gravitational effects. If subjected to 7 g's, you might pass out, but it again won't cause any permanent harmful effects. As one of the riders above stated, you might wake up with a pounding head (blood circulation will be cut off during acceleration, and then it is going to be trying to rush back into your head as soon as gravity will allow), it shouldn't be enough to cause harm to blood vessels at this point. For this reason, I would consider 7 g's to be the safe maximum a human can experience.
As you go into 8 g's, that's when you'll start to have real problems.
Finally a decent video on Moonsault Scramble! ❤As insane as this ride was, that inversion was beautiful to look at. I've often wished Vekoma would build a boomerang with this inversion, but obviously with safer G forces. lol
maybe the knot should be taller
@@boltgaming248 it wouldn't necessarily need to be taller. The pretzel inversion was comically smaller than the original total height of the coaster. It only needs to be tall enough to compete the inversion once. There's always the small lift on the top of the backwards drop of Vekoma Boomerangs. Moonsault scramble wouldn't have needed to be so tall if it had a lift on both hills. Since they only had one lift it needed to be tall enough to have enough momentum to complete the inversion once, climb the other drop, and complete the inversion a second time all just with potential and kinetic energy.
@@Wilhelm1407Coasters i couldn't read the entire thing but ok 😐👍
How are these G Forces "unsafe"?
@@maxhagenauer24 When under high positive G’s, blood is being forced from the head to the feet so riders “grey out” due to the lack of blood flow to the brain.
This can happen at +5gz. Loss of consciousness can also occur at +5gz.
Moonsault Scramble had a total of +6.5gz. Many coasters don't go over +4gz these days.
I remember this!! I used to get ACE's Roller Coaster Magazine in the early 90's and this was one of those legendary coasters that remained mysterious for the longest time due to being pre-internet.
when talking about Japanese coaster manufacturers, everyone thinks of Togo, but really Meisho don't get enough attention. Of course, there's the madness that is their looping coasters and Moonsault Scramble, but the other thing that comes to mind was how in 1987, they took one of their shuttle loops, High Loop Coaster at Nasu Highland Park, turned the lift spike into a traditional lift hill, moved the loop elsewhere in the layout, and converted the coaster into a full circuit coaster. Craziest part is how online I saw a stat that said the first drop was at 75°! In 1987! I don't know for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if, as long as you don't count Intamin's earliest drop towers as roller coasters, this coaster was the steepest coaster in the world until Oblivion opened
This was one of the very few coasters on Earth that almost made me question riding rollercoasters in general.
Agreed.
You rode it? What was it like?
My 2nd credit was Meisho Coaster. It was the Thunderbolt at Dreamworld Australia. To be fair I was either 8 or 9 years old, but I passed out while going up the first Loop (it had 2 back to back loops) and didn't come too till somewhere near the end of the ride. So I don't remember much presides the nice view we got before the 1st drop. I rode it with my Dad cause I just made the height limit for the ride. It messed him up too. I also had back pain after riding it for a few days.
That coaster was a rust bucket, the first drop wasn’t even a drop, just a slight curve downwards and the rest was head banging.
I gotta say that's one of the most beautifully structured coasters I've ever seen. It's a bummer it had so many problems and had such low capacity. It really was visually a work of art. I should be hitting up FujiQ Highland next year as part of my Japan trip (along with a bunch of other parks).
Dude! It was great meeting you yesterday at Carowinds! Thanks for the pic. It's kind of funny that I told you how much I love the problematic coasters series you do, and now here one is.
What we need is for someone to recreate this in VR, yes you wouldn't get the g-force or the sensation of the winding hitting your face but you would still get an experience very close to riding the original without needing millions of dollars to build your own.
I've ridden the Mindbender coaster in Edmonton Canada a few times, and it certainly had intense G forces. The tight 3rd loop pulled 5.5 G's and going through it felt like the longest 1.5 seconds of your life. Too bad it has closed after 37 years of operation. I'm glad I got to experience that amazing world record indoor coaster more than once.
I've heard that this thing actually pulled 7 Gs sometimes, I freaking love positive Gs when they are strong. It's extremely safe that modern coasters don't have positive Gs anywhere close to strong like these and Schwarzdof.
At 11:35 , a possibility for the noise could be the wheels of the train passing over a gap in the transfer track. You can hear the same noise on the other pass through the station before the final ascent, although I'm trying to figure out if the first passthrough also has that noise or if it's another noise that's getting drowned out.
FYI: This coaster is still running in Buenos Aires, Argentina in the Parque de la Costa. It’s called “Boomerang”
No, that is a vekoma boomerang
I almost thought this video wouldn’t mention block zones, got me in the first half not gonna lie. Great video Ryan keep it up
Your videos continue to deliver some of the best research on UA-cam! 👍
The coaster multiverse expands
Thanks man! And same to you! I always look forward to your videos!
@@ElToroRyan phase 2 of the coaster multiverse
@@ElToroRyanlol this is not a Meisho coaster, they merely built it. Vekoma designed this
@@marcbasil ummmmm … no …? This was entirely done by Meisho
The smallest vertical loops I've experienced was at Dreamworld's Thunderbolt rollercoaster. At the time it was also Australia's highest coaster. The Gs on those loops were insane!
In G force terms, NASA considers 3G "normal" for a mission to orbit and anything more is only felt in an abort...
Moonsault Abortion. Wait...
an important note of course is that in a rocket launch and capsule return you get eyeballs in G loads vs head to toe. Despite being space themed, this coaster like most pulls G forces like a jet fighter does on the body.
Kudos for adding the kana in the video title. Now that's what I call dedication
I remember seeing that car back in 2018 when I visited and they were celebrating their anniversary. The first thing I thought was "I can only imagine how much force this vehicle took!".
Great video. Thanks for the memory. I lived in Japan between 1994-1999 I know this park and Toshimien very well. MoonSault was an awesome ride. You stated " a comical flow through the loop knots". There was nothing comical about that knot. If you were leaning in a particular position, you were locked in that position until you cleared the knot. My kids and I grunted as we traveled through that knot. I took my family to this park several times a year. This was my ride, and yes you could only ride this twice in one day. The G-forces were that brutal. As for that other Guinness book record holder, Fujiyama, the first time I rode that, I truly thought I was going to die. I was in absolute horror for that entire ride. After the ride, I had to sit down and seriously think about what just happened. Then I got on it again. We returned to the States in 2004, only to visit weak "thrill' American parks (Seaworld & Six Flags). Americans are soft when it comes to amusement parks. When I ride a coaster, I want a real thrill. I want to contemplate riding the thing. That's the point of spending $100 dollars per person to get in the park. You say 5.5 Gs are too much. I say Americans are weak when it comes to coasters. I'm glad I got to ride MoonSault before the Japanese got soft. Rule one: don't get on if you're scared. Rule two: know your limit. Rule three: don't let your friends talk you into riding these types of rides. It could ruin you for life.
It’s weird you can sue a theme park if you get on a ride with medical conditions, but can’t sue a car manufacturer if you crash on the way due to a medical condition.
@@rmac3217 The difference is the car isn't a person who thought about your decision, considered your medical condition, and let you ride anyway.
I love roller coasters, but i'd stop well short of saying I'd like to feel like im about to die. This coster could legitimately permanently injure you if you rode it too much. I wouldn't call someone who won't ride that "soft." A great ride feels like it's dangerous but actually isn't. This ride actually was potentially dangerous.
@@Tahngarthor Yes they did, the person who sold you the car is basically the ride operator and he believed you when you said you can drive, they should be put in prison.
@R Mac you don't have to be able to drive a car to buy one. Your argument is flawed. Someone sellingbyou a car doesn't have to verify tat you can drive it znd thud bears no responsibility
thank you so much for making this video. ive had a strange fascination with this ride ever since visiting fuji-q highland in 2019. from its name, to its extreme g forces, something about this ride is unsettling to me, i love it.
The day a roller coaster actually features 14 block zones is the day this channel reaches its natural end as ElToroRyan will burst into flames
*cough* Big Thunder Mountain, probably more...
This was my mom's favourite roller coaster.
That’s a W
Your mom sounds awesome
I went to Fuji-Q a couple of months ago so this was a good memory. Trust them to create a rollercoaster that would be much too strong.
I'm so happy you came out with a video on this coaster. You make some of my favorite roller coaster content.
This roller coaster has fascinated me since I learned of it's existence. I think it has something to do with how tall it is as a shuttle coaster and that the pretzel element just looks really cool. I can't think of a single shuttle coaster with a similar height. It's a beast.
I was almost sure you wouldn't have had a block zones section in this video lol have you ever considered making merch based off your signature "for those who don't know, a block zone..." line?
Would of loved to of ridden this just purely for the experience of such force. Anyways, love the video (as I always do) and the block zones never get old.
Here's to hoping that some coaster company has the balls to try to make a Moonsault Scrambler successor, "legal laws" be damned.
Technically, the human body could easily survive 6 g's (albeit that it might not necessarily LIKE it)! The only people who it would kill would be people who probably shouldn't be riding intense rides anyways.
Part of the appeal of rides is pushing the limits of your body, like as a dare. The amount of force pressing the riders into their seat must've been outstanding. They probably couldn't even move their arms during the loops. And the Intimidator could use some competition. It's a shame that the Scrambler didn't have a long life span.
Theres another coaster that features that Rare inversion (Pretzel knot)
Banshee - B&M
in Kings Island
A big reason why they probably went with 229 instead of 60 is marketing and psychology. 60 is a good number. But 229 is more appealing to humans. We generally like larger numbers better than small ones, alliteration is appealing and the hard "T" sound is a more attention getting/holding sound than the softer "S". It's these simple psychological tricks that would make it easier to grab people's attention in marketing and discussions about the coaster.
Exactly my thoughts
what
@@blazerlazer55 what do you find confusing about my comment?
@@Th8rgoddess ah, sorry, mainly the phonology stuff considering this coaster is in japan where 60 is "jūroku" and 229 "nisen nijū kyū", the high numbers thing doesn't sound wrong though
@@blazerlazer55 I wasn't thinking about how the Japanese name would sound when I wrote this. So I get it.
Though, strangely enough, people would prefer the "N" sound to the "J" because it's brighter.
I think they used feet instead of meters is for advertising, 229 feet sounds alot more impressive then 69 meters (nice)
I just did the math on the g force the loop the loop coaster would experience and it was approximately 8.9g before they lowered the release point.
Bro you are the best roller coaster documentarian on UA-cam no doubt! You should be damn proud! Thank you for your great works. Cheers
I was pretty shocked to see that the loop on Loop Coaster looked almost completely circular.
last time I was this early to an ElToroRyan video, the park was closed for poor operating weather and I had to go to the McDonalds playplace, which I was surprised to find had 8 separate block zones!
Did it count as a new credit?
i was getting scared there wasnt a section of the video about block zones
I would love to see a video on Tower of Terror, sounds so interesting esp the fact that it's still operating despite the "illegality"
I think fairest measurement for shuttle coasters would be the height of the center of mass of the train at the highest position of the train.
as a space nerd i wanna note the upper g limit for the apollo launches were 4.2 g. they would throttle down to maintain that before staging
soyuz is the most forceful launch i know offhand, which can hit as high as 4.5. 6.5 is insane for a rocket takeoff
(though notably, 6.5 is much less insane for peak capsule reentries, on par with the early apollo lunar returns)
Moonsault Scramble looks too intense for me.
Moonsault Scramble is really good value!
Just looking at Moonsault Scramble makes me feel sick!
Are you sure you want to completely demolish Moonsault Scrambler?
27%: I want to go on Moonsault Scramble!
@@AMagicProduction You sound like a character from Roller Coaster Tycoon.
Bro this coaster looks INSANE
This is the defunct coaster I’m most upset about being gone tbh
Grew up going to Cedar Point every summer and remember the absolute RAGE my rollercoaster fan brother and friends had over this height record. A hotly contested title. I wish I could have ridden this. I love features like that knot more than the height!
watching this video on 1.75 speed, this (14:55) part made me audibly gasp. I was horrified at how fast the ride car went through that loop, until I realized that I had my video playing fast :') i might have had a heart attack
So not only do get subjected to 6 Gs going through the pretzel knot the first time, but you do it backwards. That just sounds like pain
What an insane coaster... Thanks for such a great video, that bit about 14 block zones made me cackle out loud
Really caught me off guard with that 14 block zones 😂
Fuji-Q- Highland is like the Cedar Point of Japan
Actually Nagashima Spaland is more like Cedar Point. Fuji-Q Highlands is more like the Japanese Magic Mountain.
@@derekp308 -_-
@@derekp308 The only thing to me that Nagashima has over Fuji-Q Highland is Steel Dragon 5,000. Nearly all of Fuji's coasters are record breaking, or formerly were. The same as Cedar Point.
The cooler vekoma boomerang (Imagine Fuji Q gets Vekoma to remake it smoother)
...its like a coaster we built in Roller Coaster Tycoon when it came out lol
I think these higher-force rides should be legal, but with much stricter rules on who can ride. They may not be very profitable that way, but at least they could exist. I would love higher force coasters and I feel there are many others who would also enjoy them. I've never even greyed out so personally I just don't find the forces all that intense. I'm an avid Smiler addict though, wouldn't mind that without OTS.
This looks insane! I would have gave it a go. Great vid!
That inversion looks downright stupid 😂
Could they have feasibly shortened the first drop and added a propulsion device on the second incline? Also are there any reports of people getting injured? Lol I imagine it had to have happened! Total craziness, very cool.
thank you professor ryan for sharing this fantastic lecture with us...i really appreciate all the effort you put into this university course you are creating on your youtube channel
I had the hardback version of GBWR. This coaster along w/ Magic Kingdom+ Celestial Suite (AstroWorld Hotel) my home town in Houston were featured in amusement park area of the book. I later become an ACE member in 1984 & worked @ defunct AstroWorld 1985-89. the photos + stats of this coaster WAS incredible. Only Schwarzkopf looping coaster (usually on the 2nd 3rd loops were capable of 6.5 Gs (graying the rider OUT)
Worth noting that Tower of Terror was modified from 6Gs to 4Gs.
ASTM: We have rules!
Moonsault Scramble: Nah
14 Block zones. Moonsault Scramble Mountain I see!!!
Dispatches every 5 minutes, Ghostrider-"Hold my beer"!!!!
But how many block zones did it have?
i think 1 block zones
ryan: puts out a video on a shuttle coaster
block zone enthusiasts: "fuck this I hate this"
14.
It says in the video
this video taught me that a vertical loop size must be proportional to the speed of the train going down the drop; if it is much smaller than the drop, the G forces exerted on riders will be very high but not cause any pain. likewise, if it is too big then the train will fail to make it through the loop
you really made me laugh out loud at the 14 block zone joke😆
6g's is where you start to gray out and could pass out, jet fighters experience 6+g's, crazy
I never knew the concept of the euthanasia coaster existed. Considering that there are states in the US that still have the death penalty, maybe people should lobby for them to ditch the chemicals and go for a killer ride instead.
Roller Coaster 1 is too intense for me...
Just looking at Roller Coaster 1 makes me feel sick!
There's a similar coaster now at the Carowinds park in NC. I believe it is called the Carolina Cobra.
I loved Magnum XL 200 it's my number 2 coaster at cedar point behind the original Top Thrill Dragster
HEY RYAN! MY NAMES ALSO RYAN
Been watching your videos for years and it's so cool to see how far you've come from just kinex Rollercoasters. Love ya man, Your work is greatly appreciated. Keep it up :>
I remember having a Guinness Book of World Records from the mid-80s when I was growing up that had a picture of Moonsault Scramble and its listing as the tallest roller coaster. It looked weird nearly 40 years ago and it still looks weird today.
Would've loved to ride this to be honest...
I like it how you threw “Project 305” in there when talking about g forces and modern coasters lol. Its in its own league. Im glad its at one of my two home parks lol. I cant wait to see what the do with “project 305”, and the updates/re-theming.
El Toro Ryan,
Excellent review of Moonsault Scramble ムーンサルトスクランブル. This BEAST of a roller coaster always fascinated me during my early years of roller coaster enthusiasm, from the intimidating look of the loading station (dark and foreboding) to its heights and sheer intensity. Sadly, legends like this are forever lost but not forgotten, thanks to people such as yourself. I, too, am a bit of a nerd and appreciate the level of engineering detail you provide to the coaster community in your addictive reviews and predictions. So keep the reviews coming, and know that you, and your work are greatly appreciated.
P.S. What are your thoughts on why Six Flags Great Adventure seems so reluctant to completely retract El Toro like Heide Park did to Colossus? Especially considering the two most recent accidents in 2021 (Partial derailment caused by the rear “up-stop” wheel) and in 2022 (The loud bang and jolting of an El Toro train during operation)?
I have a question, what is the black lines on the roller coaster rails where the wheels on the coaster roll on?
Thank you so much for taking the time to make these videos… 🎟️😍🎟️
Very interesting video - thanks! Out of interest, do you have a graph (or a link to a graph) of the recommended negative-g/duration for amusement rides? There are a few modern flat rides that I’m pretty sure fall under the same “illegality” of Moonsault Scramble due to excessive and sustained negative-g forces.
WOW!!! There would be no way in hell I could stand g’s like that. I’m very impressed with all the research you do on classic coasters like this. Definitely heard of the massive euthanasia coaster, something no human could survive. Keep up doing the fantastic research work & looking forward to more Coaster Idiots videos!!!
23:35 for a second there I was afraid Ryan wasn't gonna mention block zones. Pfew.
The sound that you hear in the station is actually the sound of the train screeching against the tire drives. If you listen to some videos of Big Boom, it sounds very similar. However, it is curious that there were things in the station that looked like friction brakes, AND the usual Meisho tire brakes usually take way longer to decelerate. However, on Moonsault, they are below the train as opposed to on the sides, so that might affect it.
i mean, at the very least, it seems to have been run pretty safely...? There were no accidents, no derailments, no crashes, no deaths, it seems to have been maintained and operated very well for what it was. Its only real problem was that it was designed by an utter madman lol.
Still, I do think the core idea of a double inversion on a shuttle coaster is pretty cool! And the coaster itself was beautiful; those arched support structures framing the iconic pretzel loop, towering over the park, it's lovely to look at. I think with some tweaks in the design stage, this could have been a really, really damn good coaster.
1:22
ElToroRyan: "peacefully"
everyone: *"no."*