It seems that when an app available on the I-tunes store gains enough popularity, Lincoln will soon become engulfed with it, and 2048 is no exception. It was first developed as a web game on March 9 and has over 100 million plays so far.

As a math-related app and internet game, it attracts mathematicians and others alike to enjoy its addictive interface. To simplify its purpose, the goal of the game is to reach the 2048 tile. After winning, you have an option to go for the 4096 tile, or even further, if possible. After each game, your score is displayed to you as you. That being said, it’s not as easy as it may seem. It is a math-RELATED app. Yes, you’re combining numbers into larger ones, but the game just depends on certain strategies rather than math itself.

2048 begins with difficulty, but as a general technique is developed, the game almost becomes second nature. I had a difficult time learning how to play the game efficiently enough to reach the 2048 tile. After my first couple games, I was happy to reach the 512 tile.

Currently, I am slamming my head against my table at home because I can’t reach the 4096 tile. It’s only made worse after I stare in awe at screenshots of people who have reached heights in the game much higher than I could ever imagine. Along with demanding a certain technique, the game is time-staking. The first time I reached the 2048 tile, about half an hour had passed, so leave some room for breaks. The game is fun and addictive, but 0ne thing crossed my mind more than anything else: It was made in a weekend.

2048 was apparently created by a 20-year-old Italian web developer named Gabriele Cirulli whom was working towards creating his first game. Little did he know that its popularity would soon skyrocket dramatically. 2048 has similar success to that of the popular app Flappy Bird. Both were made in a weekend, simplistic in each of their designs, and have gained massive popularity. However, Flappy Bird does have some distinct differences. Most prominently, it was taken off the app store because of the unwanted attention headed towards the creator’s hometown of Hanoi, Vietnam. Though the app was receiving revenue of upwards to $50,000, the reason was meaningful enough for the app’s demise. On the other hand, Cirulli has shown no intention of removing his first creation from the app store as its popularity is producing copious amounts of profits.

Though a massively popular creation, I’ve known only a few who have reached the coveted 4096 tile. One of them was Adam Knox-Warshaw, who has a habit of displaying his latest 2048 achievements on Facebook via his screenshots. “My first thought of the game was, ‘it seems impossible to get the 2048 tile,'” Warshaw said. “Right now, getting the 2048 tile is a breeze. It’s pretty easy if you know what you’re doing. Its difficulty doesn’t even compare to Flappy Bird.”

For some people, reaching the 2048 tile means beating the game. For Jack Friedman, he quickly lost interest after reaching it. “For me, the game was incredibly addictive until I reached 2048,” Friedman said. “I know most people like to continue and try to go even higher, but it made me feel so accomplished that I felt like the game was over for me.”