Spinball Whizzer vs The Big One

Vintage is the reversed stat — the older ride wins. Every number here is the same one printed on the card; see /methodology for how Build Cost and Throughput are sourced.

The verdict

The Big One sweeps every comparable stat. There is no line on the card where Spinball Whizzer is the better pick, so the only way this duel turns is on who calls the stat.

Spinball Whizzer is a steel Spinning Coaster (pinball theme) coaster at Alton Towers, GB, built by Maurer Rides. The Big One is a steel Hypercoaster coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, GB, built by Arrow Dynamics.

Both are in GB, which puts them in the same conversation for anyone planning a trip there.

Both are steel-track, so nothing here is the usual steel-versus-wood argument in disguise.

Stat by stat

• Height goes to The Big One at 213 ft against 56 ft — in another class entirely.
• Speed goes to The Big One at 74 mph against 37 mph — nearly double.
• Inversions splits them not at all: both read 0.
• Throughput goes to The Big One at 1,650 rph against 950 rph — nearly double.
• Build Cost goes to The Big One at 18.4 $m against 6.4 $m — more than double.
• 10 years separate them, and because Vintage rewards age it is The Big One (1994) that banks the point, not Spinball Whizzer (2004).