2048

About 2048

2048 is the sliding tile puzzle created by Gabriele Cirulli in 2014 that turned into one of the most played browser games ever made. Every move pushes the whole board in one direction, matching numbers merge, and the target is a single tile reading 2048. This is the original number version, free and unmodified.

How to play 2048

1. Press an arrow key, or swipe on a touchscreen.
2. All tiles slide as far as they can in that direction.
3. Two tiles showing the same number merge into one tile with their sum, and that sum is added to your score.
4. After every move a new 2 or 4 appears in a random empty square.
5. Reach 2048 to win. The game is over when the board is full and no merge is possible.

2048 strategy that actually works

• Corner rule. Choose one corner at the start and never let your highest tile leave it.
• Build a snake. Keep the row holding your corner tile in descending order so merges cascade.
• Use three directions. If your anchor is bottom-left, use down, left and right, and avoid up.
• Keep squares free. A board with four or more empty cells is recoverable, a full board is not.
• Think one move ahead. Before swiping, check where the new tile could appear.

Other versions of 2048

Prefer your tiles with a face on them? Play Doge 2048 for the Shiba Inu edition, 2048 Cupcakes for the dessert version, or Meme 2048 for a board made of internet memes. There is also Dogeminer Mini if you would rather click than swipe.

2048 FAQ

Credits

2048 was created by Gabriele Cirulli, based on 1024 by Veewo Studio and conceptually similar to Threes by Asher Vollmer.