Merge games are built on one simple idea: put two matching things together and get something better. In the 2048 style you slide or drop numbered tiles and combine equal values on the way to bigger numbers. Other games here apply the same rule to cards, tools, creatures or gladiators, so a merge can mean a stronger unit or a faster miner rather than a higher score. Block games sit alongside them: you place or stack pieces and clear space before the board fills up. What links everything on this page is planning space. A tidy board leaves room for the next merge, while a cluttered one ends the run. Games are taken from several of our categories, mostly puzzle but also action and adventure, and every one plays free in the browser.

Also browse: Puzzle games · Action games · Casual games