Time mode is hard at the begining and gets easier as you go along.
The first couple of levels you need to do perfect without mistake...
After that you'll have some breathing room in terms of time (the excess gets added on to the next level).
I think I finished the first level with only mili-seconds to spare and I beat the game with about 16minutes in reserve
The trick then is to consentrate on the pearls if they're around (particularly if the level has 2 clams) and grab any and all "time bubbles" you can (they replace the life bubbles since you have infinite lives)
Shield bubbles are a good idea to grab too to help keep you from dying.
The trick is just to avoid dying at all costs and keep in mind not to get discouraged if you run out of time in the first few levels, because they're the hardest
This post has been edited by twistedsymphony: Jul 11 2006, 05:22 PM