If you've ever wondered just how many downloads it takes to make it into the top ten free apps on the App Store, Fairlady Media is at hand.

Following the release of its marble match up puzzler Bust a Marble on iPad on November 23, the developer has published a number of stats regarding its performance to date – most interestingly, its daily download rate.

Eye on the prize

"Immediately after launch, we watched the game rise in the App Store rankings," Fairlady says in a post on its blog.

"By the end of the second day, Bust a Marble was in the top 10 games in over 20 countries, including the United States. It was listed as the number 16 App in the App Store.

"Shortly thereafter, Apple featured the game in Top Game Center Games, New And Noteworthy Games in both the Action and Strategy Games categories."

Ode to Apple

It's this promotion from Apple that acted as a catalyst for a surge in downloads, it would appear, with daily rates leaping from around 6,800 on day two to more than 12,800 downloads on day three.

The high rate continued into day four with around 12,500 downloads – enough to place Bust a Marble at number eight in the free games countdown for two days straight.

What's more, Fairlady also claims that, based on usage statistics, Bust a Marble has served more than 754,000 ad impressions to date, with a new ad served up during every 60 seconds of gameplay.

[source: Fairlady Media]