Like the other guy said, nostalgia and the fact that there's literally nothing else like it.
Honestly removing maps was the stupidest idea badspot had and I wonder exactly what was going through his head. Did he seriously think that it wouldn't kill blockland or what?
He probably thought that shiny graphics and an emphasis on building the world would attract new players
Though it kinda did, it drove off a lot of older players and then the newer players eventually fell off soon after, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯