Opened in 1986, it was the third stand-up roller coaster installation built and designed by Japanese company TOGO.

[2][3] Rather than reopen the attraction, Kings Dominion dismantled and sold it, to the Myrtle Beach Pavilion where it operated until 1997 as the Galaxi.

In August 1985, Kings Dominion announced that they would be building a TOGO stand-up roller coaster to replace Galaxie.

[9] After operating for nearly 30 years and accommodating over 22 million riders, Kings Dominion announced on July 9, 2015, that Shockwave would permanently close.

On the evening of August 23, 1999, a 20-year-old man was thrown from the train's final turn at a speed of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) sustaining a fatal head injury upon contact with a steel walkway.

Bolstered by numerous eyewitness accounts, the cause was later attributed to the victim's disregard of park safety rules as he was seen intentionally freeing himself from restraints.

[14] Less than two weeks later on September 2, 1999, a 13-year-old boy, concerned that he was not properly fastened into his restraints, intentionally slipped out of them as the train was ascending the lift hill.