For months, fans watched as Project Purple slowly emerged above the skyline at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. Rumours spread across the coaster community, speculation reached fever pitch, and construction updates became must-watch content.
Now, the mystery has finally been solved.
The park has officially revealed Bakunawa, a record-breaking roller coaster inspired by the legendary sea serpent from Philippine mythology. Scheduled to open in 2027, the attraction promises to become one of the biggest roller coaster launches in recent history—and one of the most ambitious rides Six Flags has ever built.
What Is Bakunawa?
Bakunawa is a launched spinning roller coaster that will dominate the skyline of Six Flags Great Adventure.
Rather than relying on a traditional lift hill, the coaster will use three powerful Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM) launches to propel riders through an intense layout featuring enormous heights, high speeds and multiple inversions.
The ride is themed around Bakunawa, a mythical sea serpent from Philippine folklore believed to swallow the moon during eclipses. Six Flags has woven this legend into the attraction’s mysterious storyline, explaining the cryptic “Project Purple” teasers that appeared throughout construction.
Bakunawa Statistics
If Six Flags’ figures are achieved, Bakunawa will feature:
- Height: 382 feet (116 metres)
- Top Speed: 100 mph (161 km/h)
- Ride Length: 3,163 feet
- Ride Time: Approximately 2 minutes 17 seconds
- Launches: Three
- Opening: 2027
Those numbers place it among the tallest roller coasters in the world and firmly within the elite giga coaster category.
The World’s First Upside-Down Launch
Perhaps the ride’s biggest headline feature is something coaster enthusiasts have never experienced before.
Halfway through the course, riders will be completely inverted as the train accelerates from 60 mph to 80 mph.
According to Six Flags, this will become the world’s first upside-down launch, creating a sensation unlike anything currently found on any roller coaster.
Six Claimed World Records
Six Flags says Bakunawa will break six world records when it opens:
- World’s tallest spinning coaster
- World’s fastest spinning coaster
- World’s first floorless spinning coaster
- World’s first upside-down launch
- World’s fastest inversion
- World’s longest stall inversion
While enthusiasts will undoubtedly debate some of the technical definitions once the ride opens, there’s no denying Bakunawa is pushing roller coaster engineering into new territory.
A Replacement Worthy of Kingda Ka?
Bakunawa is being built close to the former site of Kingda Ka, the legendary strata coaster that dominated Six Flags Great Adventure for nearly two decades before its removal.
Replacing such an iconic attraction was never going to be easy.
Rather than attempting to recreate Kingda Ka, Six Flags has opted for an entirely different experience. Instead of one enormous launch followed by a towering top hat, Bakunawa combines extreme height with spinning vehicles, multiple launches and a far more complex layout.
For many enthusiasts, this could offer a more complete ride experience while still delivering headline-breaking statistics.
Why Fans Are So Excited
Bakunawa combines several ride concepts that have rarely—if ever—been seen together:
- Giant coaster height
- Extreme launch speeds
- Spinning floorless trains
- Multiple launches
- Unique inversion elements
- Immersive mythology-based theming
It’s this combination that has generated so much excitement across the roller coaster community.
Rather than simply being “the tallest” or “the fastest,” Bakunawa aims to deliver a completely new type of thrill ride.
When Will It Open?
Six Flags has confirmed that Bakunawa is scheduled to open during the 2027 season at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey.
Construction is continuing throughout 2026, with testing expected ahead of its official debut.
Bakunawa already looks set to become one of the most talked-about roller coasters in the world.
Whether you’re fascinated by its record-breaking engineering, intrigued by its mythology-inspired story or simply excited to experience the world’s first upside-down launch, there’s plenty to look forward to.
For UK theme park fans planning a trip to the United States in 2027, Six Flags Great Adventure has just become an even more compelling destination. If everything performs as promised, Bakunawa won’t just replace an icon—it could become the park’s next legendary attraction.
Be the First to Hear the Latest Theme Park News
From ride announcements to park updates and visitor guides, we cover it all. Add us as a Preferred Source in Google to make sure you never miss our latest stories.
Click here and tick UKThemeParkSpy.com to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.
