When first released for the Sega Mark III (as the Sega Master System was known in Japan) in 1988, it was published under the title ファイナルバブルボブル, or "Final Bubble Bobble" with the intention of being the definitive release of the game. It was graphically superior to the NES conversion of the game, retaining most if not all of the colors present in the arcade. The level design remained largely faithful to the original arcade version. Like the NES conversion, it features passwords, although they were slightly more complex and incompatible with the NES game. A cursory evaluation of the game might lead one to conclude that it is a straight port.
However, Final Bubble Bobble contained a number of enhancements to the gameplay which made it more than just a straight port. New secret rooms were included where players could amass millions of bonus points. Furthermore, new items were added to the game, whose collection was necessary to receive the best ending in the game. These items were typically hidden behind secret doors which would only appear under particular conditions.
Like the original version, the game can be beaten once, and then 100 more levels must be completed to achieve the true ending. However, in this version, the levels are considered on continuous collection of 200 levels, the last 100 of which are only accessible if certain items are collected before the first fight with the final boss. Unlike the original, these last 100 levels are considered "Super Bubble Bobble." While some of the levels resemble their previous versions, many new level designs are introduced, some of which appeared in the NES version as well.
Final Bubble Bobble was released in Europe in 1992 as simply "Bubble Bobble". It was also released in South America under the title "Dragon Maze" in 1994. However, this particular conversion of the game was never released in North America.