(not the game is a perfect example of "great" responsive controls, but relative to how it handles on a modern layout it's very notable!!)

jet force gemini is a great example of a game that just demands the original schema-- the trigger for firing being on the underside of the center stick you used for primary movement with aiming and jumping/evasion tied to your right hand with the C buttons, A/B, and R felt fairly intuitive

it's an interesting artifact of how nintendo really experimented with controls (to debatable success) in their earlier gens while everyone else was sort of adapting to the twin stick standard. the gamecube didn't have a select button!! it's weird!!

Masahiro Sakurai, and his seemingly inescapable relationship to maximalism in his games-- they're always these (seemingly) bottomless toyboxes! it's fascinating and i'd love to know what creative place that comes from. i'd also love to tell him how much i love his design for menus and UI lol.

I think Lisa the Painful is the closest thing that jumps to mind-- that game beats your ass for wanting to be a good person, and taking the easy and selfish choices almost always make the game easier (more healing and such) so it's genuinely temping.

Absolutely Tomb of the Giants lol. But to my memory (and I haven't played the game in a while tbf) 4-2 in Demon's Souls was always a big headache for me