The coins form the centerpiece of the app’s educational aspect, which players can use to buy hats, clothes and spells for their character.

Coins the players choose to save accrue interest, and the more they save, the higher their interest rate is.

That and other details of the game add to the underlying theme of Saving Magic — financial literacy.

The main goal of the app is to promote good financial practices among young people, MSUFCU Vice President of Corporate Relations Sarah Bohan said.

“If you start when they’re young and they’re learning about the importance of saving and balancing a checkbook or how to use money, it carries with them through life,” Bohan said.

Although financial skills are at the heart of Saving Magic, the message comes wrapped in an enticing package, said Brian Winn, director of undergraduate studies at the GEL Lab.

“The goal (for the app) was to be a highly engaging game.

“We didn’t want people to look at it as an educational game,” Winn said.

The GEL Lab focuses on research and development through the creation of games that explore a concept known as meaningful play, which involves games with a goal of education as well as entertainment.

Winn said the lab has just begun work on a project with NASA.

Computer science senior Justin Girard partnered with graduate student Liang Cui as the student leaders on the development team.

Girard said he helped manage a team of about seven of artists, programmers and designers.

He said working on the game gave him valuable experience in game design.

“When I got to college, I saw the program and just clicked,” Girard said, who is also pursuing a games design specialization.

“Now that I could actually have a chance at doing (game design) for a job, I really want to do that.”

The app is offered for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play and currently is available for download.