The hardest challenge of every level in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time is the same as it’s always been — getting all the crates. There are 100+ crates in the very first level, and later levels can feature upwards of 400+ crates. Getting all the crates is a nightmare, and usually it’s just a few crates you’ll miss every level. There’s always one or two very well-hidden crates, and we’re going to explain where to get them all.
Below I’ll list all the general crates for each area, but make special mention of any crates that are easy to miss. Most crates are just sitting out in the open — I don’t need to explain where those are, but I will keep a running tally. Any hard-to-find or hidden crates will get a special entry. You’ll also find the Hidden Gem location for each stage below. And there are a lot of stages, so let’s get started.
More Crash Bandicoot 4 guides:
How To Find The Ridiculous WOAH! Meme | WOAH YEAH! Easter Egg Guide | How To Beat All Bosses | Neo Cortex, N. Tropy & More | How To Get All 4 Colored Gems | Blue, Yellow, Green & Red Locations
1-1: Rude Awakening | All Crates & Hidden Gems
To earn 100% on a level, you need to find 80% of all Wumpa Fruit, die no more than 3 times, find the Hidden Gem, and find all crates. These challenges can be completed in any order. If you die more than 3 times while finding all the crates, you can return and earn the last gem later. All gems you’ve unlocked in a level stay unlocked in future replays.
7/104: Out in the open. You can’t miss them.
[Easy-To-Miss] 8/104: Behind a small ruin you have to jump over, past the two crab enemies.
27/104: The Checkpoint block and the following blocks along the path. There are many leading up to the interior ruin. This count ends at the Checkpoint crate outside the interior ruin.
53/104: Inside the ruins. Don’t miss the TNT blocks or the two floating blocks near the entrance. One is on the steps leading inside. Three are under the huge set of 15 near the exit.
62/104: On the rope vine. There are 9 — just jump to get them. Die if you miss and restart at the previous checkpoint.
72/104: Past the vine, from the checkpoint on — these crates are easily visible in the village.
Hidden Gem: When you reach the upper village, you’ll have to slide under a hut. Instead of sliding, crawl under it and jump into the hidden space to collect this gem.
77/104: Past the Hidden Gem, there are four more crates — one, the checkpoint, and two beneath the bonus room.
85/104: 8 crates are found in the bonus room. Step on the “?” platform to ride to the bonus area. There’s no trick to this one. Just hold [Jump] on the bounce pad to gain more lift to reach the raised crate.
93/104: 8 more crates are found in the cave. Break them all up to the Checkpoint in the cavern exit.
96/104: 3 crates are on the circle platforms before reaching the wall.
104/104: The last 7 crates are on the path up the ruins wall near the end.