Glow Merge: slide, fuse and chase the 2048 supernova

Glow Merge is a sliding number puzzle played on a four-by-four grid of glowing orbs. Every move pushes all orbs as far as they can travel in one direction. When two orbs with the same number collide, they fuse into a single orb with double the value, and that new value is added to your score. After every move that changes the board, a fresh 2 or 4 orb appears in a random empty cell.

Your target is the orb labelled 2048, the supernova. When you build it, the game tells you and lets you carry on, because the score keeps counting. The run ends when the grid is full and no neighbouring orbs match, or when you choose to end the game yourself with the button above the board.

Each fusion adds the value of the new orb to your score, so merging two 64 orbs is worth 128 points. Bigger orbs are worth far more than small ones, which is why a single long chain beats many tiny merges.

• One star for 500 points, two stars for 2,000 points and three stars for 5,000 points.
• Making a 2048 orb unlocks the supernova achievement on your profile.
• Your best score is remembered on this device, and your total stars and XP grow every time you finish a run.

Switch to Daily challenge and everyone who plays on the same date starts from the same board and the same random draws, so you can compare how far each of you got from identical conditions. Finishing the daily puzzle on consecutive days builds your streak. Free play deals a new random board each time.

After a run, press Challenge a friend to copy a link that carries your seed and your score. Whoever opens it plays the same board and sees whether they beat you. Everything is saved locally in your browser, with no account or sign-up needed.

• Keyboard: arrow keys or W, A, S, D slide the whole board.
• Touch: swipe on the board in the direction you want to slide.
• Pause with the button or the P key, restart with the button or the R key.
• The game pauses by itself when you switch to another tab.

• Pick a corner and keep your largest orb locked there. Avoid sliding away from it unless you have no other choice.
• Build along one edge so large values sit in a tidy descending row, which makes long chain merges possible.
• A calm board with room to move beats a cramped board with a slightly higher score. Do not chase every small merge.
• Before each move, check which direction leaves your anchor row alone, and prefer it.
• If you are forced into a bad direction, choose the one that keeps your biggest orb in its corner, then recover.