Puzzle (merge / 2048)
2048-Style Merge Puzzle
Tested with Google AI Studio · produced Merge Cubes
The Prompt
Build a 2048-style merge puzzle game as ONE self-contained HTML file (all CSS/JS inline, no libraries, works offline). Rules to implement exactly: - 4x4 grid. Swipe (touch) or arrow keys move all tiles. Optionally WASD. - Tiles with the same value merge once per move into their sum. Spawns a 2 (90%) or 4 (10%) in a random empty cell after every successful move. - Game over when no merges are possible; win banner at 2048 with a "keep going" option. - Score = sum of merged values; best score kept for the session. Implementation requirements: - Implement slide-merge as a pure function of (grid, direction) returning the new grid, merges and gained score — so it is testable. NO DOM manipulation inside that function. - Smooth tile slide animation (CSS transforms are fine) and a small pop animation on merge. - Tiles must be positioned with transforms so animation is cheap; 60fps target. - Handle rapid key input gracefully (queue or throttle). - Responsive: canvas or DOM-based is fine, must scale to phone screens. Then print: the merge function alone, followed by a list of edge cases you handled (corner pushes, triple tiles, spawn after no-move, etc.).
What This Prompt Produces
Asking for the merge as a pure function is the trick that eliminates the classic 2048 bugs. Merge Cubes was generated from this prompt and only needed art-style tweaks — still our go-to structure for logic-heavy prompts on Gemini 3.
Modification Tips
- Do not skip the "edge cases" line at the end — it makes the AI self-audit the trickiest logic.
- If arrow keys scroll the page on mobile browsers, follow up with: "preventDefault on arrow keydown."
- Want a fresh twist? Add: "Reskin tiles as glowing gems; when two gems merge, emit a brief sparkle."
The Game This Prompt Produced
Want to try it? Open Google AI Studio, paste the prompt, and you'll have a playable game in minutes. When you're happy with the result, submit it to Daily AI Games.