Change gorilla's fate in 'Kong'

PETER JACKSON'S KING KONG: THE OFFICIAL GAME OF THE MOVIE, by Ubisoft for XBox, rated "T" for Teen, $45.95.

Ever thought of saving King Kong from his bullet-ridden death at the top of the Empire State Building?

Well, if you complete "Peter Jackson's King Kong" video game and rack up enough points, it is possible to save the romantic giant primate. It just takes patience, a steady hand and quick wits.

Easier said than done, but it can be done. Once you hit the 250,000-point mark, and finish all the levels, then the alternate ending kicks in. And, without giving too much away, the ending involves biplanes and a trip back to Kong's home, Skull Island.

Still, getting to that point is a roller-coaster trip that revs the spirit and douses the gamer with a dose of creepiness that is reminiscent of movie director Jackson's horror movies.

In the Kong game, which is also made for GameCube, PS2, XBox 360 and PC, the gamer can play as script-writer Jack Driscoll (performed by Adrian Brody in the new theatrical version of "King Kong") or as the King himself.

Scenes dictate which character the gamer plays. And each character has a set of tailor-made problems and conflicts he must conquer.

One main difference of this game is the lack of a stats bar. That's right. The screen doesn't display a life gauge. So there's no knowing when you're life is low. The only inclination of near death is the foggy, red tint, sludgy movements and eerie female vocals (sung by Utahn Jenny Jordan Frogley).

The second difference is the lack of on-hand ammo for the various weapons that are available for Jack. In addition, the gamer can only carry one gun at a time. And then he or she can only switch to spears, which also are found in sporadic areas of the level.

This helps with rationing. There are other make-shift weapons around, such as carcass bones, that help a bit, but the gamer needs to think before shooting, or else death is imminent. But once the method of using spears to stab the array of lesser food-chain critters to offer them as decoys in order to throw their dangerous hunters off Jack's trail is mastered, the guns and ammo can be preserved and used only in dire straights.

And if the gamer completes a level and the score isn't satisfactory, the gamer can play the level again.