Final Ninja Zero

Final Ninja Zero sends Takeshi through 24 levels decades before the events of the main Final Ninja series, and builds its movement around a grappling hook that turns platforming into swinging arcs across gaps rather than a series of flat jumps.

Timing a hook release at the top of a swing's arc launches you noticeably further than releasing early or late, which makes momentum management as important as stealth once a level's layout demands both in the same stretch. Sneaking past patrol routes rather than engaging directly tends to preserve shurikens for the encounters that actually require them, since ammo is limited enough that spending it on avoidable fights runs a level dry before a harder section. Cat Ninja covers a similar dash-and-slash ninja platforming rhythm in a lighter, more comedic package.