Crash Bandicoot 4 Platinum Time Trial Relics Guide

Crash Bandicoot 4 It’s About Time has 38 Platinum Time Trial Relics. Getting all of them unlocks the Faster Than Sound Trophy or Achievement. These Relics are also needed for the 106% game completion and the secret ending.

How to Get Platinum Time Trial Relics:

First you must finish the level one time (doesn’t matter how many gems you get).
Now replay the level and a golden stop watch will spawn at the start. Collect this stopwatch to start the time trial.
Destroy the time crates along the way and get to the level end as quickly as possible (don’t die, use slide-spin to move faster).
Based on your speed you’re awarded a grade of relic (from lowest to highest): Sapphire, Gold, Platinum, Purple.

Platinum is the 2nd highest tier. There’s still one tier above it, the “Purple Developer Time Relics”. Luckily, only Platinum Time Trial Relics are needed for the “Faster Than Sound” trophy / achievement.

None of the Relics are missable, you can replay the levels at any point during & after the story. You can retry them as often as you want. In the pause menu of the world map (not while in a level) you can see your total progress how many Relics you go. In the level stats you can see in which levels you have a platinum time trial relic. The higher-tier purple relics automatically count as a platinum (no need to replay if you got a purple relic). Only 38/43 levels have time trials (the 5 boss levels don’t). There’s one Platinum Relic to be earned in each of these levels.

Time Trials Tips:

The go-to move for all Time Trials is Slide-Attack (PS4: , / XB1: , ). This move makes you go much faster than normal walking.
Destroy the time crates along the way. They stop the timer, which is mandatory to get platinum relics.
There are no checkpoint crates so if you die you will restart at the beginning. You have to finish the level in one life.
Go for the triple-mask. After getting 3 mask pickups you become invincible for some time. This allows you to run straight through traps, TNT, nitro and enemies without taking damage.
After the story you unlock Triple Spin which makes you go faster (while walking: Attack – wait 0.5s – Attack – wait 0.5s – Attack). However, the default Slide-Attack that’s available from the beginning is much easier to use. It’s worth experimenting with both moves to see what suits you better in a given level. For the start, go with slide-attack because it’s more straightforward to use.
There are no “Running Shoes” like Crash Bandicoot 1-3 had. It’s either the Slide-Attack or the Triple Spin you’ll have to use.