Controls: Arrow Keys (←↑→↓)
Combine tiles to reach 2048!
Select the board size to start playing
Press ESC to change grid size during game
2048 was created in March 2014 by 19-year-old Italian developer Gabriele Cirulli and released as a free open-source web game over a single weekend. It exploded in popularity, spawning countless clones, spinoffs, and mathematical papers analyzing the optimal strategy.
The idea is deceptively simple: slide numbered tiles on a 4x4 grid, combine matching pairs to double their value, and try to reach the 2048 tile. Behind that simplicity is a surprisingly deep puzzle about probability, planning, and board management. Most players never reach 2048 on their first tries, and reaching 4096 or 8192 takes real skill.
Controls: Use the arrow keys, WASD, or swipe on mobile to slide all tiles in one direction. Every move spawns a new 2 or 4 tile on an empty square.
Objective: Combine matching tiles to reach the 2048 tile. The game ends when the grid is full and no more merges are possible.
Slide numbered tiles on the grid using arrow keys (or swipe on mobile). When two tiles with the same number touch, they merge into one. Reach the 2048 tile to win, and keep going to beat your high score.
Build up tiles in one corner, keep the biggest tile anchored there, and merge smaller tiles downstream into it. Avoid filling the board — every move must still leave space.
No. Once you hit 2048, most players keep going for the 4096 or 8192 tile. Our record-holders have gone past 16384.
Yes — your current game state is saved in your browser's local storage. Close the tab and come back, you'll pick up where you left off.