Merge Numbers: the 2048-style sliding puzzle

How to play Merge Numbers

1. 1

   Slide

   Use the arrow pad to slide all tiles in one direction at once.

2. 2

   Merge

   Two equal tiles that collide become one tile with double the value: 2 + 2 = 4, 4 + 4 = 8, and so on.

3. 3

   New tile

   After each move a new small tile appears on an empty cell.

4. 4

   Climb

   The game ends when no move can change the board. Your highest tile is your score.

Scoring and stars

There are no levels: every game is the same puzzle, and the board itself is the challenge. With no clock and no move limit, Merge Numbers is the calm game in Brainura's line-up. It rewards planning several moves ahead, not fast reflexes.

Strategy that works

1. 1

   Pick a corner

   Keep your biggest tile there. Most good games are built around one corner, with the largest numbers along one edge.

2. 2

   Use two or three directions

   Moving away from your corner is sometimes necessary, but each time a small tile can land where your big tile just was.

3. 3

   Keep the edge row full

   If the row with your big tiles always has four tiles, sideways moves won't shift it out of order.

4. 4

   Merge small tiles early

   Scattered 2s and 4s fill the board fast and end the game.

Where the idea comes from

Sliding-merge puzzles became hugely popular in 2014 with an open-source web game built around reaching the 2048 tile, itself inspired by earlier mobile games. The rules take seconds to learn, and the planning goes surprisingly deep.