Thrills, spills and bellyaches

The 'Kingda Ka' roller coaster at Six Flags amusement park in Jackson, New Jersey, USA. Currently the tallest and fastest in the world, it launches riders from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds before catapulting them 456 feet into the sky. Photograph: Noah K. Murray/Corbis

The 'Nemesis' ride at Alton Towers theme park, UK. In 2004 Nemesis gained the world record for the most naked people to ride a roller coaster. Photograph: Don McPhee/Guardian

The roller coaster at the Pleasure Beach at Blackpool, UK. When opened in 1994, The Pepsi Max Big One was the tallest, fastest and steepest roller coaster in the world. Photograph: Britain on view/Britain on view

The Top Thrill dragster at Cedar Point amusement park, Sandusky, Ohio, USA. It was the first roller coaster in the world to reach 120 mph. Photograph: Gene J Puskar/AP

The Colossus at Thorpe Park, UK. It was the world's first roller coaster with ten inversions, and is also the world's first roller coaster to have four heartline twists in a row - these are inversions in which the rider performs a 360-degree roll. Photograph: Frank Baron/Guardian

The Roar roller coaster at Six Flags Marine Park in Vallejo, California, USA. It features 22 crossovers and a 200 foot-long roofed tunnel. Photograph: Jason Hawkes/Corbis

The Top Thrill dragster at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, USA. One of the world's largest amusement parks, Cedar Point has 17 roller coasters - currently the world record. Photograph: Jason Werling/AP

The Dodonpa at Fujikyu Highland amusement park in Fuji-Yosida, west of Tokyo, Japan. It's the third fastest roller coaster in the world, but it has the highest acceleration at launch time. Photograph: Haruyoshi Yamaguchi/Corbis

The Stealth rollercoaster at Thorpe Park, UK. Opened in 2006, Stealth launches passengers to 80mph in 1.9 seconds. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty