If you are trying to play this on an Analogue NT Mini Noir, you must enable fully buffered video mode in the settings. The game displays all sorts of video glitches if it's ran with the video buffer turned to zero buffer. I don't notice any lag between zero buffer and fully buffered. It's an amazing game so, I'm glad I found the solution to the issues I was having.
Viewing post in Sam's Journey (NES) comments
I'm just delighted to have it run properly on my console. If this game had been released back when the NES was the current generation console, it would be in most top ten lists. I rate it in my top five without any reservation and recommend to everyone. I am not a cartridge collector by any stretch of the imagination but, I would make an exception for this one.
Are you also using an Analogue NT Mini Noir? If so. and you are running Genesis games, there is a way to get full 6-button controller support by using a SNES controller to NES console adapter and the 8bitdo 2.4Ghz SNES controller. The controller adapter is available at MiSTer Addons if you need one. Please let me know if the fully buffered setting does the trick for you. It really is a good game.
I am using the Mini Nt Noire and I'm using the 8BitDo Pro2 controller (specifically the one with the Famicom color scheme) with the wireless 8BitDo dongle and having a blast and have left the full buffer on and played Lifeforce and Air Fortress and didn't notice any lag so I'm leaving the function on for the time being