Jungle Boogie

Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie is no walk in the park.

Humongous crabs, massive millipedes, bloodthirsty natives … these are but a few obstacles you'll face. But hey, no sweat—during downtime, you can always chill out with a leisurely run across a collapsing bridge or a calm river raft trip down swirling rapids.

Don't be disheartened by the obstacles that lie ahead. With a little help from friends like able-bodied seaman Hayes and actress Ann Darrow, it's possible to get that monkey off your back.

You may also want to take note of the following hints and strategies. These juicy tidbits should keep you from going bananas.

Let Others Be Your Guide
Because pathways twist and turn, it's possible to occasionally get lost in the game's vast 3-D indoor and outdoor environments. When in doubt, provided you have a friend or two handy, simply look to your companions for assistance. They know the way ahead—and when it's clear.

Should you see a buddy standing far off in the distance, even if you can't currently spot the way forward, rest assured a path exists. A little exploration will reveal it. Likewise, if pals are cringing beneath a rock, there's still a raptor or T. Rex that must be killed or distracted before you can proceed onward.

Rest to recover health.

Buy Yourself Time to Recover
Gaining health back is a simple process: after taking damage, simply avoid getting hit again for a few seconds. You'll be back to good in no time. But how to do so when you're surrounded by enemies?

Don't stay still for an instant. Although your view darkens the more damage you take, maintain constant motion. Sprint forward or back away toward the nearest safe position you can remember (e.g. an opening too small for enemies to reach into) at your earliest convenience.

The more you move about, the harder you'll be to hit. It's worth remembering, considering a single second can mean the difference between full recovery and death.

Think Before Attacking
Direct confrontations with the local fauna aren't encouraged unless you're playing as King Kong himself. As Jack, try a more sensible approach whenever possible.

For example, dinosaurs feast on one another; don't be afraid to kill a mutant bat or skewer a grub and hurl it into the distance as a distraction. Preoccupied monsters will leave you alone—and are easy pickings for sniper rifles or those smart enough to use brush fires as a weapon.

Instead of aiming for individual natives standing atop bridges with your spear, set it on fire and burn the supports out from under them, causing the structures to collapse and all atop them to perish. Brains trump brawn (almost) every time.

Save Often
I know—it sounds like common sense. But really, you can never be too careful with a game like this. One minute you're standing in a pool of stagnant water, the next surrounded by a swarm of carnivorous centipedes. The journey is full of surprises, from tribal warriors who'll randomly hop out and hurl flaming spears at your head to dinosaurs which circle around behind you in hopes of stealthily biting off your posterior. Take advantage of the fact you can record your progress anywhere. Paranoia pays.

Might we humbly recommend creating a distraction?

Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help
We've all been there before: An angry swarm of pterodactyls is charging, and you've just spent your last shotgun shell ripping a raptor a new one. No sweat. Simply turn to one of your allies and ask them to toss you the weapon they're holding. Who cares if they're trading a Tommy gun for a sharpened stick? It's every man (or monster) for himself.

Never Proceed Unarmed
Because you're provided limited ammo supplies, it's possible to run out of bullets frequently. Spears can be found in good quantities however, and dinosaur carcasses provide an unlimited source of jagged, broken bones. Always make sure you're packing one sort of weapon or another. Stabbing and projectile attacks aren't the most powerful option, but tossing a broken stick at baddies beats aimlessly throwing punches.

Conserve Ammo
Again, use what providence provides. You can only carry one firearm, but you can hold a melee weapon in addition to any gun. Always keep a hand-to-hand combat weapon within reach, and use it to start assaults. At worst, you waste half a second or so (not always as lethal a proposition as you'd think) before Jack immediately pulls his gun. At best, you score a lucky head shot and save yourself from wasting a few slugs.

Waste Not, Want Not
The game's designers are a clever bunch; all the props you see scattered around the title's photorealistic backgrounds have a use. Rather than charge mindlessly ahead through each, stop and consider the tools you're being offered.

See a bunch of mosquitoes buzzing around and a pile of spears nearby? Rest assured you'll need to impale some and throw them further down the path to create a diversion for the dinos waiting around the bend.

Spotted a fire-extinguishing waterfall with a pot designed to hold roaring flames waiting right on the other side? Look for a nearby window through which you can throw a burning spear without its fire going out.

Bottom line: Never waste the opportunities you're provided.

Now you've really made him mad!

Unleash the Beast
Finally, a little hint for all you King Kong fans.

Once in control of the giant gorilla, rapidly pounding on your chest causes him to enter Fury mode. When he gets like this, his attack speed increases, slow-mo assaults become capable of annihilating several opponents in one fell swoop, and he can take more damage, making him nearly unstoppable.

Do yourself a favor and activate it as soon as possible. The easiest way to ensure you can: keep multiple adversaries to one side of you and line them up so you can hurt all with a single swipe. As soon as they're stunned, get your freak on—it's clobberin' time!

Article by Steve Richter

• Peter Jackson's King Kong (The Movie)