Just read through the thread and it was fun to hear of everyone's experience with Zelda II! I'm still a big fan of A Link to the Past but this may be my next favorite in the series.
It's interesting that almost everyone has done the strategy of skipping the crystals because I have never done it that way ever. I've probably finished Zelda II a dozen times all the way through and every time I grab the crystal the first time through the palace. As I play I try to manage it where I level up upon killing the palace bosses so that I get the most out of grabbing the crystal at that time, and even though it isn't the optimal method for grinding I always end up fully leveled up prior to the final palace.
