Like the title of the old Cypress Hill rap song, you'd have to be "insane in the membrane" to set foot on Insanity -- The Ride. Or, you just have to have a hunger for fun, heights and a whole lot of spinning! 

Extending 68 feet over the edge of the 1,149-foot Stratosphere tower, Insanity - The Ride  spins passengers at up to three Gs. While sitting in your escape proof seat, you'll be lifted up at a thrilling, 70-degree angle -- all while reaching speeds up to 40 mph. With views of the Las Vegas Strip more than 900 feet below, this ride combines both a physical and psychological rush.

Depending on the time of day (and if it's bright and sunny), you can actually see the shadow of the Stratosphere Tower below. And since the ride is programmable with various ride options, passengers with an insane amount of spontaneity can experience a different kind of ride each time.

Just a precaution -- this ride may not be suitable for those who easily get dizzy and queasy. Be sure you're fully hydrated and not riding on a full stomach. You want to be in tip top shape so you don't miss out on the other great rides atop the Stratosphere Tower, including including SkyJump Las Vegas, X-Scream and Big Shot.

It began with a countdown -- "3, 2, 1" -- and then the screaming commenced as my friends and I yelled our lungs out during a recent day trip to Fuji-Q Highland, the popular amusement park at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan.

February is the off-season for the park, and the logic behind going in winter was that there would be shorter lines and more opportunities to get on one of the many heart-pounding rides.

Unfortunately, the situation didn't work out as planned. There was a rare snowfall the night before, so many of the rides were either closed or inactive due to the weather.

We started with the teacups and the Ferris wheel to kill some time and await news on whether the rides we had hoped to ride would reopen.

The idea of finding ourselves on the teacups was more amusing than the ride itself. There was a whole lot of spinning, and a whole lot of nausea afterward. While it might look like a harmless attraction for kids, it's probably one of the easiest rides to get sick on. The Ferris wheel, on the other hand, wasn't a bad choice and gave us a spectacular view of both the park and Japan's iconic mountain.

With more time to kill, we enjoyed udon at the food court, followed by a leisurely skate at the ice skating rink.

By noon, many of the rides began starting up. Only one of the major roller coasters opened, so we immediately got in line -- but not quickly enough to avoid a long wait.

Ninety minutes later, we boarded Dodonpa, one of the world's fastest roller coasters. Standing 170 feet tall and reaching speeds of up to 107 miles per hour, Dodonpa was the highlight of the trip and definitely worth the wait.

After instructing me to empty my pockets and take off my scarf and beanie despite the cold, the attendants buckled me snugly into my seat. We started off in a long dark tunnel, almost like the scene in "Star Wars" where the ships jump to light speed, and as we exited, the acceleration pinned me to my seat with the strongest pressure I'd ever felt on a coaster. The design wasn't significantly different from other roller coasters I'd been on, but the speed was -- it felt like I could have easily flown out of my seat, and everything passed by in the blink of an eye. My only complaints: the ride was too short, and the Dodonpa could have used a couple of loops to take the scare factor to the next level.

By the time we disembarked, we realized we only had enough time to squeeze in two more rides before our bus left.

We decided on the Mad Mouse, a children's roller coaster, since it had the shortest line. After riding Dodonpa, it was anti-climactic: it went rather slowly and made sharp, jerky turns that ended up hurting me more than scaring me.

Before leaving, I was able to go on PaniClock -- a typical mid-level fair ride that did indeed seem capable of causing panic for some people. Two side-by-side arms swing back and forth like hands on a clock, then suddenly flip, leaving riders hanging upside-down. I have been on plenty of similar rides, but the thrill never goes away, no matter how old you get.

We left Fuji-Q a little disappointed that we weren't able to ride the other major coasters. I particularly wanted to try Fujiyama, which stands 260 feet and travels at 80 miles an hour. It runs throughout the park, and the climbs and dips looked like a lot of fun.

I also wanted to go on the Eejanaika, the thrilling "fourth-dimension" roller coaster, which amps up the scare meter to maximum by positioning the riders on either side of the tracks instead of on top of them. I could only imagine how scary it would have been to hang from the harness-like contraption that holds you in from falling to your death.

If roller coasters aren't your thing, or you're taking a child, there are plenty of low-key rides such as a merry-go-round, racing carts, a train and what I hear is a pretty scary haunted house.

Trying to avoid the summer rush didn't exactly produce the results my friends and I were hoping for.

Mother Nature had her own plans, which foiled the benefits of going in the winter.

Lesson learned: at any time of year, it pays to consider the weather before going.

That is a roller coaster track going through a building. This was my introduction to Thunder Dolphin.

I love roller coasters and I'm not usually afraid of them. But this thing looks like it was just bolted haphazardly onto the side of an existing building with no regard for safety. It doesn't look like anyone actually designed it, it just looks like something Bob the property manager drew on a napkin in the hopes of making some extra money. It just looks crazy.

In fact, unbeknownst to my wife and I, Thunder Dolphin was closed for three years because a giant bolt fell off in 2010 and hit a 9 year old kid in the head. (He was injured but apparently lived.) It reopened just this summer.

I knew that the more afraid of it I got, the more I had to ride it. The day I run away from a roller coaster with my tail between my legs is the day I may as well just check in to a nursing home.

So I rode it.

This is not my video, but just to give you an idea of what it's like, check this out - despite the ill-advised slo-mo at the top of the hill, this video most closely approximates the craziness of this ride's first half of 

My wife and I have ridden a lot of coasters together (including ten more just a week earlier at Nasu Highland Park - more on that later). Both of us agreed this was the most intense we've ever been on. The urban setting makes a huge difference.

First of all, the only restraint you have is a lap bar, which is a little concerning right from the start. Then the hill climb is both really steep and really fast. The first drop feels like it's going to toss you right out over that lap bar. That first turn is about 90 degrees and it feels like you're just out in the empty air - it doesn't look like there's anything holding you up. That happens again at the next turn... and then you've gotta go through a hole in a building.

That's the "Big O", which we rode as well. I love ferris wheels for the exact opposite reason I love coasters - so relaxing! I shot this video of Thunder Dolphin from it

A new rollercoaster in Japan - which will boast the steepest vertical drop of any ride in the world - is set to raise the bar for thrill-seekers.

On July 16th, the Fuji-Q Highland Amusement Park, in the shadow of Mount Fuji in Yamanash, will unveil the stomach-flipping Takabisha ride - an attraction that includes seven major twists over 1000 metres of track, and a nerve-jangling drop of 43 metres.

Takabisha

All in a spin: Takabisha will not be a ride for the faint-hearted

The ride's designers have called in adjudicators from the Guinness Book of World Records to ratify that the drop, which involves a 121° freefall, is the steepest on any attraction anywhere in the world.

The Takabisha, which translates as 'dominant' in English, relies on a combination of gravity and a set of linear motors on the cars. These accelerate the coaster to speeds of 100kmph. Riders experience weightlessness as they 'nosedive' down the sharp incline, before later being plunged into darkness.

But there is little time to enjoy the view of snow-capped Mount Fuji. The ride lasts just 112 seconds.

Fuji-Q is no stranger to records - this will be the 14th Guinness-recognised mark set by the park.

However, when it comes to speed, the world's fastest rollercoaster is still Formula Rossa, which can be found at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. This speeds riders around its tracks at 240kmph.

Where can you experience towering drops, multiple loops and stunning views of the Strip?

Located on the popular intersection of Tropicana Ave. and Las Vegas Blvd., the Roller Coaster at New York-New York is hard to miss. Set in a perfect postcard shot, its surroundings include a replica of the New York harbor, a 150-foot model of the Statue of Liberty as well as several of Manhattan's popular buildings. And to make things even more fun, the roller coaster trains are designed like New York taxicabs. 

The ride begins with a steep hill, building great suspense and anticipation. Enjoy the aerial view of the south end of the Strip while you can, because before you know it, you're plummeting down a 144-foot drop. The intensity continues with loops, corkscrews and hills, speeding up to 67 miles per hour.

This isn't your average upside-down roller coaster. The loops on this ride are insane -- you'll twist and turn in ways you never imagined. The combinations of corkscrews, hills and the exhilarating, 180-degree heartline spiral will keep you gripping your harnesses.   

After the ride, you'll feel surprisingly energized. Don't forget to stop and see your photo, which is available for sale.

Formerly called The Manhattan Express The Roller Coaster at New York-New York made its debut on the Strip in January 1997. More than one million visitors experience the ride each year.

The Incredible Hulk is a Sitting Coaster by Swiss firm Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). The 3,700-foot-long (1,100 m) ride features seven inversions including a zero-g roll, a cobra roll, two vertical loops, and two corkscrews. The ride features a maximum height of 110 feet (34 m), and a first drop stretching 105 feet (32 m). Riders reach a top speed of 67 miles per hour (108 km/h) on the 1-minute, 30-second ride. Each of The Incredible Hulk's trains feature eight cars which seat riders four abreast, giving each train a maximum capacity of 32 riders. Riders, who must be at least 54 inches (140 cm) tall, are restrained with ratcheting over-the-shoulder restraints. This train configuration allows the ride to achieve a theoretical hourly capacity of 1,920 riders per hour. The ride features two subterranean dives, is partially built over water, and is illuminated green at night.

A unique launch system propels riders up the 110-foot-tall (34 m) hill.[8] The system was developed by Universal Creative and MTS Systems Corporation. A prototype launch system was designed by January 1995. The prototype consisted of a series of boxcars welded together to form a launch tunnel. A track-mounted dune buggy was then propelled inside the tunnel through the use of a weight drop launch mechanism. The designers then experimented with different rates of acceleration, each emitting between one and five times the force of gravity.

 The final system which was implemented on The Incredible Hulk sees trains launch from 0 to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) in 2 seconds. Riders travel at an angle of 30 degrees through a 150-foot-long (46 m) tunnel, pulling 1 G. To power this launch the designers investigated a variety of systems ranging from hydraulic, pneumatic, cable, steam catapult, and conveyor belt. In the end a drive tire system was selected, where 230 electrical motors power a set of tires that pinch the train's underside to provide propulsion. As this system required eight megawatts of power to launch a train, the park built several customized motor generator sets with large flywheels. 

Without these stored energy units, they would have had to build a whole substation and risk browning-out the local energy grid with every launch.[2] The launch system made The Incredible Hulk the only B&M ride to feature a launch, until Thunderbird opened at Holiday World in 2015.Unlike The Incredible Hulk, Thunderbird uses a Linear Synchronous Motors (LSM) launch system that was designed by B&M.

For your safety, you should ride only if you are in good health. Guests who know or suspect that may be pregnant, have high blood pressure, heart conditions, neck or back problems, recent surgery, sensitivity to strobe effects, prone to motion sickness, have a heightened sensitivity to dark enclosed places or any other impairment or medical condition that may be affected by the features of this ride or prevent the normal seating or use of the safety restraints as provided, shall not ride.

Physical Restriction

Guests must have the ability to sit upright and maintain proper riding position throughout the ride. Guests must have appropriate weight distribution to allow the restraint device to function properly. Guests must have control of upper torso including head and neck.

Guest must have the ability to hold on with at least one functioning hand and to brace self with two legs or the ability to hold on with two functioning hands if the guest's lower extremities are sufficiently strong to maintain a proper riding posture under the dynamic conditions of the ride. Amputation must be at the knee or below. Guests with an amputated leg above the knee may ride, with the use of a separate three-point harness, provided the guest has at least one functioning hand, one functioning leg (to the knee or below), and enough leg remnant to be secured by the separate three-point harness.

Guests should refer to Guest Services to determine their specific ability to ride. Leg prostheses are not permitted on the ride. Guests with any type of arm or hand prosthesis should ensure that it is properly secured and will remain in place in spite of forces experienced during the ride.

Guests with a broken collar bone, neck brace, or any type of hard cast shall not ride. Please review all restrictions listed on the sign at the attraction entrance.