Gateway to Apshai
Gateway to Apshai — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Gateway to Apshai on?
- Gateway to Apshai was released on ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX.
- When did Gateway to Apshai release?
- Gateway to Apshai was first released on December 31, 1983.
About Gateway to Apshai
In this almost-but-not-quite Roguelike, you play a lone warrior exploring the mysterious dungeons of Aphsai, collecting treasure and better equipment as you proceed, in addition to leveling up and getting more experience.
Summary via IGDB.
Gateway to Apshai on Wikipedia
Gateway to Apshai is an action-adventure game for the Commodore 64, ColecoVision and Atari 8-bit computers. It was developed by The Connelley Group and published by Epyx in 1983 as a prequel to Temple of Apshai. It is a more action-oriented version of Temple of Apshai, with smoother and faster graphics, streamlined controls, fewer role-playing video game elements, and fewer room descriptions.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Game details
- Platforms
- ColecoVision, Atari 8-bit, Commodore C64/128/MAX
- Developer
- The Connelley Group
- Publisher
- Epyx
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Action, Fantasy
Details via IGDB.
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Period reviews | Built by | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ColecoVision | 1984 | $25 | $55 | $61 | Graphics ★★★½ · Play-Action ★★★★ | The Connelley Group | Low (look-alike) |
Release timeline
- Atari 8-bit1983
- ColecoVision1984
- Commodore C64/128/MAX1984
First release on each platform, from IGDB’s records of this game’s ports and editions. Remakes are separate games with their own pages, so they are not listed here.
We haven’t priced or authenticated the versions without a section on this page yet.
Collector value & authenticity
ColecoVision · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-19
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about 5 times a year
- Sealed: about once a year
Prices marked “few sales” rest on about one recorded sale a year, so treat them as a rough guide: the next copy could sell well above or below. Expect to wait for one to come up.
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-19.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $10.00 in Jul 2009, $21 five years ago, and $25 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $10.00 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $10.00 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $50 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.24 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $18.72 | $20 |
| Jan 2015 | $9.99 | $36 |
| Jan 2016 | $25 | $14.95 |
| Jan 2017 | $14.99 | $14.95 |
| Jan 2018 | $17.35 | $25 |
| Jan 2019 | $13.96 | $24 |
| Jan 2020 | $12.48 | $39 |
| Jan 2021 | $14.15 | $37 |
| Jan 2022 | $24 | $46 |
| Jan 2023 | $19.75 | $66 |
| Jan 2024 | $21 | $45 |
| Jan 2025 | $16.80 | $47 |
| Jan 2026 | $19.72 | $58 |
| Oct 2026 | $25 | $55 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | MSRP |
|---|---|
| North America Epyx | $40.00 (approx.) |
- North America: Price new: Computer Entertainer's review (April 1984).
- Region
- NA
- Released
- 1984
- Controller
- Hand controller (keypad and control stick)
- Players
- 1
- Authenticity
- Low
Electronic Games called Epyx's dungeon crawler the best of the ColecoVision's adventure games in late 1984.
Gateway to Apshai came to the ColecoVision from Epyx in March 1984, a prequel to Temple of Apshai in a more action-oriented form. Electronic Games reviewed this version in December 1984 and called it the best of the videogame adventure crop, praising both the graphics and the game itself.
You use the stick and the keypad to move the explorer through eight underground complexes, which the magazine described as holding many dungeons each, with richer treasures but meaner monsters as you go deeper. Computer and Video Games, looking back in 1989, rated it 64 percent, a much cooler verdict, so the game's reputation depends on whether you rate 1984's adventure competition or later action games.
What the press said at the time
| Computer Entertainer Vol. 3 No. 1 | April 1984 | Graphics ★★★½ · Play-Action ★★★★ |
“GATEWAY TO APSHAI is a must for those who love adventure gaming, and it has enough action to keep arcade game fans happy, as well.”
“Gateway to Apshai elevates the action-adventure genre to new heights of sophistication, both in graphics and in the game itself. … this ColecoVi-sion offering is currently the best of the videogame adventure crop.”
Computer Entertainer rated graphics first and play action second, from four symbols (excellent) to one (poor) — diamonds through early 1987, stars after — comparing each game only with other games for the same system.
How the ColecoVision version differs
Computer and Video Games rated the ColecoVision version 64% in 1989.
Electronic Games said this ColecoVision cartridge was the best of the videogame adventure crop at the time.
Also on other platforms
Atari 8-bit
| ColecoVision | The Connelley Group |
- Atari 8-bit. The Addison-Wesley Book of Atari Software 1984 gave it a B and called it a better game than Temple of Apshai in many ways, thanks to its faster pace, fewer keyboard commands and cartridge format.
Worth knowing
- From the ColecoVision manual. Each of the eight levels offers 99 dungeons, 792 in all, and each has its own floor plan.
- From the ColecoVision manual. You start with 5 lives and get about six and one-half minutes per level before being teleported automatically to the next deeper level.
- From the ColecoVision manual. Treasure points depend on the material, from lead up to jeweled, and are multiplied by the level number where it was found.
Before you buy
Uses the keypad as well as the stick, so test both on whatever controller you play with. Confirm the box and label say ColecoVision, and check the box and manual for completeness.
Gateway to Apshai screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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