I can't wait to get my laptop fixed so then I can play some if them with y'all.
Yesss, join usss.
I honestly haven't played these sorts of games before, but I'm very interested in the responses here - what makes them really fun to play? o: The adrenaline rush on trying to survive and the challenges that goes along with it?
I dunno, I've just always loved these games! I think the very first one I played was actually Lost in Blue on the DS (please tell me someone else remembers this), that was lots of fun. There was actually a main objective in that one where you can escape the deserted island, but I just liked surviving and adding to my fortress/"home" on the island so much I kept delaying the escape and lived on the island forever, even though I had more than enough resources needed to actually win the game. :P
...But to actually answer your question, I agree with Fiddlesticks, putting together an awesome fortress bit by bit is very rewarding, especially since it's so difficult to just survive in the beginning, when you have nothing.
Another big thing for me is exploration. Most of these games have maps that are completely randomly generated, so after establishing a home and having enough to actually survive, I like to pack up a few essentials and wander off to see what kind of cool new things I can find. In Minecraft that usually meant caving/spelunking with Mage and Anna, and in Don't Starve Together, we... haven't really been well off enough to do more exploring than it takes to survive yet, haha.
And lastly, these games are definitely more fun with friends! So again, join usss. :D