Apple jumped ahead of its normal Tuesday update schedule with the release on Monday night of Bubble Bash from the French developer Gameloft.

Bearing more than a slight resemblance to arcade and console games such as Super Bust-A-Move, Bubble Bash has players use the click wheel to steer and shoot a bubble cannon to clear same-color patterns before the advancing wave reaches the bottom of the screen.

Periodic threats such as monkeys and parrots add an extra challenge, according to Apple.

The game comprises 100 levels and is available immediately from the iTunes Store for fifth-generation iPods with video, third-generation iPod nanos, and the iPod classic at Apple's standard iTunes price of $5.