The ride is unique in that the trains' seats pitch 360 degrees forwards and in reverse independent of the main chassis.

The coaster initially opened to the public on January 12, 2002; numerous issues delayed it from debuting in 2001 as was originally anticipated.

On December 19, 2000, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced that it would be adding three roller coasters for the 2001 season as part of a $30 million expansion: Déjà Vu, Goliath Jr. and the original X.

[8][3] On February 8, 2003, Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson took a ride on X as part of a victory celebration of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team.

X closed on December 2, 2007, to be redesigned including new trains with a pneumatic restraint system (an improvement over the original mechanically operated restraints that would frequently jam), a new color scheme of red track and black supports (originally pink track and yellow supports), and an all-new, innovative state-of-the-art visual, audio and sensory effects.

[14] The 3,610 ft (1,100 m) long layout features two inversions including a skydive, two "raven turns", one backflip, and a twisting front flip.

Each car on the train spins on its own independent axis 360 degrees forward or backward, which is being controlled by the outer rails of the track.

The first drop is 215 ft (66 m) and is sloped at 88.5 degrees, at the base of which ride vehicles attain a maximum speed of 76 mph (122 km/h).

After exiting the raven turn, the trains traverse a hill, during which the seat assemblies rotate backward 360 degrees, simulating a backflip.

This is followed by a sweeping fan turn and a half twist "fly-to-lie" maneuver, in which riders flip forward 180 degrees to return to the original position of laying on their backs.

Flame throwing special effects can be seen overhead as the train enters an outside raven turn, with a brief pop of fog at the valley, immediately followed by another half twist.