Does reaching 2048 end the game?

No, you can keep going. The game only ends when no direction moves the board. 4096 and beyond are on the table.

No. An undo button would let you retreat from every dead end, and choosing which way to slide is exactly what this game is made of. The substance is on the side of not being able to take it back.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. Swipe the board in any direction, or use the buttons below it. The 4x4 board is sized to fit a portrait screen.

Can anyone see my score?

No. The score and best score live only in this browser on this device, and there is no leaderboard or account. Private browsing may block storage entirely.

Does it work offline?

Yes. Once the page has loaded, everything runs inside the browser.

Keep the largest number in a corner

This is the best known idea in the game. A large tile in the middle is surrounded on four sides, and once small numbers fill those it has nowhere to merge — a dead lump in the centre of the board. In a corner, especially top-left or bottom-right, it only touches two neighbours and is far harder to strand. The habit that gets you there is always sliding towards where your big numbers already are.

Pick one direction you never use

If you are building towards the top-left, decide that right and down are off limits. Using all four directions as the mood takes you will eventually shift the big tile out of its corner and undo the structure you built. Rotate between three directions and only reach for the fourth when nothing else moves — that restriction is the difference between planning and improvising.

New tiles are 2 nine times out of ten

Each slide adds one number to an empty square: 90% of the time a 2, otherwise a 4. Small numbers therefore keep arriving. A 4 costs you an extra square, so when the board is nearly full, whether a 4 appears changes how the next few moves go. That is the only element of chance — the result of a slide itself is entirely determined.

The end is decided by movement, not space

Running out of empty squares does not end the game. All four directions are tried, and only if none of them changes the board is it over. A full-looking board with two equal numbers side by side still has a move in it, so try all four directions before assuming you are stuck.

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Merge the Numbers

Runs in your browserNothing is uploaded

Slide the board and equal numbers add together and double. Two makes four, four makes eight — the question is whether you reach 2048. There is no timer.

Score

Best

Arrow keys (or W A S D) to slideSwipe the board in any direction

Sliding left. Equal numbers that meet are added together, and the number created is added to your score.

All tools

Falling blocksRotate and stack seven shapes, clear full rows. Scores stay on your device.
Block puzzlePlace three shapes on an 8x8 board and clear full rows and columns. No timer.
MinesweeperUse the numbers to avoid the mines. The first click is always safe.
SudokuFill a 9x9 grid with 1-9. Every puzzle has exactly one solution.

Why this one

No double merge in one move: "2 2 4" slid left gives "4 4", and it stops there rather than collapsing to 8. A merged tile will not merge again on the same move. Without that rule, "2 2 2 2" would become 8 in a single move and the board would clear itself. It looks like a detail; it is the skeleton of the game.
All four directions share one routine: Only "slide one row to the left" is implemented. The other three directions rotate the board, slide left, and rotate back. Writing four separate versions reliably produces one direction that behaves subtly differently — this way the same rule provably applies whichever way you slide.
Close it and come back: The board and the score are stored on this device. Reopen the page and you carry on. Nothing reaches a server, which also means nobody here can see what anyone scored.

How to play

Slide the board
Arrow keys on a computer (W A S D also work). On a phone, swipe the board or use the buttons below it.
Bring equal numbers together
Equal numbers that meet in the direction you slid are added and doubled. The number created is added to your score.
It ends when nothing moves
Each slide drops a new number into an empty square. When no direction changes the board any more, the game is over.

Good to know

Keep the largest number in a corner: This is the best known idea in the game. A large tile in the middle is surrounded on four sides, and once small numbers fill those it has nowhere to merge — a dead lump in the centre of the board. In a corner, especially top-left or bottom-right, it only touches two neighbours and is far harder to strand. The habit that gets you there is always sliding towards where your big numbers already are.
Pick one direction you never use: If you are building towards the top-left, decide that right and down are off limits. Using all four directions as the mood takes you will eventually shift the big tile out of its corner and undo the structure you built. Rotate between three directions and only reach for the fourth when nothing else moves — that restriction is the difference between planning and improvising.
New tiles are 2 nine times out of ten: Each slide adds one number to an empty square: 90% of the time a 2, otherwise a 4. Small numbers therefore keep arriving. A 4 costs you an extra square, so when the board is nearly full, whether a 4 appears changes how the next few moves go. That is the only element of chance — the result of a slide itself is entirely determined.
The end is decided by movement, not space: Running out of empty squares does not end the game. All four directions are tried, and only if none of them changes the board is it over. A full-looking board with two equal numbers side by side still has a move in it, so try all four directions before assuming you are stuck.

FAQ

Does reaching 2048 end the game?: No, you can keep going. The game only ends when no direction moves the board. 4096 and beyond are on the table.
Can I undo a move?: No. An undo button would let you retreat from every dead end, and choosing which way to slide is exactly what this game is made of. The substance is on the side of not being able to take it back.
Does it work on a phone?: Yes. Swipe the board in any direction, or use the buttons below it. The 4x4 board is sized to fit a portrait screen.
Can anyone see my score?: No. The score and best score live only in this browser on this device, and there is no leaderboard or account. Private browsing may block storage entirely.
Does it work offline?: Yes. Once the page has loaded, everything runs inside the browser.

Related tools

Why this one

How to play

Slide the board

Bring equal numbers together

It ends when nothing moves

Good to know

FAQ