Everything you need to know about this classic puzzle game
2048 is a single-player sliding block puzzle game that challenges your logical thinking and strategic planning skills. Created by Gabriele Cirulli in March 2014, this simple yet addictive game quickly became a global phenomenon.
The game's beauty lies in its simplicity: combine numbered tiles on a 4ร4 grid to create a tile with the number 2048. Despite the straightforward rules, achieving this goal requires careful strategy and a bit of luck.
Combine tiles to reach 2048
Every number in 2048 is a power of 2, following the binary system that powers all computers:
On a 4ร4 grid, the theoretical maximum number is:
However, reaching this in practice requires perfect play and extraordinary luck.
New tiles appear randomly after each move:
Gabriele Cirulli creates 2048 as a programming exercise, inspired by Threes! and 1024 games.
Uploaded to GitHub as an open-source project, never expecting viral success.
Reaches 4+ million visitors through Hacker News, Reddit, and social media sharing.
Millions of variations, educational uses, and AI research applications worldwide.
The open-source nature led to countless adaptations:
Became a popular testbed for:
Teachers use 2048 to teach:
Easy to learn in seconds, but challenging to master. Perfect for quick gaming sessions.
Requires planning, foresight, and decision-making skills. Every move matters.
Works on any device - computer, phone, tablet. No downloads or registration required.
Each game is unique due to random tile placement. Always a new challenge.
Deep dive into Gabriele Cirulli's journey and the game's development story
Learn the complete rules and master the basics
Discover mathematical principles and winning techniques
Step-by-step guide to reaching 2048 and beyond
Get answers to common questions about 2048
Start playing the classic 2048 game right now!