Each turn you pick one direction. Every tile slides that way until blocked; equal neighbors in a row or column merge once into double value. After merges settle, a new 2 or 4 appears in a random empty cell if any remain. When no direction can move or merge, the run ends.
Slides and Merges
The board is always 4×4. On a swipe, tiles move in that direction until they hit an edge or another tile. Adjacent equal values in the row or column merge into one tile at double value, and each cell merges at most once per swipe.
If nothing can move or merge in the chosen direction, the board does not change and no new tile spawns. Use arrow keys or WASD on desktop; swipe the board on phone.
Scoring
Each merge adds the new tile value to your score—two 8s becoming 16 adds 16 points. The header shows this run and your local best; best scores stay in browser storage and do not sync across devices.
When a Run Ends
The game stops when the grid is full and no swipe can merge anything. After you make 2048 you may keep playing until the board locks. Daily challenge uses the same merge rules after you clear the day's target.
Tools on This Site
Play from the home page. Hints suggest a direction; undo rewinds one step (you must move again before undoing once more). Daily challenge uses a date-based start and target tile. These tools do not change merge math—they help you practice and review.
For corner anchoring and space control, see 2048 strategy.
Common Questions
Is every new tile a 2?
Usually 2, sometimes 4. At most one new tile appears after a legal swipe that changed the board.
Can one row merge twice in one swipe?
Yes, but each cell merges only once per swipe. Tiles 2, 2, 4, 4 sliding right become 4 and 8, not 16 in one step.
Does making 2048 end the game?
It marks the classic goal. You can keep merging for a higher score until no moves remain.
Is daily challenge different from New game?
Merge and end rules match. The start layout and target tile are fixed for the calendar day on your device; progress is stored locally.
Is undo unlimited?
Undo goes back exactly one board state. After you move again, you can undo that step—not rewind many turns in a row.
Do I need an account?
No. Open the site in a browser; best score and recent games stay on this device.
