While roller coasters started off slow (and made of wood) in 1885, things have changed over the last century or so. From inversions to drops to zero force to floorless coasters, the roller coasters of today definitely provide thrills, induce screams, and make us want to go back for more. Here are some amazing twisty (inversion) roller coasters in the US.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Jeremy Thompson, adapted by Wandering Educators

Batman: The Dark Knight

Location: Six Flags, New England

A floorless coaster with plenty of speed and twists. You’ll wing off with a 12 story lift, and then hit a 110 foot drop, a full 360 loop, and later a 180 reversal. You’ll also hit inverted rolls, banked curves, a zero-G roll, and plenty of corkscrews. 55mph.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Gocardusa

Manta

Location: Seaworld Orlando in Florida

This is a unique roller coaster in that you are prone during the ride! You’ll fly through four inversions at 56 mph. But the experience starts before the ride, as you enter a ‘seaside village’ decorated with manta ray inspired artwork, aquariums with over 300 rays, and even a pop up window into the aquarium as you’re waiting in line.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Jeremy Thompson

Kingda Ka

Location: Six Flags, Jackson, New Jersey

The tallest and fastest roller coaster in North America? Check. 128 mph? Check. Spirals, drops, and a camel hump? Check. Ready?

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Dusso Janladde

Griffon

Location: Busch Gardens, Virginia

This is the fastest dive coaster built to date! It goes 71mph, is floorless, and is 205 feet high. You’ll hit Immelmann loops, a splashdown, vertical drops, and more.

Wikimedia commons: Sebastian Hirsch

Top Thrill Dragster

Location: Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

Once the tallest roller coaster in the world, this is one of only two strata coasters in the world (the other being Kingda Ka). A strata coaster features a drop of 400+ feet and completes a full circuit. 0-120mph achieved in under 4 seconds. Possibly the fastest 17 seconds of your life?

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Craig Lloyd

Wicked Twister

Location: Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio

The world’s tallest and fastest double twisting impulse coaster, notes Cedar Point. What do you do? Well, you twist up and back 200-foot tall towers – FIVE times, at speeds of 72mph.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: tracy the astonishing

Goliath

Location: Six Flags, New England

A coaster so giant they had to name a new category after it? Yep, welcome to the Giant Inverted Boomerang, here named Goliath. At 65mph, this coaster will hike you up 94 feet in the air, backwards. Then you’ll head back down, do a double inversion cobra roll, head into a 102-foot vertical loop, and then finish.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Christophe 95

Banshee

Location: Kings Island, near Cincinnati, Ohio

Love loops? Hit Banshee, which is the world’s longest inverted roller coaster. You’ll hit 7 loops at 68mph, as well as a zero gravity roll, batwing inversions, hills, and drops. Ride at night for full lighting effects

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Oldiesmann

The Incredible Hulk

Location: Universal Orlando, Florida

7 inversions, a zero G roll, 2 underground trenches, and 67mph? You’re green, and smashing with power! Launch lifts (instead of the conventional lifts) mean you’re 0-40mph in 2 seconds.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: BiellaLL

The Riddler’s Revenge

Location: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, California

A three minute ride that will invert you 6 times going 65 mph. You’ll hit a vertical loop, 2 dive loops, an inclined loop, and 2 corkscrews – all while STANDING UP (although there is a small bicycle type seat to lean against if you need it) and hitting 4.2Gs.

Photo Wikimedia Commons: Jeremy Thompson

Want to know why roller coasters make us scream? The Washington Post has a great article here. But maybe we don't need science - tell us which are your favorite loop the loop roller coasters - and why you ride them!