I feel like I've disappeared from this thread... but just a few things I'd prefer to add.
The Music in Lufia and Lufia 2 are excellent. Still, I wonder what the possible alternate ending in Lufia 2 would have been (but, it's been hinted before if you dig around towards the end game part). It hints Selan's actual existence/purpose in the game.
With regards to FF5, I prefer to beat Omega down with "3 Bards" and a Thundaga powered X-Attack (or whatever the 4x hit is called). Free "Stop" with free haste, regen, and hero song can't go wrong.
I overgrind a lot, but I don't actually master all the classes (not worth it), so beating Exdeath tends to come with overkill for me (Rune Bell powered "mages", Aegis Shields for all, 4 Protect Rings) and I love Blue Magic (even though I like use like 2 spells primarily).
Shinryu... I usually go "full Dragoon" on it, with the Dragoon/Wyvern Lance. It's what "Kain" would have wanted. You would be surprised how nice Diamond equipment combine nicely with the Coral Ring.
So anyways, I've been playing FF7, killing everything I see. I've learned something new, but not quite new (I assume the FF7 community is aware of this).
Beating the crap out of Ruby Weapon is easy with the fun "trick" involving starting to dead characters, so you allow him to change into a different mode. Abusing him with W-Summon+Master Summon is pretty much over (Hades+KOTR). I'm not entirely a fan of the Dazers trick unless you combine W-Item (Dazers+Megalixir or some combo to stay productive while the monster is trying to break out, but not). I do like leading off with Hades+Phoenix...
Also, I think the Emerald Weapon has some issues trying to "counter" a W-Summon based KOTR based attack. It doesn't seem to react or respond properly to them (I think there's a specific counter to the use of the spell?).
What I learned recently was interesting...
HP (and MP) Absorb Materia operate dramatically different when it comes to physical or magical attacks... specifically with Mime.
You can attach those materia to Mime or the Master Command Materia, but it's kinda productive ONLY if they use physical attacks as part of their action. If they attempt to use magic or summon, the properties of HP Absorb Materia does not carry over. Here's what gets interesting...
If you attach the Materia to the spells themselves or the Magic/Summon versions... things become interesting. What I did was attach them to the KOTR summon (HP Absorb for the Master Summon, MP Absorb to the KOTR Materia). What happened was that the Mime command "inherits" the properties of support materia that the originating user it is miming. So, if/when I decide to use dual KOTR via W-Summon vs Emerald Weapon, not only that KOTR is summoned twiced (as expected), but HP+MP Absorb is applied to those that are Miming the original command! It doesn't require HP or MP Absorb to be mastered (or have multiple copies for that matter) which allows you to benefit as long as you can attach as many Support Materia as to the original materia it is attached to (the KOTR materia - although, getting 500k AP to spawn another KOTR materia is a pain in the arse).
I've seen this effect work with MP Turbo as well (was used vs the Ruby Weapon) and I suspect it would work with Quadra Magic as well (although, not with KOTR, for obvious reasons).
AFAIK the effect of Steal as Well and Added Cut can be Mimed as well. I'm not what other support materia can be mimed, but I think in theory all of them can.
Anyways, abusing Emerald Weapon with dual KOTR w/o getting that materia counter-attack counter at < :10 of the battle left was great (didn't need to bring that silly Underwater Materia).
One more thing... FF5's Beast Tamer is actually very good for mages. Control is useful, but not as refined as the FF6/FF7 versions... but the most important skill you gain from it is Equip Whips. It allows them to keep fairly good strength for back row compatible weapons that cause paralysis. It's hard to say bad things about it. Although, I would prefer to put Barefisted on them early on for consistent usefulness.
We have EVEN MORE themes now, but some old ones are gone...