Starbound has 7 major alien races. However if I was making the game I would pick these 7 alien races. They are from the Gaming Steve forum during the pre-Spore golden age. Naucean - Amphibious Scientists. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=1621.0 Wexxian - Robotic Hippies. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=3763.0 Sombreron - Hand-Walking Traders. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=3484.0 Kazea - Quadrupedal Xenophobes. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=2036.0 ViS - Slug-like Bureaucrats. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=4907.0 Torpal - Four-Armed Warriors. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=2215.0 Borark - Tiny Thieves. http://www.gamingsteve.com/blab/index.php?topic=2445.0
These Are All Cool, But It Would Be Difficult Incorporating Height, Extra Arms, Lack Of Arms Etc Into How The Character Works.
Yeah. It would be a coding nightmare. However it would be a change from the typical "humanoid" races. Note that the Wexxians can have any number of bodies since they can download into different robots. See the thread link for more details on that race. In fact all the races have a deep history, which is why they are my picks. Not just because they look cool.
Who knows, maybe they will eventually implement races that aren't just humanoids. Although it may be a long time after release and as you said, coding would be a nightmare.
I thought that last one was Borat for a second... Cool pick of races, Id like to see what they look like in sprite form
Here is an old Sprite for the Naucean. He is in a scientist suit. It could be a lot better though. Here is also another old Sprite with a Naucean wearing a Prison Jumpsuit from the Prison Escape game that some fan made.