2048 is a number puzzle game that was originally created by Italian developer Gabriele Cirulli in 2014. The game is played on a 4x4 grid, initially populated with two tiles bearing the values of either 2 or 4.
Gameplay Overview:
Initial State: The game begins with a 4x4 grid, and there are two tiles with values of 2 or 4 placed randomly on it.
Sliding Tiles: Players can slide the tiles in four directions: up, down, left, or right. When two tiles with the same value collide while sliding in a particular direction, they merge into a single tile with a value equal to the sum of the two merged tiles.
New Tile Generation: After each valid slide, a new tile appears randomly in an empty spot on the grid. The value of the new tile is either 2 or 4. This process continues, and players must strategically merge tiles to obtain higher values.
Objective: The primary goal is to continue merging tiles to reach a tile with the value of 2048. Once a tile with the value 2048 is created, the player wins. However, the game usually allows players to continue playing to achieve even higher tile values.
Game Over: The game concludes when the grid is filled, and no more valid moves can be made. The player's score is the sum of all the tile values on the grid at that point.
2048's simple rules and addictive nature make it suitable for players of all ages. The challenge lies in the strategic decisions players make to merge tiles efficiently and reach the elusive 2048 tile.