How to play
The board is a 4×4 grid that starts with two tiles, each showing a 2 or a 4. On every turn you choose a direction and all tiles slide as far as they can that way. When two tiles with the same number collide, they merge into one tile with their sum: 2 and 2 become 4, 4 and 4 become 8, and so on. Your goal is to create a tile with the number 2048.
After every move that changes the board, a new tile appears in a random empty square. It is a 2 most of the time and occasionally a 4. The board slowly fills up, so every move needs a little planning. When the grid is full and no neighbouring tiles match, the game is over.
Rules
- Tiles slide until they hit the edge of the board or another tile.
- Two tiles with the same value merge into one. The new tile carries the sum, and that sum is added to your score.
- A tile can merge only once per move. Four 2s in a row moving left become 4 and 4, not a single 8.
- When three equal tiles line up, the two closest to the wall you move towards merge first.
- A new tile spawns only after a move that actually moved or merged something. A move that changes nothing costs nothing.
- Reaching 2048 wins the game, but you may keep going and aim for 4096, 8192 and beyond.
Controls
- Mouse: press on the board and drag in the direction you want to move. A short drag of about 30 pixels is enough.
- Touch: swipe anywhere on the board. The board does not scroll the page while you swipe, so your thumb is free to play.
- Keyboard: the arrow keys, or W A S D for up, left, down and right.
- Undo takes back your last move, including the tile that spawned, and you can press it repeatedly to step further back.
- New game starts a fresh board at any time.
Your current game and your best score are stored in your browser, so you can close the page and continue later on the same device.
Tips and strategy
- Pick a corner. Keep your largest tile in one corner and never move it out unless you have to.
- Favour two directions. Stick mostly to, say, left and down. Use the third direction only when those two are blocked, and avoid the fourth.
- Build a snake. Arrange tiles in a descending line along one edge, so that each merge flows into the next one.
- Keep the bottom row full. A full row along the edge with your large tile cannot be disturbed by a sideways move.
- Merge small tiles early. Lots of scattered 2s and 4s clog the board. Clear them before they trap a larger number.
- Think one move ahead. Before you swipe, picture where the new tile might land and whether it could block a merge.
- Use undo to learn. If a move leads to trouble, step back and try another direction to see the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep playing after I reach 2048?
Yes. When you make a 2048 tile a message appears with a Keep going button. Press it and the game continues with the same board, and you can keep merging to 4096 and higher.
Why did no new tile appear after my move?
A new tile spawns only when a move changes the board. If you swipe in a direction where nothing can slide or merge, nothing happens and no tile is added.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, automatically. The game in progress, your undo history and your best score are kept in your browser storage. Clearing site data or using a private window can remove them.
How is the score calculated?
Every time two tiles merge you gain the value of the new tile. Merging two 8s into a 16 adds 16 points. Bigger merges are worth more, so the score grows faster as you go.
When is the game over?
The game ends when every square is filled and no two neighbouring tiles share the same number, so no move is possible. You can use Undo to go back, or press Try again.
Is it possible to win every game?
New tiles appear at random, so some games are harder than others. Careful planning and a steady corner strategy make reaching 2048 much more likely.