Sponsored message
Logged in as
Audience-funded nonprofit news
radio tower icon laist logo
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Subscribe
  • Listen Now Playing Listen

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Battle Aliens In Virtual Reality On A Magic Mountain Roller Coaster

One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.


Six Flags is going to start incorporating virtual reality into their roller coasters, including one at Magic Mountain, making you feel like you're fighting for the fate of humanity. We're approaching the stage in virtual reality development where I think we're going to start seeing it just about everywhere. For now, the latest news is that Six Flags is partnering with Samsung to debut the first VR coaster in the U.S.

While VR content that makes a stationary user feel like they're on a roller coaster certainly already exists, the Six Flags experience will add VR to the act of actually riding on a roller coaster. You'll wear a headset that shows a VR film synchronized to the coaster's movements. So, instead of looking out at the park as you ride, you'll take the vantage point of the pilot of a fighter jet, who is battling off extraterrestrial invasion of planet Earth.

Your plane will move from a landing pad up through the roof of a secret bunker. As you ascend, you'll be able to use a controller to test out weapons. Then, you'll find yourself zooming through a cityscape to attack the invaders' mothership with a full 360-degree, immersive view.

The incorporated technology will debut this month at six different Six Flags, including Magic Mountain. At Magic Mountain, you'll be able to use the VR headsets on The New Revolution ride at the end of the month, beginning on March 26 for season pass holders.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles will be getting a VR arcade sometime in the spring or summer of this year.

One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.

You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.

If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief

Make your tax-deductible donation today