I can't emphasize how much better this style would have looked.
Kefka looks great, but those player sprites look even worse and more amateurish. Some of you guys must just be blind to design fundamentals in general.
I agree that the sprites could use a bit more work in places, but if you're honestly arguing those are worse than the blobs of color Square came up with then I think it may be you who needs their eyes checked. At least these ones are readable.