Marc Ecko's Getting Up: what it got right, and what TrainWars took from it
Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure is a 2006 action game by The Collective and Atari about the writer Trane in the city of New Radius. It treated graffiti as culture and craft, not just a power-up, and it was refused classification in Australia. TrainWars takes its respect for the craft and leaves out the fighting.
Before graffiti simulators existed, there was Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure. It came out in February 2006 on PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC, made by The Collective and published by Atari. For many writers who grew up in the 2000s, it was the first game that took the culture seriously.
The game in one paragraph
You play Trane, a young writer in New Radius, a city where the government has banned free expression. You climb, fight and sneak your way to the best spots, and you use graffiti to get your name up and push back. Talib Kweli voiced Trane, with a cast that included Rosario Dawson, RZA and Adam West. Reviews were mixed (around 70 on Metacritic), but it found a lasting cult audience.
The ban
Australia was the only country to refuse it classification. It first got an MA15+ rating, but after a review request, the Classification Review Board decided the game promoted the crime of graffiti. That ban made the game famous far beyond its sales.
What Getting Up got right
- Graffiti as culture, not decoration. Tags, throw-ups and pieces meant different things, and the game knew it.
- The spot matters. A tag in a hard-to-reach place was worth more. Getting there was half the story.
- Time pressure. You painted while the city tried to stop you. The rush was part of the craft.
What TrainWars took from it
TrainWars is a different kind of game, a 3D graffiti simulator, but Getting Up is in its DNA.
- Respect for the craft. TrainWars simulates the paint drop by drop, with caps from thin to fat, drips, overspray and metallic finishes. A good piece takes skill.
- The spot matters. Every map is a real-style place: a Stockholm yard at dusk, a Berlin stabling tunnel, an Oslo layup under the birches.
- Proof of the piece. Writers shoot their work before it is buffed. TrainWars gives you an analog-style flash photo and a blackbook to keep it in.
What TrainWars left out
No fighting, no story missions, no police chases. Getting Up used paint as one part of an action game. TrainWars makes the paint the whole game: one train, your colours, your piece.
Where to go from here
You can still buy Getting Up on Steam, where the PC version was re-released in 2013. If you want to paint today, with no download, open TrainWars in your browser. And for the full field, see the best graffiti games in 2026.
Frequently asked questions
When did Marc Ecko's Getting Up come out?
February 2006, on PlayStation 2, Xbox and Windows PC. It was developed by The Collective and published by Atari.
Why was Getting Up banned in Australia?
Australia's Classification Review Board refused it classification in 2006, saying it promoted the crime of graffiti. It first had an MA15+ rating, which was overturned after a review request.
Can you still play Getting Up?
Yes. The PC version was re-released on Steam in December 2013.
Is there a Getting Up 2?
A sequel was announced in 2013 but did not come out. If you want a modern game about the paint itself, TrainWars and the VR simulators are the closest.
Who voiced Trane in Getting Up?
The rapper Talib Kweli voiced Trane. The cast also included Rosario Dawson, RZA and Adam West.
