Samurai: n. Japanese warrior; a member of the military aristocracy.

In Short:

Samurai is a fast spin and spew ride, taking riders on a whirlwind journey to heights of 60ft.

Statistics:

Opened: 2004
Manufacturer: Mondial
Area: Lost City
Ride Type: Top Scan
On Ride Photo: No
Official Rating: Extreme Thrills

Photos:

Video:

See Samurai in action: TTP Park Video can be found in Downloads.

TTP Review:

Samurai is a Mondial Topscan, which originally resided in Tussauds' Chessington World of Adventures. However, it was decided that Samurai was too intense for Chessington's changing target audience, and so it was moved to Thorpe Park in 2004, after a refurbishment by Mondial in Holland.

Samurai gives a really fun ride. Riders are seated in rows on one of 6 pods on the end of a mechanical arm. The arm raises the pods and can rotate 360º, in doing so rotating the pods, sometimes through 360º themselves. Most often the arm will make huge circular sweeping motions. The pods are lifted to over 60ft high, which gives riders great views. Often, you feel all too close to the nearby lakes and trees, and it is this feeling that makes Samurai so good. One minute, you are nearly touching the platform, the next, you are suspended 60ft high over a mass of water. You are constantly being flipped, inverted and moved around, the ride soundtrack compliments the ride perfectly, the location, being next to a lake, is ideal for thrills.

Samurai has a lot going for it. However, your ride on Samurai can vary due to the setting that it's on. If you get it on a fast and intense setting, Samurai is stunning. Get it on a slow and bland setting, and Samurai is tame (avoid mornings when Samurai is warming up!).

Overall, Samurai is right up there with Thorpe's best flat rides. It's a shame it is only a recycled ride from another Park, but Samurai takes intense spinning, a fantastic ride soundtrack and a superb location and and shakes them up into one brilliant ride.