2048 glossary

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1024History

A game by the studio Veewo (2014) that simplified Threes! into powers of two sliding all the way to the edge. 2048 was directly inspired by it. Learn more →

2048 tileBasics

The tile worth 2,048 (2¹¹), the goal of the game and the origin of its name. It takes about a thousand moves to get it. Learn more →

A

Anchor tileStrategy

The biggest tile on the board, placed in the chosen corner. The whole build is organised around it. Learn more →

Ascendant2048 Deluxe

The rank shown beyond level 10 (Titan) in 2048 Deluxe. Learn more →

B

Badge2048 Deluxe

A medal kept between games, unlocked the first time a merge creates a specific tile: 4, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 or 2048. Learn more →

Base rowStrategy

The row that holds the anchor tile. Keeping it always full stops it from moving on a sideways move. Learn more →

Bomb2048 Deluxe

Power-up (in-game: Bombe) that removes a chosen tile, with no points and no new tile. Earned by creating your first 32 tile of the game. Learn more →

C

CascadeStrategy

A chain of merges: a tile that doubles joins its neighbour of the same value, which doubles in turn, and so on along the snake. Learn more →

CloneHistory

A version of a game that reuses its mechanic. 2048 has had thousands of clones and variants, themed (Doge 2048) or remixed (Flappy 2048). Learn more →

Combo2048 Deluxe

The number of consecutive turns with at least one merge. It speeds up the Flux but doesn't multiply the score. Learn more →

Conservation lawMaths

A merge never changes the sum of the tiles on the board; only new tiles increase it, by 2.2 points per move on average. Learn more →

Corner strategyStrategy

The core rule of good players: keep your biggest tile in a corner for the whole game, and play mostly two directions so it never gets dislodged. Learn more →

E

Evaluation functionMaths

The score an AI gives a position, based on criteria such as empty cells, monotonicity and possible merges. Also called a heuristic. Learn more →

Evil versionHistory

A variant (Evil 2048) in which an algorithm places each new tile in the worst spot for the player instead of at random. Learn more →

ExpectimaxMaths

The algorithm used by the best 2048 AIs: it simulates possible moves and the weighted average of the tiles that may appear, several turns ahead. Learn more →

F

Flux2048 Deluxe

A 5 × 5 board gauge that fills on every turn with a merge and drains when you don't merge. When full (100), it can grant an X2 tile. Learn more →

Forbidden directionStrategy

The move to avoid in the corner strategy, usually "up" when your corner is at the bottom: it pulls the anchor tile out of place. Learn more →

Free spaceStrategy

The number of empty cells. It's the game's main resource: every move adds a tile, so you must merge at least as fast. Learn more →

G

Game overBasics

When the grid is full and no merge is possible: no move can be played any more.

GridBasics

The board on which tiles slide: 4 × 4 (16 cells) in classic 2048, 5 × 5 (25 cells) in 2048 Deluxe.

L

Level2048 Deluxe

The player's permanent rank, from Scout (level 1) to Titan (level 10). Level N is reached at 64 × (N − 1)² XP. Learn more →

M

Mega Bar2048 Deluxe

Power-up (Méga Barre) that clears an entire row. Earned with the first 512 tile. Learn more →

Mega Bomb2048 Deluxe

Power-up (Méga Bombe) that removes up to three tiles around the targeted cell, within a 3 × 3 area. Earned with the first 128 tile. Learn more →

MergeBasics

When two tiles of the same value meet, they become one tile of double value (2 + 2 = 4). A tile can only merge once per move. Learn more →

Mission2048 Deluxe

An in-game goal: chain 3 merges, make 12 merges, then create a 128 tile. Each earns 120 XP and one power-up charge. Learn more →

MIT licenceHistory

A very permissive open-source licence under which Gabriele Cirulli released 2048 on 9 March 2014: anyone can copy, modify and republish the code. Learn more →

MonotonicityStrategy

A row or column whose values increase (or decrease) steadily. The more monotonic the board, the easier it is to merge. Learn more →

MoveBasics

Sliding every tile in one direction: up, down, left or right. A move that shifts no tile is not allowed.

N

New tileBasics

The tile that appears in an empty cell after each move: a 2 in 90% of cases, a 4 in 10% of cases, in a random spot. Learn more →

P

Power of twoMaths

A number obtained by multiplying 2 by itself: 2, 4, 8, 16… 2048 = 2¹¹. Each merge moves a tile up to the next power. Learn more →

S

ScoreBasics

The total points of a game: each merge earns the value of the tile created. Reaching the 2048 tile earns about 20,000 points. Learn more →

Score milestone2048 Deluxe

A points threshold that earns XP once per game: 500 (+50 XP), 1,500 (+100 XP) and 3,000 (+150 XP). Learn more →

Second Chance2048 Deluxe

Bonus (Seconde Chance) used when the game is lost: it removes the smallest tile so you can continue. Earned with the first 1024 tile, once per game. Learn more →

SnakeStrategy

Arranging tiles in decreasing order from the corner, zigzagging: the base row descends one way, the next row goes back the other. It sets up cascades. Learn more →

SolverMaths

A program that calculates the best move from a given grid. 2048 Deluxe offers a free solver for 4 × 4 and 5 × 5. Learn more →

Stranded tileStrategy

A small tile stuck between big values, with no possible twin nearby. It blocks the build and often ends up losing the game. Learn more →

T

Theoretical ceilingMaths

The biggest tile it is possible to reach: 131,072 on 4 × 4, 67,108,864 on 5 × 5. With k cells, the maximum is 2^(k+1). Learn more →

Threes!History

Puzzle game released on iPhone on 6 February 2014 (Asher Vollmer, Greg Wohlwend), the ancestor of 2048: cards 1 and 2 make a 3, then identical cards merge. Learn more →

TileBasics

A cell holding a number (2, 4, 8…). Every tile in 2048 is a power of two.

X

X2 tile2048 Deluxe

A special tile that doubles the value of the tile it merges with (X2 + 8 = 16). Only one can be on the board at a time. Learn more →

XP2048 Deluxe

Experience points kept from one game to the next, earned by merging, through missions and score milestones. They raise your level. Learn more →