Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie (2005)
June 26, 2026
It was true back then, and it remains true now--the Xbox 360 is a mystical object around these parts. Sure, the Sega Dreamcast was the first system launch I had anticipated and experienced first hand. Yet, the Xbox 360 was the first one that me and my friends had trouble obtaining when left to our own devices. It wasn't money, parental permission, or time that held us back. We were simply unable to find it on shelves despite our best efforts. It wasn't for lack of trying either. It's not as though we simply wandered into a GameStop mid-day and called it quits. We were talking to staff, learning the retail cycle, and figuring out the best time for striking. Parents of friends that worked on the corporate side of Best Buy and Target were interrogated. In retrospect it was all a bit (read: extremely) silly, but at the time--for us--it was serious business.
In one instance, we had an actual lead. Reason to believe that our local Target would be receiving a limited stock of systems. We decided we would be there at store open, but the anticipation got to us. We decided to scope out the store on regular intervals overnight, confirm that a shipment of any kind had arrived and that no real line was forming before we got our chance to queue. In between visits, I recall watching a newly released DVD of Batman Begins. Then we would hop in our car, head over to Target, peak around the back looking for action, and head on home. Typical high-school hijinks where you think you're up to something, but you're really not. We did see evidence of a delivery, we did make it in the store early the next morning, no Xbox 360's, but instead a silly memory we still reminisce over decades later. I did eventually get an Xbox 360. My father happened across one at a CompUSA--a store not in our regular dragnet, they had a lot. We told plenty of friends about his find and that sort of cracked open the safe in our local community. A moment in time to be sure.
Not completely unrelated was the release of Peter Jackson's King Kong... the movie. The release felt like 'an event' given the generational run Peter Jackson seemed to be on, and the subject matter made it an easy push for the theaters around town. My same troupe of friends went to the movie for its midnight release. That isn't saying much, we did that for most movies of the era--anticipated or dreaded. What was different, was that we thought it was funny to keep seeing it. A couple times during its normal run, but once it hit the budget theater we just kept going. Barely watching the movie, the theater transformed into a place to chill out, have some snacks, hang out with friends and the big ape alike. That budget theater hosted us plenty of times before, but this was the first of many movies we decided could just be our 'third place'--although we never would have called it that at the time. The end of that era would later be marked by Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past. That film is now a guilty pleasure movie that takes me back to those days, when a movie didn't have to be serious appointment viewing, but just an excuse to get out of the house. Looking at the dates now, it was about a four year run, all beginning with Peter Jackson's King Kong.
So, the Xbox 360 is a mystical object, Peter Jackson's King Kong incidentally became a transformative film, so what about Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie? Ultimately, less important in my life, but still an interesting footnote for this period of it. I have heard people describe the idea of a 'cousin game' the type of game you never see or hear about and then one day you're hanging out at your cousin's home (or the home of someone with a cousin-like approximation to yourself) and they're just playing this unidentified foreign game. Never to be experienced again, just something that pops into your mind occasionally without much thought given to it. Cousin games can be different things for different people. For example, I've heard someone describe the Xbox version of Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure to be one of these. For twenty years, Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie occupied this type of space in my past. A friend of mine had it, but barely ever played it. On one instance when I came over to his house, I watched him walk over a couple creaky bridges, throw a couple spears, and then we moved on to whatever the 'it' game of the time was. That was it. Still, the game loomed large in my memories. Likely because of the connection I had to the film, but it was just the bridge, the spear, the darkness, and nothing else. I thought maybe it could have been a good game, but then again, we never really played it so maybe it was boring. I can now finally say that I have taken the time to find out the truth for myself.
From the start of the game, it wants to flaunt its license. Poorly displayed scenes ripped from the film kick off the experience. A bit of a flex in the era to be sure, but now it serves as a bit of a time capsule straight from the jump. Once the little film treat is complete, you're on a boat just off the main island. It maintains a cinematic quality to it, as an early Xbox 360 game (though it appeared on other platforms too) it actually serves an interesting early example of these types of stage-setting segments. Later, games like Uncharted would make full games out of this type of idea, but for the era it gives a real Bioshock-feel while predating both titles by a couple years. Maybe a pioneer of sorts, maybe not, cool either way.
The game commits to this cinema bit in other interesting ways too. For instance, the game doesn't have a reticule. I mean there is one available if you turn it on in the settings, but the intended experience as presented by the game is to forgo such assistance, lest you become distracted from the film-like presentation otherwise on display. There is some success that comes from this. Primarily an appreciation for how the game plays with light develops throughout the runtime. Occasionally, you'll be in a cave and a crack of light will break through the darkness, you'll come around a bend and the moonlight will shimmer across some rocks, or in the distance you'll get a hint of what is to come by way of the shadows of your enemies. In these moments you can understand the overly minimalistic UI. They were proud of this visual presentation.
Beyond the views, the combat is simply serviceable. You aren't able to reach into a roster of items. Instead you'll just have to rely upon what is on hand in the moment and drop inventory for sake of another item when the circumstances call for it. I suppose this arguably adds to the realism, but it can also result in some frustrating moments where you you may want a rifle but only have a spear. Speaking of spears, they are the main tool of the game. So many of the puzzles involve clearing the brush with flame bearing spears. The opportunities to retrieve such spears are plentiful, but the mechanics of spear tossing can only be so dynamic. This aspect wears before long.
At times the game can feel a little dark, again opting for looks over ease of use. After the fact I looked into it, and they apparently flatten some of this in the PlayStation 2 version, though ultimately I can't speak for myself towards which is preferred. The game also gives you extremely short chapters. I'm not sure if this is in an attempt to replicate the pacing of the film, or if they were up against disc-load issues. To give you an idea of what I'm describing: you can complete this thing in about six or seven hours and there are 39 chapters. In this way it is oddly structured like a modern mobile game, but that breaks up an experience that may have otherwise felt same-ish in larger chunks. As a fun curiosity, occasionally stages end and start at bonfires. So when ever anyone talks about their adoration for FromSoftware, make sure to remind them that Hidetaka Miyazaki got the bonfire idea from Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie.
Returning to the mystery inherent in a 'cousin game.' I must remind you, for twenty years my impression was that the game was a run of the mill FPS style game where you toss spears and cross bridges in the dark. Imagine my surprise, a couple hours in, when I learned you actually get to play as King Kong himself. The game exercises restraint in tucking this into the back half of the game, but it turns into a bit of a third person action experience. It has you fighting and fleeing dinosaurs while protecting Ann--a tiny human in comparison to Kong--at the same time. For some moments it gives a you a dollar-bin Ico experience. To be honest, it's a bit of a delight. The developers at times use fixed camera angles for these segments, once again leaning into a cinematic feel. For instance, Ann might be in the foreground above Kong and the camera right beside her. In the meantime you're controlling Kong in the background at a distance. At the very least, it is unique.
By the time you reach the end of the game, it feels a little on rails. This is understandable I suppose, as it wants you to feel like you're really in the movie for its final moments. The game remains good fun throughout, though it probably could have benefitted from one more game-flavor to mix things up. As the game can feel a little long in the tooth despite it's short run time.
So there it is. No longer an artifact of a bygone era that I appreciate from afar. I now can say I've seen all that Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie has to offer. Sometimes these mysterious things are better left in the past, let the fog of time give you the best impression of what something could have been, rather than what it was. Though here, I'm glad I finally took the time to explore this one. There was a lot to uncover and even more to appreciate.
In one instance, we had an actual lead. Reason to believe that our local Target would be receiving a limited stock of systems. We decided we would be there at store open, but the anticipation got to us. We decided to scope out the store on regular intervals overnight, confirm that a shipment of any kind had arrived and that no real line was forming before we got our chance to queue. In between visits, I recall watching a newly released DVD of Batman Begins. Then we would hop in our car, head over to Target, peak around the back looking for action, and head on home. Typical high-school hijinks where you think you're up to something, but you're really not. We did see evidence of a delivery, we did make it in the store early the next morning, no Xbox 360's, but instead a silly memory we still reminisce over decades later. I did eventually get an Xbox 360. My father happened across one at a CompUSA--a store not in our regular dragnet, they had a lot. We told plenty of friends about his find and that sort of cracked open the safe in our local community. A moment in time to be sure.
Not completely unrelated was the release of Peter Jackson's King Kong... the movie. The release felt like 'an event' given the generational run Peter Jackson seemed to be on, and the subject matter made it an easy push for the theaters around town. My same troupe of friends went to the movie for its midnight release. That isn't saying much, we did that for most movies of the era--anticipated or dreaded. What was different, was that we thought it was funny to keep seeing it. A couple times during its normal run, but once it hit the budget theater we just kept going. Barely watching the movie, the theater transformed into a place to chill out, have some snacks, hang out with friends and the big ape alike. That budget theater hosted us plenty of times before, but this was the first of many movies we decided could just be our 'third place'--although we never would have called it that at the time. The end of that era would later be marked by Ghosts of Girlfriend's Past. That film is now a guilty pleasure movie that takes me back to those days, when a movie didn't have to be serious appointment viewing, but just an excuse to get out of the house. Looking at the dates now, it was about a four year run, all beginning with Peter Jackson's King Kong.
So, the Xbox 360 is a mystical object, Peter Jackson's King Kong incidentally became a transformative film, so what about Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie? Ultimately, less important in my life, but still an interesting footnote for this period of it. I have heard people describe the idea of a 'cousin game' the type of game you never see or hear about and then one day you're hanging out at your cousin's home (or the home of someone with a cousin-like approximation to yourself) and they're just playing this unidentified foreign game. Never to be experienced again, just something that pops into your mind occasionally without much thought given to it. Cousin games can be different things for different people. For example, I've heard someone describe the Xbox version of Disney's Extreme Skate Adventure to be one of these. For twenty years, Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie occupied this type of space in my past. A friend of mine had it, but barely ever played it. On one instance when I came over to his house, I watched him walk over a couple creaky bridges, throw a couple spears, and then we moved on to whatever the 'it' game of the time was. That was it. Still, the game loomed large in my memories. Likely because of the connection I had to the film, but it was just the bridge, the spear, the darkness, and nothing else. I thought maybe it could have been a good game, but then again, we never really played it so maybe it was boring. I can now finally say that I have taken the time to find out the truth for myself.
From the start of the game, it wants to flaunt its license. Poorly displayed scenes ripped from the film kick off the experience. A bit of a flex in the era to be sure, but now it serves as a bit of a time capsule straight from the jump. Once the little film treat is complete, you're on a boat just off the main island. It maintains a cinematic quality to it, as an early Xbox 360 game (though it appeared on other platforms too) it actually serves an interesting early example of these types of stage-setting segments. Later, games like Uncharted would make full games out of this type of idea, but for the era it gives a real Bioshock-feel while predating both titles by a couple years. Maybe a pioneer of sorts, maybe not, cool either way.
The game commits to this cinema bit in other interesting ways too. For instance, the game doesn't have a reticule. I mean there is one available if you turn it on in the settings, but the intended experience as presented by the game is to forgo such assistance, lest you become distracted from the film-like presentation otherwise on display. There is some success that comes from this. Primarily an appreciation for how the game plays with light develops throughout the runtime. Occasionally, you'll be in a cave and a crack of light will break through the darkness, you'll come around a bend and the moonlight will shimmer across some rocks, or in the distance you'll get a hint of what is to come by way of the shadows of your enemies. In these moments you can understand the overly minimalistic UI. They were proud of this visual presentation.
Beyond the views, the combat is simply serviceable. You aren't able to reach into a roster of items. Instead you'll just have to rely upon what is on hand in the moment and drop inventory for sake of another item when the circumstances call for it. I suppose this arguably adds to the realism, but it can also result in some frustrating moments where you you may want a rifle but only have a spear. Speaking of spears, they are the main tool of the game. So many of the puzzles involve clearing the brush with flame bearing spears. The opportunities to retrieve such spears are plentiful, but the mechanics of spear tossing can only be so dynamic. This aspect wears before long.
At times the game can feel a little dark, again opting for looks over ease of use. After the fact I looked into it, and they apparently flatten some of this in the PlayStation 2 version, though ultimately I can't speak for myself towards which is preferred. The game also gives you extremely short chapters. I'm not sure if this is in an attempt to replicate the pacing of the film, or if they were up against disc-load issues. To give you an idea of what I'm describing: you can complete this thing in about six or seven hours and there are 39 chapters. In this way it is oddly structured like a modern mobile game, but that breaks up an experience that may have otherwise felt same-ish in larger chunks. As a fun curiosity, occasionally stages end and start at bonfires. So when ever anyone talks about their adoration for FromSoftware, make sure to remind them that Hidetaka Miyazaki got the bonfire idea from Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie.
Returning to the mystery inherent in a 'cousin game.' I must remind you, for twenty years my impression was that the game was a run of the mill FPS style game where you toss spears and cross bridges in the dark. Imagine my surprise, a couple hours in, when I learned you actually get to play as King Kong himself. The game exercises restraint in tucking this into the back half of the game, but it turns into a bit of a third person action experience. It has you fighting and fleeing dinosaurs while protecting Ann--a tiny human in comparison to Kong--at the same time. For some moments it gives a you a dollar-bin Ico experience. To be honest, it's a bit of a delight. The developers at times use fixed camera angles for these segments, once again leaning into a cinematic feel. For instance, Ann might be in the foreground above Kong and the camera right beside her. In the meantime you're controlling Kong in the background at a distance. At the very least, it is unique.
By the time you reach the end of the game, it feels a little on rails. This is understandable I suppose, as it wants you to feel like you're really in the movie for its final moments. The game remains good fun throughout, though it probably could have benefitted from one more game-flavor to mix things up. As the game can feel a little long in the tooth despite it's short run time.
So there it is. No longer an artifact of a bygone era that I appreciate from afar. I now can say I've seen all that Peter Jackson's King Kong The Official Game of the Movie has to offer. Sometimes these mysterious things are better left in the past, let the fog of time give you the best impression of what something could have been, rather than what it was. Though here, I'm glad I finally took the time to explore this one. There was a lot to uncover and even more to appreciate.