The colors were cooler and the Borg Sphere was a nice bit of theming, but otherwise, it was just as awful then as it is now.
Carowinds really got shafted by Paramount, but somehow they got Top Gun/Afterburn out of it, so it wasn't a total loss.
And for Kings Dominion, the launch coaster trifecta of Volcano, Flight of Fear, and Backlot Stunt Coaster are/were awesome (Sadly, I never got to ride Hypersonic.)