7.5/10
Photos (4)
Highs and lows
Highs
- Great theming and presentation
- Very Majestic ride
- Forceful and Whippy
- Great Inversions
- Smooth Ride
The numbers
55.9mph
Top speed
131.2ft
Height
3,281ft
Length
5
Inversions
Our review
Introduction
OzIris is a 2012 B&M inverted coaster at Parc Astérix in France. This is the second coaster of this specific model we have done, the first being Black Mamba at Phantasialand and we really didn't do it justice with our one ride back in 2024, so we were eager to try another highly rated one to finally get a good feel for this coaster type. Needless to say, OzIris did not disappoint.
By Osiris and by Apis, you are now birds! Yes, birds!
As with everything else in Parc Astérix, OzIris is deeply rooted in the popular media of Astérix and Obelix, and this specific attraction is based on the 1976 animated film The Twelve Tasks of Asterix. Without spoiling anything from the movie, the lore of the coaster revolves around an Egyptian magician who has built a large temple where he experiments with hypnosis. Fate would have it that you - yes, you - have been chosen to be his newest subjects. Riders are hypnotized into believing they are birds, flying through the air.
This is an interesting and cool theme that proudly represents the IP it's based on, while also working perfectly well within a more generic Egyptian-themed land, so you don't actually have to know any background lore to enjoy its theme and overall presentation. OzIris does have plenty of theming, though, with a large and impressive queue and station building filled with plenty of theming elements and effects.
This is an interesting and cool theme that proudly represents the IP it's based on, while also working perfectly well within a more generic Egyptian-themed land, so you don't actually have to know any background lore to enjoy its theme and overall presentation. OzIris does have plenty of theming, though, with a large and impressive queue and station building filled with plenty of theming elements and effects.
Falcon's Flight
Once properly hypnotized by Iris, you are ready to embark on your journey as a bird and soar over Parc Astérix. As you ascend the lift, you can get some good views of the park if you're on the left side. Once at the top, sitting at 131 ft, you dive down this surprisingly steep first drop for an invert towards the bottom before ascending the big vertical loop. If we really are birds flying through the sky, we must be falcons, with their impressive speed and large swoops towards the ground.
The flight of OzIris is as thrilling yet graceful as that of the falcon, on one hand treating riders to plenty of forceful moments with strong positive Gs and some whippy inversions, but without being particularly aggressive, still leaving some room to breathe in between the different elements. OzIris is also very smooth, which is one of the big advantages the B&M inverts have over their old Vekoma counterparts. We did notice a difference in smoothness between the inner seats and outer seats; though OzIris remains a smooth ride overall, if you are sensitive to the rattle, pick an inside seat.
The flight of OzIris is as thrilling yet graceful as that of the falcon, on one hand treating riders to plenty of forceful moments with strong positive Gs and some whippy inversions, but without being particularly aggressive, still leaving some room to breathe in between the different elements. OzIris is also very smooth, which is one of the big advantages the B&M inverts have over their old Vekoma counterparts. We did notice a difference in smoothness between the inner seats and outer seats; though OzIris remains a smooth ride overall, if you are sensitive to the rattle, pick an inside seat.
European Montu
OzIris really is a great example of that classic B&M goodness, proudly representing one of their most beloved models. As for the ride experience, it features a drop taller and steeper than most inverted coasters, five forceful and/or whippy inversions, and several fun swoops down into tunnels. In many ways, OzIris is like the European Montu, both in aesthetics and layout, especially with how it dives into tunnels several times throughout its course. While it is perhaps not quite as good as Montu, it certainly does a great job of showcasing what B&M inverts can offer.
Conclusion
OzIris is a great thrill coaster and the second-best coaster at Parc Astérix. It sits majestically inside the L'Égypte area of the park and is undoubtedly the most impressive coaster to look at. Thankfully, it has a ride experience that does its presentation justice, featuring a thrilling and intense layout with plenty of positive Gs and forceful inversions. But OzIris is also smooth and somewhat graceful, making its appeal broad, hence its status as a certified crowd-pleaser - and, well, we were definitely pleased with our time on this classic B&M invert.
All photos
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