Now I generally try to avoid arguing in threads like these, but... what? I don't know what kind of configuration you're using, but I can play every single game available on the Wii with the wiimote+nunchuck that came with the console and one of the Gamecube controllers I have lying around. If I didn't have a GC controller, then I'd have to buy one for around 20€, and get 100% backwards compatibility with GC games. You only need what comes with the box for normal Wii games, and one cheap purchase for everything else. That's as many as four tens. And that's terrible.

I am slightly annoyed at how they haven't included GC pad support for games that would work just as well with it, like Super Paper Mario. Oh, and not being able to use the Wii's internal memory for GC game saves sucks greatly.

If you are not counting the controllers that come with it: Wiimote + Nunchuk + Gamecube + Classic Controller.

4 controllers to play everything on the Wii, that's what I said. (40 + 20 + 25 + 20 = 105 dollars for one player to play everything on the Wii)

PS3, everything (including ps2, ps1 games) on one controller, same with 360 (including xbox games) for 50$ each.

What on Earth do you need a classic controller for? It's cool if you like it, but the Gamecube controller does everything it can, even better if you ask me.

But yeah, you can get a big bill if you buy all possible peripherals for any console. The bottom line is you can play all the console's own games with what you get in the box, and all the previous gen games for around 20€ (plus 10€ or so for a memory card, which I agree sucks). Not free like the extremely limited backwards compatibility on the other two consoles, but I'm satisfied.

I'm sorry, this turned into a fanboy rant. I'm honestly trying to avoid them.

Nintendo:
Having an oddly short supply - Not saying it's intentional, and I've no idea how much it would cost to find another source of production, but Jesus.

Making the Wiimote + nunchuck 80 dollars - Fine for Sony, since they apparently believe their console players don't have friends (Ever tried to hotseat a Sony game?) but damn expensive for a party console.

Delay after delay - I'm greedy. I wants it now.

VC Games - Get people started on the service, give them a free 1000 points. Let them test the VC, it'll cost you... 10 bucks a console (Alright, now that's expensive, 80 million lost revenue) but will probably provide many future sales assuming the service is good. Gets the motivated to try it!

Original Content - Some older gamers wouldn't mind a new megaman made on a SNES engine. We'd in fact pay for it. Yet as of yet, where is it? Or even something new.

Harddrive - All these goodies, and no room to put them.

PS3:
Feeling... solid - No rumble, extremely light controller. Both personal preferences, both things I disliked.

The store: You can download demos ahoy, including 8 for one game! Or download games like Rampart, which actually is a 500kb game that somehow got expanded to 66 megs despite having less features than the Super NIntendo game (Minus online of course). Also, control is the suck.

Games: I can buy a ps3 for 400 dollars. I still won't. I've had fun playing games on the Ps3, but it won't last. I need something else, something long, something fun. Please god make it fun. Also, why did you feel the need to make your enormous ps2 library look like ass, and deny some of your most popular guitar or dance based games from working?

XBox360:

Havn't played you. I'm a 360 virgin.

Nintendo : for leaving the harcore demographic
Sony: for not good online play
Micorsoft: Absolutly nothing (well maybe the fact that its too much fun) okay fine i'll say that you can't play co-op on every game

You can't use the gamecube controller for classic games in msot cases so you do need the classic controller...

I'm not just getting peripherals, to play everything I can on my Wii I need 4 controllers per player for 105$ X 2 players= 210$

Actually they were, and still are. They should hit the 10 million mark there in about 30 years or so. Which is pretty short, compared to the age of the universe.

Please name a single Virtual Console game that doesn't work 100% on the Gamecube controller. Last time I checked they didn't exist.