Content

• Steps
• Advice

2048 is an easy "addictive" game released for mobile and desktop. This is a game that is easy to grasp how to play but difficult to clear. You can play games online, or download games to your iOS or Android device.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Tips and basic instructions

1. 

   Grasp the rules of the game. You probably already know how to play 2048, but if you don't understand, here are the most basic rules. Note that this is the gameplay of the official game version, but there are also many plagiarized versions, clones, and even predecessors. Many of them have different rules of the game.
   • Swipe the screen up, down, left, or right to move all numbered squares in the respective direction. Each tile will move in that direction until it hits the wall or another tile (you need to press the arrow keys in the desktop version).
   • Each time you move, a new 2 or 4 numbered cell appears in an empty position by the last moved row or column.

2. 

   
   
   Try to get to 2048. When you move two squares with the same number touching each other, they merge into a new square whose value is equal to the sum of the two squares. For example, two squares 2 will merge into one square 4. The goal that you need to try to achieve is to create a square with 2048 value.

3. 

   Pause the game and calculate ahead. You can quickly get drawn into the game and try to move as fast as you can. If you want a higher chance of winning, try to stay in control and only move when you are ready. Plan ahead and try to imagine what the board will look like after you make your next move, or at least guess what will happen to some important squares.

4. 

   
   
   Get in the corner. A common way of playing that many players use is to create a square of great value at a certain corner. It doesn't matter which angle you choose, but you need to stick with it after you have made your choice.
   • This style works best when the corner is part of the row that you are keeping filled.This way, you can move the squares from left to right without affecting your high-value squares.

5. 

   
   
   Seize the opportunity to combine multiple squares. If you see a long row of identical tiles, it is usually a good idea to combine all of them to get more room on the board.

6. 

   Alternately click the top and right. One basic strategy is to alternate clicking on the top and right until no more moving squares. When this happens, you need to click on the left side, then switch back and forth between the top and right clicks. This does not guarantee you will "clear" - in fact, it is often difficult to win by playing this way. However, this is a way to help you get a pretty high score, and also a quick way to break your previous record. advertisement

Part 2 of 2: Step by step instructions on how to play

1. 

   Swipe left and right repeatedly (this step is not required). Start a new game, then quickly swipe left and right. Continue until you see more rows of 2, 4, and 8. Although it is not necessary to do this to win, you will usually gain an advantage and have the squares reach the big value faster.

2. 

   Create a high value square in the corner. Combine the original squares into 16 or 32 squares, then corner them in the corner. The goal of this step is to keep the tile in position for as long as possible, then gradually creating a square with a larger value.
   • This gameplay was applied in the world record 2048 game to create the final square in 1 minute 34 seconds.

3. 

   Fill the row containing high value squares. Example: If your high-value corner is in the upper-right, fill the entire top row with squares. Alternating between the two corner directions ("above" and "right" in this example) is a good way to do just that. Once filled, you can move left and right multiple times without moving the high-value tile from the corner.
   • Keep an eye on this row and fill in the gaps that appear whenever possible without moving the corner tile.

4. 

   Focus on merging small squares. During most of the game play, making 8, 16, and 32 squares is more important than just focusing on one square of great value. Ideally, the squares with that mid-range value are located near the corner square you have selected. This allows you to combine in a chain reaction, then move closer to your goal than just focusing on creating a single square of great value.

5. 

   Free up small, trapped squares. Things often do not go as perfectly as they should, and you may find yourself in the situation where the 2 or 4 square is stuck between the 256 and 64 squares, or they are in very unfavorable locations. This is the time when you need to pause playing the game and think carefully about each move in order to free that small square. There are several ways to do this:
   • Select a cell next to the stuck square, then plan to combine them. If it's a large square, you may need to plan multiple moves ahead of time to get things going. After there is a square of the same value next to it, swipe so that the square you intend to combine moves.
   • Another try is to try to create a gap in the row with the small square stuck, then shift left and right until it is above the mergable square. This usually doesn't work very well if there are too many squares on the board.

6. 

   Move the corner tile when you must, then return it to its original position. In most games, there will be times when you will be forced to move the corner tile to another location. You should observe first to know which movement is most beneficial. Swipe in that direction, then immediately swipe backwards so the high-value tile returns to the corner.
   • In some clones, you can move idle and a random square still appears. In this version, you usually never have to move your tile out of the corner, but sometimes it's still necessary if your screen is in danger of being filled.

7. 

   Keep trying until you win. You still need a bit of luck to clear this game, so don't expect to win the first time around. If you have to move the corner tile and unfortunately a new square appears at the same corner, the chances of success are much lower. You can still win if you solve five or six empty squares, or in the case of squares that have your highest value of 64 or 128. If the squares are of a higher value, usually you are unlikely to have opportunity to escape this ironic situation. advertisement

Advice

• If you have "cleared" the 2048 game and want to overcome a more difficult challenge, try creating 2048 squares with points the shortest may. Since every move causes the score to increase, this is really a challenge if you want to reach 2048 with the least number of moves.