Parents' Guide to

2048

By Chris Morris, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Addictive math-based puzzle game with a focus on strategy.

App iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android Free Puzzle Games
2048 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this app.

  • 2048 App: Screenshot #1
  • 2048 App: Screenshot #2
  • 2048 App: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 1 parent review

josephmaster
josephmaster Parent of 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11-year-old
November 24, 2015
age 4+

2048

This is a very fun game that is in a very rare group: a popular game that helps you learn. It is one of the best (the only one better is Agario) and is very fun to play. The directions are simple: just pair up like numbers. The only reason I put 4 and up is because 3 and under probably do not know how to add.

This title has:

Easy to play/use
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

Users slide numbered tiles around a 4x4 grid, matching up similar numbers in an effort to get a cube that adds up to 2048. When users can no longer combine numbers, they'll see their score.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (5):

Like Threes! before it, 2048 is a math exercise hidden in a terrifically addictive matching game. Rather than simply trying to post as high a score as possible, though, this one sets a task, users must combine numbers to the point that they add up to 2048 in a single box. That means initially matching 2s, then 4s, then 8s, etc., until a pair of 1024s are next to each other. It's a small, but wonderful twist that makes the gameplay seem new. And having a task to aim for keeps people playing (as well as trying to better the scores of their friends). Like any of the best games, you'll quickly understand the point and do fairly well -- but it will be a long, long time before you truly master the game.

Keep in mind, though, that the app versions of the game are not made by the creator of the original game -- which was a playable in a browser. There are several 2048 clones flooding both app stores now, so parents should be aware that developers of some of these may not make them as family friendly as the one we tested.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how math is used in everyday activities.

  • Families can also talk about why it's important to think ahead.

App Details

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