We lose track of time in this hobby. Games you played new are suddenly 40 years old!
The dot matrix era was nearly as long the the flippered EM one!
pre flipper 1933-1947 14 years
flipper EM 1947 to 1977 30 years
early solid state 1977 to 1986 13 years
alphanumeric 1986 to 1991 5 years
dot matrix 1991 to 2015
24 years
LCD screen 2013 to now 11 year and counting
Traditionally classic means pre alphanumeric but tournament organisers can only use the games made available . In our Electric Circus league we had to stretch to use alphanumeric for classics where few would argue a game like Funhouse certainly has more in common with dot matrix games.
A few alphanumeric games have a classic vibe ie single level no toys playfields. Bally Harley Davidson and Gottlieb street level games (Deadly Weapon , Vegas ) spring to mind . Meanwhile no one would blink if you used earlier games that have ramps like Comet Space Shuttle Sorcerer etc.
Hopefully at Pinfest enough pre 1985 games will be offered. As a last resort I'd rather see Whoa Nelly that plays like an EM than a bells and whistles system 11 like Space Station
In the story of pinball , High Speed was the game changer and games before that should count as classics.