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Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate

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Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate

#1
Hi all! My name is Gabriele Cirulli, I’m the original creator of 2048. Ten years ago, someone posted 2048 on HN[1] and suddenly it seemed like everyone was playing it. Back then, I wrote a bit about my experience during those weeks[2].

Even after all these years, that experience still feels a bit surreal to me. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who connected with the game, whether in small or significant ways, and for the stories shared along the way. Some people expressed how they were going through tough times and found some comfort, however small, in playing 2048.

At the start of last year, I wanted to breathe new life into the game as it was starting to show its age. I quit my job last October to work on 2048 full time and spent a year building this new version (the original took just 5 days!). I wanted to pay tribute to what made 2048 great while modernizing and polishing the experience.

The idea of adding powerups came when Prime Gaming and I connected to see if we could create a special version of 2048 for their members, with some exclusive extras. Some of those powerups made it into the main game, though there’s still a Classic[3] mode just like the original for those who prefer a more hardcore experience. The old site is also still online[4].

2048 is now my full-time focus, and I’m excited about the ways it can keep improving. I wanted to share this update with the community where it all began, both for a bit of nostalgia and to hear your thoughts and feedback!

Thank you all so much!

— Gabriele

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7373566

[2]: https://medium.com/@gabrielecirulli/2048-success-and-me-7dc6...

[3]: https://play2048.co/classic

[4]: https://classic.play2048.co

Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate
play2048.co

Re: Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate

#3
For those who haven't heard of Threes, I highly recommend giving it a try. It's the original game that 1024, 2048 etc were cloned from (and I think it's still the best by far). Wikipedia has a good summary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threes#Legacy

Re: Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate

#4
> suddenly it seemed like everyone was playing it

That's exactly how I remember it, yes.

It started with only the tech people, but then it spread to all coworkers, friends, grandparents...

Anyway, congrats on this game but I won't fall in the same trap as 10 years prior, wasting hours upon hours of productivity!

Re: Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate

#8

For those who haven't heard of Threes, I highly recommend giving it a try. It's the original game that 1024, 2048 etc were cloned from (and I think it's still the best by far). Wikipedia has a good summary: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threes#Legacy

I still play Threes regularly. It’s super accessible but still remains challenging after years of play. I even occasionally still set a new high score.

Re: Show HN: 2048 turned 10 this year, I built an updated version to celebrate

#9
Congratulations!

"Powerups with Amazon Prime" sounds like the famous bug report that grep (I think) should search on Amazon if it doesn't find the string locally, which was submitted IIRC in protest at the Ubuntu "lens" doing just that.

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