NewsSpots: Xbox Live demos, Family Guy, Fishing Master

TimeShift, NHL 08 get 360 demos
Microsoft already announced its first Xbox Live Arcade sale and next week's new releases, but that isn't all the online 360 news today. There are a pair of new demos up on the service, as samples of Electronic Arts' NHL 08 and Vivendi Games' TimeShift have both been made available for download. The TimeShift demo gives players a taste of the first-person shooter's time-altering gameplay, while the NHL 08 demo lets players decide a Stanley Cup Finals rematch with a period of play (and possible shootout) between the Anaheim Ducks and the Ottawa Senators. EA has said it is also planning to release a PlayStation 3 version of the NHL 08 demo. TimeShift is rated M for Mature and is slated to arrive on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 30. NHL 08 will skate to the PS3, PS2, Xbox 360, and PC on September 11 and is rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older.

Family Guy to hit Video Marketplace
Peter Griffin and co. are headed for the Xbox Live Video Marketplace. Twentieth Century Fox and Microsoft today announced that beginning Sunday, September 2, episodes from the first two seasons of Family Guy and the film Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story would be available on the Xbox 360's downloadable video service. These initial offerings will be followed by Family Guy seasons five and six on September 18 and October 1, respectively. The videos have not yet been priced.

Hudson casts line on Fishing Master
Hudson Entertainment today announced that Fishing Master for the Nintendo Wii has gone gold and will ship to retail shelves on September 18. Incorporating the Wii's motion-sensing technology, Fishing Master uses the Wii Remote and Nunchuk to mimic real-world fishing. Players will be able to cast their line, wait for a bite, and then battle a number of different types of fish. The game is playable in single-player mode as well as a four-player multiplayer mode. Fishing Master is available for $39.99. For more on the game, check out GameSpot's E3 preview.