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ATAPark GuideForbidden Valley › Nemesis

Ride Reviews

Ride Ratings
CategoryScore
Thrill Rating5/5
Family Rating3/5
Re-Ride Rating4/5
Theming Rating5/5
Popularity Rating5/5

Guest Information

  • Riders must be at least 1.4m tall
  • On-ride photo is featured on this attraction
  • Property rack available in station
  • Guests with large upper body dimensions may not be able to ride this attraction
  • Average queue time: 30 mins

Take on the fast turns and sharp twists of the almighty Nemesis… sit back, it's fright time

Why, where, when?

Much secrecy surrounded the new ride at Alton Towers during 1993. It was named SW3 - Secret Weapon 3, when construction began in the area called Thunder Valley, next to the Thunder Looper. Before the park opened in 1994, there was a massive advertising campaign on television for the new attraction, but there was no hint to what it was.

Once the park opened, customers where treated to their first glance at the ride while they travelled on the monorail from the car parks. What Alton Towers had installed was the new B&M Suspended Roller coaster, similar to ones seen in the U.S. The major difference between those and Nemesis was that due to the height restrictions, much of the ride was designed to go below ground level, giving it a special quality that none of the others had.

But what is it like?

Nemesis is probably one of the most impressive rides in more than one way or another, with your first view of the ride arriving on the monorail you will be higher than most of the actual ride itself, as you glance at a twisted metal structure. When you enter Forbidden Valley you will probably not see Nemesis but will most definitely hear its "roar".

When you enter the queue and probably after a trek through woodland surrounding the ride you will start to go down into Nemesis' pit with track structure surrounding you. You will also notice various "blood" waterfalls all flowing towards a massive lake of blood just feet away from people's legs at the base of the vertical loop. Once inside the station and boarded your car you are whisked out the alien structure which the whole ride centres around, you are slowly pulled up the lift hill, then as the clicking stops and everything momentarily goes silent you quickly gain speed down a small drop then into the first barrel roll, round a tight curve as you hurtle towards Nemesis just second before you hit the station you are whisked away in a zero-g-roll over the station then round a tight 180 stall turn then down to the lowest part of the ride with the lake of blood below pulling 4Gs in a vertical loops then through a tunnel under the queue then probably the only part of the ride for a breather - only a second or so - as you go around a large 180 degree turn over many spectators below, into a tunnel out of a tunnel into a tight barrel roll just missing the smoking "Mushroom Cloud Luxury Tours" bus perched off the edge of a cliff then into and out of another tunnel then into a final turn in the brake run.

Now time to get your breath back after forty-five seconds of sheer, intense thrill.