Months of speculation surrounding the mysterious "Project Purple" have finally come to an end. Six Flags Great Adventure has officially unveiled Bakunawa, a groundbreaking new roller coaster that will replace the legendary Kingda Ka when it opens in 2027. Featuring multiple launches, freely spinning trains and six claimed world records, the attraction is set to become one of the most ambitious roller coasters ever built.
Project Purple finally has a name
Since Kingda Ka closed, coaster enthusiasts have been closely following construction at Six Flags Great Adventure, with rumours swirling around the park's heavily teased "Project Purple." The mystery has now been solved, with Six Flags confirming the attraction will be called Bakunawa.
The name comes from Philippine mythology, where Bakunawa is a giant sea serpent believed to swallow the moon during eclipses. Six Flags says the mythology will play an important role in the attraction's story, queue experience and surrounding themed environment, helping to create a more immersive experience than a traditional thrill ride.
The attraction will become the centrepiece of the park's reimagined Boardwalk area and is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated roller coaster openings anywhere in the world.
Six world records in one roller coaster
Six Flags isn't just promising a replacement for Kingda Ka – it's aiming to build one of the most technically impressive roller coasters ever created.
According to the park, Bakunawa will become the world's tallest and fastest spinning launch coaster, standing an incredible 382 feet tall while reaching speeds of 100 mph. It will also feature the world's first upside-down launch, the world's first floorless spinning launch coaster, the fastest coaster inversion ever achieved and the longest stall inversion.
If those records are officially recognised when the attraction opens, Bakunawa will immediately become one of the most record-breaking roller coasters on the planet.
A completely different ride experience
Rather than relying on a single towering launch like Kingda Ka, Bakunawa has been designed to deliver a longer and more varied experience.
Riders will first accelerate from 0 to 60 mph before climbing skywards. They'll then encounter a second launch while completely inverted, increasing speed from 60 to 80 mph before a final launch propels the train to its incredible top speed of 100 mph.
Perhaps the attraction's biggest innovation is its floorless spinning trains. Unlike traditional launch coasters, each vehicle will rotate freely throughout the course, meaning no two rides are expected to be exactly the same. Depending on how your car spins, you'll experience the coaster from different angles every time you ride.
The complete experience will last around two minutes and 17 seconds across more than 3,100 feet of track, making it significantly longer than many record-breaking launch coasters.
The successor to Kingda Ka
Replacing Kingda Ka was never going to be an easy task. Since opening in 2005, the Intamin accelerator coaster became one of the world's most recognisable roller coasters thanks to its record-breaking height and dramatic top hat tower.
Its closure marked the end of an era for Six Flags Great Adventure, but it also created an opportunity for the park to introduce a completely new type of headline attraction. Rather than chasing a single height record, Bakunawa combines launches, inversions, spinning vehicles and immersive theming into what promises to be a much more complete ride experience.
For many enthusiasts, it'll also answer one of the biggest questions following Kingda Ka's removal: what could possibly replace one of the world's most famous roller coasters?
Opening in 2027
Construction is already well underway, with Bakunawa expected to open during the 2027 season as the flagship attraction of the park's transformed Boardwalk area.
Given its impressive statistics, innovative ride system and ambitious mythology-inspired theme, it's already becoming one of the most anticipated coaster openings in recent years. Theme park fans from around the world are expected to follow construction closely over the coming months.
Our thoughts
Project Purple has generated enormous excitement ever since the first teaser appeared, and Six Flags has finally revealed why. Bakunawa doesn't simply aim to replace Kingda Ka – it looks set to redefine what guests can expect from a modern launch coaster.
With multiple launches, freely spinning trains, immersive storytelling and six claimed world records, Six Flags Great Adventure has unveiled a project unlike anything currently operating. If the finished attraction delivers on its ambitious promises, Bakunawa could quickly become one of the world's most talked-about roller coasters when it opens in 2027.
We'll continue following construction over the coming months and bring you all the latest updates as this remarkable new attraction moves closer to welcoming its first riders.
