How to play
The basics of 2048
2048 is played on a 4 by 4 grid of squares. A few squares start with numbered tiles on them. Each move, you slide every tile on the board as far as it will go in one direction: up, down, left or right. On M2048 you move with the arrow keys, and you can change those keys in Settings.
When two tiles with the same number collide during a slide, they merge into a single tile worth their sum. Two 2s make a 4, two 4s make an 8, and so on up the powers of two. That is the whole game: slide, merge, and keep the board from filling up.
How merging works
- A tile merges at most once per move. A row of 2, 2, 2, 2 slid left becomes 4, 4, not 8. The new 4s have to wait for the next move to merge.
- Tiles nearest the wall merge first. A row of 2, 2, 2 slid left becomes 4, 2: the two 2s closest to the left edge join, and the third just slides along behind them.
- A move has to change something. If nothing would slide or merge in that direction, the move is not allowed and no new tile appears.
New tiles and scoring
After every move that changes the board, a new tile appears on a random empty square. Nine times out of ten it is a 2, and otherwise it is a 4. You cannot choose where it lands, so part of the skill is keeping the board in a shape where a bad spawn does little damage.
Every merge adds the value of the new tile to your score. Merging two 8s scores 16; merging two 512s scores 1024. Large merges are worth far more than many small ones, which is why good players spend so much effort building one big tile rather than several medium ones.
When the game ends
The game is over when the board is full and no two neighbouring tiles match, so no move in any direction would change anything. Reaching a 2048 tile is the traditional goal, but on M2048 the game does not stop there: you keep playing for score until you run out of moves.
Multiplayer 2048: one board, two players
In a multiplayer game you and your opponent play on the same board, taking turns. You make one move, then they make one move, and so on. The rules of sliding and merging are exactly the ones above; what changes is who gets the points and how the game is decided.
Scoring against an opponent
- Each merge scores for the player who made the move. Your score is the sum of every merge you caused, and theirs is the sum of every merge they caused.
- You cannot see your opponent's score until the game ends. You know your own, and you can watch the board, but you have to judge from what they merged whether you are ahead.
- The higher score wins. If both scores are equal when the game ends, it is a draw.
Because the board is shared, every move you make also decides the position your opponent gets next. A move that sets up a big merge is only good for you if you are the one who gets to make it.
The 10% rule
A multiplayer game normally ends when the board has no moves left. The player whose move caused that loses 10% of their score. When the board is nearly full, look at what each of your moves leaves behind: winning a small merge is not worth it if it ends the game with you taking the penalty.
Clocks
Each player has their own clock. Your clock only runs during your turn.
- If your clock reaches zero while moves are still available, you lose immediately, whatever the scores are. A strong position is worth nothing if you spend all your time thinking about it.
- The clocks start once both players have made their first move. Each player has 20 seconds to make that first move. If either player does not, the game is called off and does not count for anyone.
Disconnecting
If your connection drops during a game, you have 60 seconds to come back and carry on where you left off. If you have not reconnected by then, the game counts as a resignation and your opponent wins. If both players disconnect, the game is cancelled.
Tips for your first games
- Keep your largest tile in a corner and build towards it. A board with the big numbers along one edge has room to take new tiles without jamming.
- Avoid the move that pulls your big tile out of its corner. Often it is the only move that leaves a gap behind the tile for a 2 to land in.
- In multiplayer, count what you leave behind. Before moving, look at which merges your opponent will have on their turn. Two equal tiles you leave side by side are points you are handing over.
- Watch the clock as well as the board. A slightly worse move played in time beats the best move played too late.
Want to know which mode to play first? Read about the game modes on M2048, or the EX-2048 guide for the card game built on the same board.