This is actually a very good column. I bought the Wii for Christmas and extra costs add up incredibly fast. Mainly because it's a party conssole and you need, really you need up to 4 extra controllers. Now of course each extra controller happens to come in two pieces and cost $60. Then you need an extra game. And I didn't even have to worry about batteries.
Lets say you just buy the Wii, one extra controller, and one extra game, it's already $310, and you probably want more controllers and batteries.
If you're buying a PS3 or 360 OTOH, you can probably get by with one controller, maybe pick up a second tops later, 3rd or 4th out of the question.
I guess the unique thing to Wii is that you need so many controllers. And that being a "party" console you feel like you need more games with the system too, if that makes any sense.