I do most of my gaming on a Retroid, which can run a lot of PS2 games well, as well as obviously earlier games. I really liked the GBA Macross game - you got to level up ship stats after each stage to make it more durable, or your weapons stronger, and shit like that.
What other shmups have similar mechanics? Dont care if theyre horizontal or vertical. I already have Radiant Silvergun's Saturn port loaded on my device, so inb4 that one.
In UN Squadron for the SNES you can buy different planes and weapons if that counts.
Falcom made a whole-ass shmup RPG called Star Trader in 1989, and I just found out there's an English version on the Switch shop.
Xenon 2 for the Amiga has a shop mechanic, Tyrian 2000 (originally a DOS game but now freeware and has an open source port) has one too.
UN Squadron is also a manga adaptation of Area 88 lol
Ayyy came in here to mention UN Squadron. Another Capcom shmup Forgotten Words has shops were you can buy blasters and options and such.
ty ty o7