List of roller coaster rankings

Early iterations during the 16th and 17th centuries, which were popular in Russia, were wooden sleds that took riders down large slides made from ice.

The first roller coasters that attached a train to a wooden track appeared in France in the early 1800s.

[3] Ranked by height, speed, length, and number of inversions, roller coasters often became the focal point for competing parks.

Computer-simulated models led to new innovations that produced more intense thrills while improving quality and durability.

[4] The new era, sometimes referred to as the Coaster Wars,[4] saw increasing competition as parks sought to be the latest to break world records, with some only lasting a year or less.