Ninja
Ninja is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri, originally built for Expo 86 in Vancouver and relocated to the park in 1989.
Last updated October 16, 2026
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Overview
Ninja is a steel roller coaster located in the Studio Backlot section of Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. The attraction was created by American manufacturer Arrow Dynamics for Expo 86, the international exposition held in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1986. During the exposition it operated under the name Scream Machine from May through October. After Expo 86, the coaster was relocated to Six Flags St. Louis, where it reopened as Ninja on April 8, 1989. The ride is notable for its complicated manufacturing history. Arrow Dynamics began the project, but the company entered bankruptcy while construction was under way. The unfinished coaster was subsequently sold to the Dutch manufacturer Vekoma, which completed the project. As a result, Ninja is associated with both Arrow Dynamics and Vekoma rather than being a straightforward product of a single builder. Ninja is a steel looping coaster featuring a vertical loop, a sidewinder element, and a double corkscrew. Its operation requires coordinated work by at least two employees. One operator works at the main control panel, which includes controls for the train restraints and station gates as well as an area used by mechanics. A second operator works at a remote enable station. Before dispatch, both operators perform an all-clear inspection and provide matching confirmation signals before activating the train. The attraction has undergone visual and experiential changes during its life. It originally used red track, white supports, and white trains with red striping and orange restraints. In 1998, the track was repainted black while the supports remained white, and the trains became predominantly red with white striping. The coaster also received another repaint before the 2010 season. In 2016, Six Flags added a virtual-reality option to Ninja. Riders could wear Samsung Gear VR headsets using Oculus technology and experience a 360-degree, three-dimensional simulation themed around piloting a fighter aircraft through a futuristic city while confronting alien attackers. The experience, called The New Revolution: Virtual Reality Coaster, debuted when Ninja reopened on May 27, 2016. In early 2017, Six Flags announced Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster, an updated virtual-reality concept, for the attraction. Ninja should be understood as the name of a specific amusement-park attraction rather than a broad consumer brand. It has also been used by other roller coasters, including a former Six Flags Over Georgia ride later rethemed as Blue Hawk and a separate suspended swinging coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Those similarly named attractions are distinct from the Six Flags St. Louis coaster.
History
Ninja began as a roller-coaster project for Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia. The attraction was initially developed by Arrow Dynamics, an American manufacturer known for large steel amusement rides. It operated at the exposition from May through October 1986 under the name Scream Machine. After the exposition ended, the coaster was selected for relocation to Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. The construction history was complicated by the financial collapse of Arrow Dynamics during the project. Because Arrow entered bankruptcy before the work was complete, the unfinished attraction was sold to Vekoma, a Dutch manufacturer. Vekoma completed the coaster, allowing it to be installed and prepared for operation at Six Flags St. Louis. The ride opened at the park as Ninja on April 8, 1989, and became part of the park's collection of large thrill attractions. The completed ride uses a steel track and incorporates several inversion elements, including a loop, a sidewinder, and a double corkscrew. Its operation depends on a two-person dispatch procedure. The main-panel operator manages the restraints and station gates and has access to functions used by maintenance personnel, while a second operator works from a remote-enable position. The two operators must complete an all-clear sweep, exchange confirmation signals, and activate their controls together before the train can be dispatched. Ninja's appearance has changed over time. Its original scheme used red track, white supports, and white trains decorated with red stripes and orange restraints. In 1998, the track was changed to black, while the supports stayed white. The trains were changed to red with white stripes, although the orange restraint color remained. The attraction received another repaint for the 2010 operating season. Six Flags later used Ninja as a platform for an augmented ride experience built around virtual reality. On March 3, 2016, Six Flags announced that the coaster would offer The New Revolution: Virtual Reality Coaster. Riders could choose to wear Samsung Gear VR headsets powered by Oculus, replacing the ordinary visual environment with a 360-degree, three-dimensional scenario. In that story, riders acted as co-pilots of a fighter jet moving through a futuristic city and engaging alien invaders. The feature opened with the ride's May 27, 2016 reopening. In early 2017, Six Flags announced Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster for Ninja. This was presented as a related and upgraded virtual-reality concept, extending the park's practice of adding seasonal or themed digital layers to selected coasters. Ninja's name is not unique within the Six Flags system. A different Six Flags Over Georgia coaster previously used the name before being rethemed as Blue Hawk in 2016. Six Flags Magic Mountain also has a separate attraction called Ninja, but that ride is an Arrow Dynamics suspended swinging coaster. These similarly named rides are separate attractions and should not be merged with the steel coaster at Six Flags St. Louis.
- 2017
Galactic Attack announced
[1]Six Flags announced an upgraded Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster experience for Ninja.
- 2016
The New Revolution virtual-reality experience introduced
[1]Six Flags announced the virtual-reality overlay in March, and it debuted with Ninja's reopening on May 27.
- 2010
Received a new paint finish
[1]The ride received a further coat of paint for the 2010 season.
- 1998
Track color changed
[1]The track was repainted black, while the supports remained white and the trains adopted a red-and-white appearance.
- 1989
Opened at Six Flags St. Louis as Ninja
[1]After relocation from Vancouver, the attraction began operating at Six Flags St. Louis on April 8.
- 1986
Opened at Expo 86 as Scream Machine
[1]The coaster operated at Expo 86 in Vancouver from May through October under the name Scream Machine.
Products and positioning
A major looping steel coaster at Six Flags St. Louis, combining a compact inversion-focused layout with periodic themed and virtual-reality overlays.
Steel roller coaster · 1989
Ninja
A steel looping roller coaster in the Studio Backlot section of Six Flags St. Louis. The ride includes a loop, a sidewinder, and a double corkscrew. It was designed by Arrow Dynamics, completed by Vekoma after Arrow entered bankruptcy, and opened at the park in 1989 after first operating at Expo 86 as Scream Machine.
Virtual-reality ride overlay · 2016
The New Revolution: Virtual Reality Coaster
A virtual-reality option introduced on Ninja in 2016. Riders could use Samsung Gear VR headsets powered by Oculus to experience a three-dimensional fighter-jet mission through a futuristic city while battling alien invaders.
Virtual-reality ride overlay · 2017
Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster
An upgraded virtual-reality concept announced for Ninja in early 2017. The available reference identifies the announcement but does not establish its later operating status.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster
United States
Six Flags announced a related, upgraded virtual-reality concept for Ninja, continuing the use of digital overlays to refresh the attraction.
Outcome. Announcement recorded; subsequent operating outcome is not established by the supplied reference.
- 2016The New Revolution: Virtual Reality Coaster
United States
Six Flags promoted a virtual-reality option for Ninja using Samsung Gear VR equipment and Oculus-powered technology. The experience placed riders in a futuristic fighter-jet narrative and launched with the coaster's May 27 reopening.
Outcome. The virtual-reality experience debuted on the attraction.
Brand decisions
2017
Announcement of Galactic AttackGeneration changeBackground
Six Flags presented Galactic Attack as a similar but upgraded virtual-reality experience for Ninja.
Action taken
The park announced that the Galactic Attack Virtual Reality Coaster concept would come to the attraction.
Aftermath
The supplied reference does not confirm the duration or final operating details of the upgrade.
2016
Addition of The New Revolution virtual-reality overlayProduct launchBackground
Six Flags announced a virtual-reality experience intended to add an interactive digital narrative to Ninja.
Action taken
The park made Samsung Gear VR headsets powered by Oculus available as an optional part of the ride experience.
Aftermath
The feature opened when Ninja reopened on May 27, 2016.
1989
Relocation and renaming to NinjaStrategyBackground
The coaster had operated at Expo 86 in Vancouver as Scream Machine and was selected for installation at Six Flags St. Louis after the exposition.
Action taken
The attraction was relocated to Missouri and opened under the new name Ninja on April 8, 1989.
Aftermath
It became a long-running thrill attraction at Six Flags St. Louis.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Ninja launches AutoBarista Pro coffee machine[3]
Reported:
Ninja launched the AutoBarista Pro countertop coffee machine, which delivers 13 cafe favourites including espresso, latte, cappuccino, flat white, rapid cold brew and filter coffee, and automates grinding, dosing, tamping and milk texturing via Grind iQ technology, a 15-bar pressure system and FrothPerfect frothing.
- Unconfirmed
Kawasaki launches BS6 Ninja 300 in India[4]
Reported:
Kawasaki launched the BS6 Ninja 300 in India at ₹3.18 lakh (ex-showroom), with updated graphics and revisions to meet stricter emission norms.
Amazon offers the Ninja Foodi for $125[5]
Reported:
Amazon's deal of the day offered the 7-in-1 Ninja Foodi cooker for $125, $55 below its current list price, with the deal available until the end of the day.
SharkNinja files patent lawsuit over Ninja Foodi[2]
Reported:
SharkNinja filed a complaint against Tristar Products and Emeril Lagasse in U.S. federal court, alleging that Tristar's Emeril Lagasse Pressure AirFryer infringes three patents related to the Ninja Foodi pressure cooker.
Sources5 sources
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