Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – Retroachievements Guide
How to Read
[M] – Marks an achievement that is missable
(3) – The number beside the achievement shows the point value
[M] Name of Achievement (1)
Description of achievement
– How to achieve the achievement
Introduction
To master The Sands of Time, you will need two playthroughs. One where you collect every health and sand tank upgrade, and another where you play through without. This guide will follow a first playthrough collecting every thing.
Start a new game, and while the prince is on the balcony, hold L3 and quickly press X, Square, Triangle, Circle, Triangle, X, Square, Circle
Windows to the Past [BONUS] (3)
Enter the Dev Room in the Prince of Persia 1 3D Easter Egg Level
In the first room, go right on the bottom and the floor will fall. Go down and head all the way to the right. Run up the pillar to reach the switch and it will open the door. Enter to find the dev room.
Can’t Wait to Kill that Gard! [BONUS] (2)
Obtain the Sword in the Prince of Persia 1 3D Easter Egg Level
From where you fell down go left, and continue going straight left hitting switches to open the doors as you go. As long as you continue left you will reach the sword.
Prologue
No Achievements or Collectibles
The Maharajah’s Treasure Vaults
Greatest Heist (2)
Find the Dagger of Time
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed. Unlocks when collecting the dagger from the altar.
You Have Unleashed The Sands of Time
Going Mad? (2)
Unleash the titular Sands and defeat your first corrupted guards
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed.
NOTE: Make a second save here if you want to skip the opening for your no upgrades run.
Sand Cloud 1 – After chasing the woman in red upstairs, rubble will fall blocking your path. Turn right into a room and the cloud is at the bottom of the broken stairs.
Sand Cloud 2 – After leaving the previous room by swinging on the poles, climb the rubble to your right in the hall.
[M] Is This Fantasy? (2)
Continue your pursuit of the mystery girl
– After climbing out of the bedroom you will find the second save point. Make sure to use it so you can see the vision and get this missable achievement.
Had I Really Seen Her?
Sand Cloud 3 – After the save point, go through the door and turn to your right.
Health Upgrade 1 – After the previous sand cloud, continue down the hall and climb the rubble. Instead of climbing all the way down, enter the hole in the wall and follow the path.
[M] Water of Life (10)
Collect the First Health Upgrade
Sand Cloud 4 – After the Health Upgrade, climb down the rubble, then cross the gap in the floor to reach it.
Sand Cloud 5 – After fighting the scarabs, go to the end of the hall and take the left door first to find it.
Sand Cloud 6 – In the large room, after seeing the winged creatures carry the hourglass. You will slide down a pole to a ledge with two scarabs and the cloud in plain sight.
Sand Cloud 7 – Shortly after the previous one, in plain sight on your path, after climbing a level upwards.
Sand Cloud 8 – At the bottom of the room with the previous clouds, in a corner.
I Love Sand (10)
Obtain your first Sand Tank Upgrade
– Unlocks after collecting your first eight sand clouds.
[M] Not Alone Anymore (3)
Find Farah and reach the next vision
– Use the save point in the same room as the previous sand cloud.
A Secret Passage
Sand Cloud 9 – After pulling the bookshelf to reveal the passage, it is in plain sight when you cross the first gap.
Azad Defense System (3)
Re-arm the Azad Defense System. Surely this won’t cause problems for you
– Story Related, activates after you pull the switch at the end of the axle puzzle with the palace guard.
The Palace’s Defense System
Sand Cloud 10 – In the outdoor area where you fight a bunch of enemies, it can be found in a corner after climbing over some rubble.
A Booby Trapped Courtyard
Sand Cloud 11 – After running across a wall to reach a ladder, climb up, cross the next gap and look to the right. If you swung across the two poles, you passed it.
Health Upgrade 2 – Next to the previous sand cloud, there is a hole in the wall above it. Climb in there and follow the path.
[M] Trapping Thirst (10)
Collect the Second Health Upgrade
Trap Gauntlet (5)
In a move no one saw coming, re-arming the Azad Defense System is causing you more problems. Enjoy the fresh outside air.
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed. Unlocks after the leaving the outside area and entering the trapped hallway.
Sins of the Son (10)
Eliminate what remains of your father
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed. Activates when you regain control outside.
Death of a Sand King
[M] Half Guard (5)
Obtain 4 Sands Charge, enough to cover your initial Sand Tanks Number
– You should get this achievement around here or shortly.
I’ll Try to Find a Way In
Sand Cloud 12 – After the first save point after the fight with the father, climb the stairs next to it and it’ll be to the right.
Sand Cloud 13 – After opening the door with the rotating switch, climb down and look at the end of the broken bridge for the cloud before going inside.
Climbing the Tower
Health Upgrade 3 – After swinging upwards on all of the poles you will reach solid ground and a ladder. Wall run past the saw blade to the left of the ladder, to find a doorway that leads to the upgrade.
[M] Joyful Tower (10)
Collect the Third Health Upgrade
Sand Cloud 14 – At the bottom of the room with the rotating staircases, on top of a pile of crates near the fountain and door.
The Warehouse
Team Works, Dream Works (5)
Make your way up and down the Tower with Farah
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed. Unlocks after passing through the door after the rotating stairs sequence.
Sand Cloud 15 – When you emerge outside, turn right at the bottom of the stairs, and look next to them.
The Sultan’s Zoo
No Achievements or Collectibles
Atop a Bird’s Cage
Royal Zoo (5)
Go on a date with Farah and enjoy rummaging through the Zoo
– Story related, activates when pulling the switch to lower the ladder for Farah.
Sand Cloud 16 – In the cage with the scarabs on a ledge.
[M] It’s Coarse and Rough (10)
Obtain your second Sand Tank upgrade
– Activates after collecting the previous or 16th sand cloud
Cliffs and Waterfalls
Sand Cloud 17 – When climbing the trees, slide down the third one to find it.
The Baths
Promises of Steel (5)
Advance deeper into the Baths and spot something promising.
– Story related, unlocks after entering the bathroom with the save point
There’s Something Glowing Up There
Sand Cloud 18 – In plain sight next to the lever past the gates you must open.
Sand Cloud 19 – At the top of the ladder you climb by pushing the block through the baths.
Above the Baths
Sand Cloud 20 – After crossing the room using the multiple pillars it will be on the balcony you land on.
King’s Blade (10)
Find a new Sword, giving you the ability to destroy cracked walls
– Story related, unlocks after picking up the sword.
Health Upgrade 4 – After getting the sword, break through the wooden door on the balcony and half way down the stairs you will see a cracked wall you can break through to reach the upgrade.
[M] The Kool-Aid Way (10)
Collect the Fourth Health Upgrade
Sand Cloud 21 – As you cross through the underground palace, it will be in your way on a platform. You can’t miss it.
[M] Party Like it’s 1992 [BONUS] (5)
Unlock the Prince of Persia 1992 Easter egg.
– After reaching Farah, you will be in a room with a rotating lever. Break the wall behind the lever (it will look like a normal wall) to unlock the original Prince of Persia and this achievement.
A Long Buried Secret
No achievements or collectibles
Daybreak
No achievements or collectibles
A Soldier’s Mess Hall
Sand Cloud 22 – While climbing the mess hall you will see it on top of the archway over the save point. Hard to miss.
Battle on the Small Bridge (5)
Out of the Bath into the Mess Hall, now all you need is some fresh air.
– Story related, unlocks after Farah climbs the ladder
Sand Cloud 23 – After Farah climbs under the door and lets you in, it’s straight ahead.
A Broken Bridge
Sand Cloud 24 – After the large bridge collapses you can find the cloud left of the save point.
[M] Irritating and It Gets Everywhere (10)
Obtain your third Sand Tank upgrade
– Unlocks after collecting the above or 24th sand cloud
Sand Cloud 25 – After Farah appears on a balcony, you will jump a gap to a ledge with the cloud in plain sight.
Red Pill Prince (3)
C’mon Prince, you can’t say that about women… Take orders from Farah and find the path forward, alone
– Story Related, unlocked after the Prince and Farah agree to meet at the baths.
I’ll Meet You at the Baths
Sand Cloud 26 – On ground level by an open gate
Sand Cloud 27 – After wall running across the closing gate, you will be right on top of it.
Health Upgrade 5 – After running across the gate and activating the ladder, you can find a cracked wall in the room with the switch for the door. Beyond is the upgrade.
[M] Parched Remedy (10)
Collect the Fifth Health Upgrade
Sand Cloud 28 – In the cave when you drop into the river, it is on the rock you may land on in the middle of the river.
Waterfall
No achievements or collectibles.
A Cavern of Ladders
Sand Cloud 29 – After the second set of stalagmites, it is on the ledge you land on.
The Other Baths (5)
Yes, clearly Farah meant the baths accessible through the bat-infested dank cave
– Story related, unlocks after entering the reservoir
An Underground Reservoir
Sand Cloud 30 – As you make your way across the ledges and ropes of the reservoir, you will end up in a trapped filled hall. Stay on the lower level and cross the gap to find the cloud around a corner near a grate.
Sand Cloud 31 – After pushing the block down, you can use it to reach the other alcove in that corner with a sand cloud and the path onward.
Sand Cloud 32 – The last rope can be climbed up out of the reservoir, but first swing into the alcove next to it and cross the gap there for the sand cloud.
[M] Just Like Here (10)
Obtain your fourth Sand Tank Upgrade
– Unlocks after the previous sand cloud or 32nd one
Health Upgrade 6 – In the same room, climb up to the poles and swing across to the ledge above the previous sand cloud.
[M] Energy Drink (10)
Collect the Sixth Health Upgrade
Into the Light (10)
Escape the underground Baths and climb towards the light.
– Story related, unlocks after climbing out of the well
Sand Cloud 33 – After climbing out of the well it will be by a tree on this terrace.
Out of the Well
Sand Cloud 34 – After the room where you use a rope to reach two switches above the spike pit, it will be just to the right in the corner of the room.
The Sultan’s Harem
Sand Cloud 35 – After breaking through two walls and going through a curtain, it’s on your immediate left by the switch.
Sand Cloud 36 – After opening the gate obscured by the curtain and going through it, you will wall run past a gap. The cloud is just to the right.
What Did You Call Me?
What Did You Call Me? (5)
Rescue Farah in the Harem
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed
The Hall of Learning
Sand Cloud 37 – After extending a bookshelf and reaching a ladder, there will be a scissor trap with the sand cloud next to it.
Health Upgrade 7 – After the last sand cloud and fighting off some bats, wall run past the saws to the light stone and break the cracked wall behind it.
[M] Drinking Solution (10)
Collect the Seventh Health Upgrade
Sand Cloud 38 – After reaching Farah on the balcony, go to the end with no railing and drop onto the book shelf with the cloud.
A Scholar’s Weapon (10)
Obtain a new Sword in the Halls of Learning
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed.
The Observatory
Sand Cloud 39 – After Farah raises the platform, it is straight ahead on the next platform.
Planet’s Alignment (3)
Solve the Observatory Puzzle, now onto something more… dynamic!
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed. Unlocks after entering the trapped filled hallway.
Hall of Learning Courtyards
Sand Cloud 40 – Next to the group of scarabs you fight
[M] Just Like Her… (10)
Obtain your fifth Sand Tank upgrade
– Unlocks after the 40th Sand Cloud
On the Ramparts
Sand Cloud 41 – When you emerge outside, you will fight a bunch of enemies on the wall. Drop down in the break in the wall to the lower level. The cloud is behind the tree.
Sand Cloud 42 – Continue following the lower level to the other end for the next cloud.
Armor is Optional (5)
The Prince fell down into the Prison level. Better go shirtless and just don’t get hit
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed. Unlocks when falling into the prison.
A Prisoner Seeking an Escape
Sand Cloud 43 – At the bottom of the prison with the save point and near the fountain
Health Upgrade 8 – After opening the door with the block on the switch, enter it and break the wall before the blades, opposite the exit door.
Mythical Waters (10)
Collect the Eight Health Upgrade
Sand Cloud 44 – Just inside and to the left in the torture chamber after the previous health upgrade.
Sand Cloud 45 – You’ll land on it after swinging on some poles before ascending to the exit ladder with many wall switches
At Last We’re Here
Sand Cloud 46 – Follow the stairs up from the savepoint to reach where you fell into the prison and a sand cloud nearby.
Easy Escape: No Guards (5)
Sand Cloud 47 – After opening the gate, it is right in front of you.
Sand Cloud 48 – Upon entering the tower, look to the right
Sand Was a Good Friend (10)
Obtain every Sand Tank Upgrade
Health Upgrade 9 – Before taking the elevator, there is a very clearly cracked wall in the hallway before it
Bottled Life (10)
Collect the Ninth Health Upgrade
Full Guard (5)
Obtain the maximum Sand Charge amount
The Hourglass
Infernal Climb, Eternal Rewards (10)
After a dangerous climb you final reached the Hourglass
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed.
The Tomb
No Achievements or Collectibles.
Farah, Come Back!
Quenched Thirst (10)
Collect the Tenth and last Health Upgrade
Sand Wraith (25)
Collect all Health and Sand Tank Upgrades
Climbing The Tower of Dawn
No achievements or Collectibles.
The Setting Sun
No More Sand (10)
Get back the Dagger of Time
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed.
Honor and Glory
My Name? Just Call Me… (25)
Beat the game
– Story Related, Can’t Be Missed.
Post-Game
True Prince of Persia (50)
Beat the game with no Health or Sand Tank upgrades.
– While it may sound difficult or frustrating, no upgrades can make certain encounters easier. Your sand tanks will fill up faster, allowing you to use the time freeze ability frequently. Difficult encounters like the elevator sequence become trivialized.
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