My local JB still has a ton of the dongle bundled with a wireless controller though.

Yeah the old wired 360 controllers are PC compatible. The wireless USB dongle was discontinued a long time ago, if you see one buy it because someone will probably pay $40-50 for it on ebay. I lent mine to my mate.

wired xbox 360 controllers are sold as being pc compatible i am pretty sure

You can get a little pack which comes with the dongle + a controller.

Originally the dongle was only about 30 bucks, which was awesome value, but nearly noone sells them now.

I gotta say, the amount of games that I love having a 360 remote for on PC is silly, really. Battlestations: Pacific is unplayable without it, Assassins Creed (I know I know, I own it on 360 already) as well as a bunch of other console-centric PC ports... if you play a few PC games it's fair game to have one.

Wired controllers don't work with the USB though... Or maybe wired ones do but wireless with the pack doesn't?

Yes, if you get some USB thingy-doodle to communicate with it (they aren't cheap)

do the wireless xbox 360 controllers work on pc?

RRP is $79.95.

Dual Shock RRP is $99.95

and for a full Wii controller, it's $99.90RRP (or $129.85 including a Motion Plus)

The 360 controllers are more than 20% off at GAME. They're $20 off.

I don't remember controllers ever being $80, if EB etc are changin that I'll still be buyin mine online.