Threes! is a captivating sliding tile puzzle game that challenges players to strategically combine numbered tiles on a 4×4 grid, aiming for the highest score possible. The core mechanics focus on merging tiles with the following objectives:

1. Basic Merging: The game begins with tiles featuring the numbers one and two. Players initiate their journey by sliding these tiles together, resulting in the creation of threes. This fundamental action sets the stage for further combinations.

2. Combining Multiples: Once threes are formed, players can combine them into higher multiples. The gameplay mechanics allow for the merging of like tiles; for example, aligning two threes results in a six, two sixes create a twelve, and so forth. This cascading combination strategy encourages players to think several moves ahead, as reaching higher tile values significantly contributes to the overall score.

3. Scoring System: As players merge tiles, their score increases correspondingly with the value of the created tiles. The scoring system incentivizes the creation of rarer, higher-value tiles, pushing players to focus not just on immediate moves but on long-term strategies.

4. End of Game: The game concludes when players can no longer make any moves, whether due to the grid being full or the absence of available combinations. At this point, scores are tallied based on the total value of the tiles formed, making efficiency and foresight critical to achieving a high score.

Overall, the objective of Threes! is not solely to play until the grid is full but to engage in strategic planning to maximize tile combinations. Players must carefully think each slide through, balancing the risk of filling up the grid with lower-value tiles against the opportunity to merge into higher-value tiles, all while keeping an eye on the final score. The challenge lies in the delicate balance between immediate actions and long-term outcomes, making Threes! both engaging and addictive.